Major Ganesh Madappa was born on 5 February 1963 in Kodagu district of Karnataka. He came from a family with a strong military background; his father, Captain C. P. Madappa, was a veteran of the Indian Army. Ganesh Madappa followed the same path of service and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. He served with the 82 Armoured Regiment before being deputed to 36 Rashtriya Rifles for counter-insurgency duties in Jammu and Kashmir.
By September 1995, Major Madappa was serving with 36 Rashtriya Rifles in the Budgam area, where his unit was engaged in operations against armed militants. On 27 September 1995, he was tasked with conducting a spot raid on a suspected militant hideout at Village Bachhu in Badgam District. As his company approached the location at around 2030 hours, three militants opened heavy fire from a house, immediately wounding the leading scout.
Major Madappa responded quickly by ordering his troops to surround the house and prevent the militants from escaping. He personally moved forward to block the exit. When the militants attempted to break through the cordon, he confronted them at close range and was struck by several bullets. Despite his serious wounds, he continued fighting and pursued the fleeing militants, firing from the hip and killing one of them. He remained engaged until his injuries became fatal and he collapsed; he later succumbed to his wounds at approximately 2245 hours.
Major Ganesh Madappa made the supreme sacrifice on 27 September 1995 while leading his men during the operation. His actions demonstrated exceptional courage, leadership and determination under intense fire. In recognition of his conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, he was posthumously awarded the **Shaurya Chakra**. His citation was formally published in the Gazette of India in 1996.