Service No: IC-43430

Date of Birth: May 19, 1963

Service: Army

Last Rank : Major

Unit : 18 Raj Rif(32RR)

Arm/Regt : 11 Mech Inf

Award : SM

Date of Martyrdom : May 03, 1995

Major Vikrant Sastry SM

Major Vikrant Sastry was born in the year 1963 on May 19th in an Army family and grew up in various cantonments. Born to  Capt GBVL Sastry, an infantry officer, and Capt Sudarshan Sastry, an officer in the Army Medical Corps, Maj Vikrant Sastry studied from various places and finally finished schooling from Army Public School at Delhi. He then graduated from Delhi  University and cleared his Combined Defence Services Examination. He got commissioned into 11 Mechanized Infantry Regiment in Dec 1985 and became the second generation infantry officer.

 

After a couple of years of service, in Sep 1988, Maj Vikrant Sastry got married to Ms Seema and the couple had a daughter, Aishwarya in 1994 and son Vishwas in 1995.  After serving with his parent unit for a few years in various operational areas, Maj Vikrant Sastry was later deputed to serve with 32 RR battalion engaged in counterinsurgency operations.

 

Cachar Hills Operation: 03 May 1995

 

During 1995, Maj Vikrant Sastry’s unit was deployed in the North East and was engaged in counter-insurgency operations against the Naga insurgents, indulging in anti-national activities. On 03 May 1995, Maj Vikrant Sastry was leading an operation against the Naga insurgents in Cachar hills area. As Maj Vikrant Sastry along with his troops was passing through a insurgents infested area they were attacked by a group of 50 insurgents. It was a pre-planned surprise attack by insurgents, who were armed with automatic weapons.

 

Though the troops were totally outnumbered, they swung into action and retaliated as fiercely as they could. However, Maj Vikrant Sastry got hit by a barrage of bullets and was severely injured. He later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. Maj Vikrant Sastry was a valiant soldier and an officer par excellence, who laid down his life in the service of the nation.

 

Maj Vikrant Sastry is survived by his wife Smt Seema Sastry, daughter Aishwarya and son Vishwas, who was ironically born two months after his martyrdom.

Vikrant continues to be my strength and inspiration through the years that I have lived without him. Miss him most at events, landmarks, and achievements of the children, and wonder how they would have shaped up had they been brought up under the care of a fine father that he would have been! I look to the heavens and feel his presence and guiding hand leading all three of us, but then, that is it.  Why could we not have had more years together? He deserved it too.
 
 
Seema Sastry

Snuffed out! 

 

My brother Vikrant, named after the mighty battleship, was born in 1963 to Capt GBVL Sastry and Capt Sudarshan Sastry, AMC… A beautiful, bonny baby, with artistic fingers, I was told. Our growing-up years were typical of the fauji way, with plenty of action, emotions and lessons rolled up into the events of the day.

 

The story-telling sessions with Daddy were not that typical, though. Daddy, the properly attired supremo (cigar et al) sat, always smartly cross-legged while the prajaa, Vikrant and I, also dressed not unsloppily, sat in saavdhaan, all ears, hands-on laps, with no smile. The upper lips stayed stiff as the story was being narrated. I rarely had questions to ask as I have never been that inquisitive—the world has always been as it is. The kid brother, on the other hand, read between the lines, and words if he could help. So every few minutes, the hand with the artistic fingers, would shoot up. “Yes?” And he would STAND to have his mind defogged! How I would stifle my laughter and camouflage the condescending smirk! The Father found it not funny…then. Decades down, remembering the sweet, innocent, good boy, we laughed—together—in memory of our loved Vikrant.

 

A shy pupil at APS, Dhaula Kuan, he was a junior, much loved and ‘respected’ by his peers. My friends all doted on him. The teachers loved him and he chose to come back to stay at his Alma mater, in the Martyr’s Gallery.

He grew into a very private youngster, sharing little, even with me. Or perhaps I, the extrovert, had my mind and plate too full! He kept a tidy cupboard and admonished me for the stuffy and overflowing interiors of mine. He would demonstrate to me how it was indeed possible, to turn in bed, without crumpling the sheet and displacing the quilt and wondered why I couldn’t get it right. I still don’t get it! He tired of me and my ways and decided to move into the covered balcony, bag, and baggage. I didn’t miss his nagging!

 

Pursuing his graduation from Delhi University, what made him take his CDS Exam? We learned of it only after he had cleared it. He had a parental claim to 8 Mechanized Infantry (7Punjab) but his brother-in-law (my husband) was well ensconced there. He got commissioned into 11 Mechanized Infantry (18 Rajputana Rifles) in December 1985 and all was well.

 

Marriage to Seema in September 1988 and a happy domestic life followed, with the birth of their daughter Aishwarya in 1994. The move to 32 Rashtriya Rifles was his last. What was uncanny was the sense of foreboding and unease we all felt when he received his posting orders. There was something not quite right. A disturbed night it was, for all of us. Inexplicable, in fact, since none of us were new to such moves. Daddy had been through wars and my husband was then in the Valley, with letters few and far between. Then why the tugging in the chest? A few months down, on 3 May 1995, we knew why.

Vishwas, his son, arrived in July 1995, ringing in Hope. The only Hope for the now rapidly aging parents was that their son had come back to them in the form of this tiny being. But they couldn’t help feel the sadness fill them up, each time they looked at their young daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and grandson—no son! He was the missing link.

Had this story been in isolation, it would have been easy to come to terms with. It wasn’t the first, and it isn’t the last. Admiral Tahiliani and Air Marshal Suri asked my father if they could bear the pall. Their graciousness was overwhelming, but in my anguish, I asked of them, “Is he the last to make this sacrifice? Does his martyrdom count for anything? Have we achieved anything?” The lowered damp eyes of two erstwhile chiefs said it all. Painful for them. Painful for me. I let them take my brother away!

 

Mrs Minnoo Singh

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20 Comments
  • Jo Khanna

    2019 at 5:16 pm Reply

    Vikrant….. remember the fellow student in school….
    Rest In Peace …..

  • S. Arya

    2020 at 11:53 pm Reply

    I think capt. Gbvl shastri Of panjab regiment was adjutant at Indian military academy, at clement town , dehradun in 1964. If you were the son of same captain, i was with Him during that period.

    • Madhavi Lall

      2021 at 11:57 am

      Gone too early !! What a supreme sacrifice !! No words to describe the loss to family !!

  • Neeru (Nayyar) Das

    2020 at 6:44 pm Reply

    Rest in Peace….

    • Ashish Chavan

      2020 at 4:09 pm

      RIP Braveheart.. it is because of Heroes like you that we ordinary citizens continue to breathe freely in our motherland..

  • Virendra Anand 81 batch .

    2020 at 10:17 pm Reply

    One of the first to make the Supreme sacrifice from APS Dhaula Kuan. Batch of 1980. You name will be etched permanently in the History books of the school.

  • Tushar Tak

    2020 at 10:37 am Reply

    We will never forget the sacrifice of our fallen heroes.

    • Col Rakesh Mehta

      2021 at 12:12 am

      A dear friend, an officer and a gentleman. Rest in peace partner. Till we meet again.

  • Pranav Mishra

    2021 at 10:17 pm Reply

    We were buddies in IMA. My daughter found an autographed passport size photo of his in a book of mine. We had exchanged our first photos wearing a star. Triggered a whole lot of memories after 36 years. I remember Viki as highly spirited and a thorough gentleman.

  • Sukhi Singh

    2021 at 9:11 pm Reply

    Viki my dear classmate from year 10 to 12 at APSDK. We had many great times together. It’s been years and life took us apart on our own journey. I just found out about your supreme sacrifice whilst browsing the school website. May god bless your soul. You sacrificed your life for our freedom and security. We shall never forget you and our all our martyrs. LEST WE FORGET!

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