Jyoti Prakash Nirala

Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala, AC (15 November 1986 - 18 November 2017) was a member of the Garud Commando Force. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration in January 2018. He is the first airman to receive the award for ground combat and only the third one to receive it overall after Suhas Biswas and Rakesh Sharma.[2][3][4]

Corporal

Jyoti Prakash Nirala

AC
Born(1986-11-15)November 15, 1986[1]
Rohtas district, Bihar
DiedNovember 18, 2017(2017-11-18) (aged 31)
Bandipora district, Jammu and Kashmir
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of service2005–2017
Rank Corporal
Service number918203
UnitRashtriya Rifles (deputed)
Garud Commando Force
Awards Ashok Chakra

Early life

Nirala was a resident of the Badladih village, born in Kshatriya Yadav family Rohtas district, Bihar.[5]

Military service

Nirala joined the Garud Commando Force of the Indian Air Force in 2005. His unit was deputed to the 13 Rashtriya Rifles and stationed in Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Rakshak.[6][3][7]

Ashok Chakra
Jyoti Prakash Nirala's wife and mother receive the Ashok Chakra from president Ram Nath Kovind on 26 January 2018.

A joint offensive was launched by the Garud detachment and the 13 Rashtriya Rifles in Chanderger village, Bandipora district, Jammu and Kashmir based on technical intelligence. His detachment covertly approached the house that had suspected militants hiding in it and laid a close quarter ambush. Nirala, armed with a light machine gun, positioned himself close to the approach of the hideout, cutting off all escape routes.[3][4][2]

In a bid to escape, the six militants rushed out, shooting and throwing grenades. He retaliated and shot down two category ‘A’ militants and injured two others. In the exchange, he was hit by a volley of small arms fire and kept firing despite being critically injured. Nirala subsequently succumbed to the fatal injuries received during the encounter in which all six militants were killed.[3][4][2]

He was awarded the Ashok Chakra on 26 January 2018 for service and exhibiting bravery in fighting the militants.[3] He is credited with eliminating the local leadership of Lakshar-e-Taiba. One of the militants killed during the operation was the nephew of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a major planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[8][9]

Personal life

Nirala was married to Sushma Nand Yadav and they have a daughter Jigyasa Kumari.[10][11]

References
  1. "Martyred Garud commando to be cremated at Chandigarh". DailyPost.in. 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  2. "Martyred Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala joins elite IAF club tomorrow - Times of India". indiatimes.com. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  3. "Press Information Bureau". www.pib.nic.in. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  4. "IAF commando Jyoti Prakash Nirala awarded Ashok Chakra for role in Kashmir encounter that killed six terrorists - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. "Army pays floral tributes to Corporal Jyoti Prakash in J-K". India Today. 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  6. https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/army-pays-floral-tributes-to-corporal-jyoti-prakash-in-j-k-1089956-2017-11-19
  7. "Sole Ashok Chakra goes to Jyoti Prakash Nirala, IAF Garud commando". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  8. "Inspiring story of Jyoti Prakash Nirala – first Garud Commando to get Ashok Chakra posthumously". financialexpress.com. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  9. Team, Editorial (2018-01-27). "Interesting Facts about Jyoti Prakash Nirala, Ashok Chakra awardee". SSBToSuccess. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  10. "Death in J&K, grief in Rohtas". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  11. "3 commandos of city IAF station killed in 38 days - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
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