Rajesh Kumar (soldier)

Havildar Rajesh Kumar, AC was a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) of Indian Army who was awarded India's highest military decoration Ashoka Chakra.[1]

Havildar

Rajesh Kumar

AC
BornSonipat district, Haryana, India
Died(2009-08-01)August 1, 2009
Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Rank Havildar
Service number2890262H
Unit11 Raj Rif
Awards Ashok Chakra
Spouse(s)Beeta

Early life

Rajesh Kumar was born in Sonipat district in Haryana. He was the son of Shri Ram Kishan and Smt Parmeshwari. He joined the army after his initial education.[2]

Military career

Kumar was recruited into 11 th battalion Rajputana Rifles, an infantry regiment with a glorious history of gallantry awards and battle honours.

On 1 August 2009, he was leading a section of the Ghatak team that was on a search mission for terrorists in the forests of Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. He opened fire on the terrorists and killed three of them, saved his teammates, but got seriously hurt in the process. Finally he succumbed to injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the highest peacetime military decoration in India.

Ashoka Chakra awardee
President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil giving away the highest gallantry award Ashok Chakra to Smt. Beeta wife of the Havildar Rajesh Kumar (posthumous) in New Delhi on January 26, 2010

The citation by the President of India during the awarding of the Ashoka Chakra read: Havildar Rajesh Kumar showed unparalleled feat of most conspicuous gallantry, fortitude and the rare spirit of self sacrifice in fighting the terrorists.

References
  1. "Ashok Chakra for Havildar Rajesh Kumar". The Hindu.
  2. "Hav Rajesh Kumar, AC".
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