Lieutenant Atul Katarya was born on 21 February 1975 in Gurgaon, Haryana. He was the elder son of Colonel Dhanraj Katarya (Retired) and Smt. Sumitra Katarya, and grew up in a family with a tradition of military service.
He attended the National Defence Academy in Pune and graduated in 1995 before proceeding to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. After completing his military training, he was commissioned into the Army Ordnance Corps in 1996. He was subsequently attached to the 13th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment, which was deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.
During his service, Lieutenant Katarya participated in counter-insurgency operations in the region. He was known for his commitment to duty, courage and willingness to lead his men in difficult operational conditions.
On 14 October 1998, 13 Punjab received intelligence about the presence of heavily armed militants in the Sangarwani area of Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir. Lieutenant Katarya led his team during the operation. As the team approached the suspected hideout, it came under intense automatic fire. He manoeuvred his men and personally led the assault against the militants.
According to the available memorial account, he eliminated four militants during the engagement. He was subsequently struck by gunfire and sustained fatal injuries while continuing to fight.
Lieutenant Atul Katarya made the supreme sacrifice on 14 October 1998. He was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal for his gallantry. His service and sacrifice are remembered through memorials in Gurugram, including Atul Katarya Chowk and the Lieutenant Atul Katarya Memorial School.