Hav Rajesh Kumar AC

Hav Rajesh Kumar hailed from Sonipat district in Haryana.  Son of Shri Ram Kishan and Smt Parmeshwari, Hav Rajesh joined the army after his initial education. He was recruited into 11 Raj Rif of the Rajputana Rifles Regiment, an infantry regiment with a rich history of gallantry and battle honours.

Kupwara Operation: 01 Aug 2009

During 2009, Hav Rajesh Kumar’s unit was deployed in Kupwara District of J&K. The area of responsibility of the unit fell in a zone that was prone to infiltration by the militants owing to the existence of dense forest  areas. The unit was thus involved in the counter-infiltration operation on a regular basis. The unit also operated patrols at regular intervals to monitor suspicious movements of the militants. Based on information received from the intelligence sources, a search operation by the Ghatak platoon team was launched on 1st Aug 2009. Hav Rajesh Kumar was part of that team and was leading a section of the Ghatak team. As the team reached the suspected area and launched the search operation in the dense forest of the Kupwara district, the troops were subjected to indiscriminate firing by the terrorists. 

Hav Rajesh Kumar along with his section immediately swing into action and scrambled into the under growth to outflank the attackers. Hav Rajesh Kumar very courageously closed in around the flank and eliminated one terrorist.  While continuing the search, the team was again fired at by two terrorists positioned upslope. realizing the danger to the lives of his comrades, Hav Rajesh Kumar moved ahead to engage one of the terrorists through a hail of bullets. While doing so he sustained gunshot wounds in his abdomen. Disregarding his serious injuries Hav Rajesh Kumar managed to neutralize the second terrorist too. Bleeding profusely, Hav Rajesh Kumar moved to engage the third terrorist from behind and eliminated him in a hand-to-hand combat. However, Hav Rajesh Kumar later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. He displayed unparalleled courage, grit, determination and spirit of self-sacrifice during the operation.

Hav Rajesh Kumar was given the nations highest peace time gallantry award, ” Ashok Chakra” for his indomitable courage, fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice. He is survived by his wife Smt Beeta Devi.

The Citation For The Ashoka Chakra :

On 01 August 2009, a section of Ghatak team searching the dense forest in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir was subjected to intense and indiscriminate firing by terrorists. Havildar Rajesh Kumar, who was leading the section, returned fire and scrambled into the undergrowth to outflank the terrorist. With dogged determination he closed-in around the flank and killed the terrorist. While continuing the search, the team was again engaged by two terrorists positioned upslope. Realizing the danger to the lives of his teammates, Hav Rajesh Kumar moved to outflank one of the terrorists through a veritable hail of bullets. While closing-in, he sustained gun-shot wounds in the abdomen. Disregarding his grievous wounds, he shot and killed the second terrorist. Bleeding profusely, he moved to outflank the third terrorist from his blind side and engaged him in fierce hand to hand combat killing the terrorist with a burst of fire, before succumbing to his injuries. Hav Rajesh Kumar showed unparalleled feat of most conspicuous gallantry, fortitude and the rare spirit of self-sacrifice in fighting the terrorists.

A residential enclave containing 288 residential quarters in the Military Station at Abhohar has been named after Hav Rajesh Kumar. Smt Beeta Devi, wife of  Hav Rajesh Kumar inaugurated the enclave in the presence of GOC Maj Gen Bipin Bakshi and other senior officials.