Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari was born on 25 December 1970 in Tallital, Nainital, Uttarakhand, to a family that valued discipline, education, and patriotism. He received his early education at St. Joseph's College, Nainital, continued at Government Inter College, and graduated from Kumaun University in 1992. Inspired by a lifelong ambition to serve the nation, he joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, and was commissioned into 2 Mechanised Infantry on 11 December 1993.
Over the next several years, he served with distinction in various operational areas, earning a reputation as a courageous, disciplined, and highly respected officer. In 1998, he married Kiran Negi, and the couple looked forward to celebrating their first wedding anniversary in June 1999. However, the outbreak of the Kargil War placed duty before personal happiness.
During Operation Vijay, Major Adhikari's unit was attached to 18 Grenadiers for the assault on the strategically vital Tololing feature overlooking National Highway 1A. On the night of 30 May 1999, he was entrusted with leading a 10-man assault team to capture the forward spur of Tololing at an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet. As his team advanced through steep, snow-covered slopes, they came under intense machine-gun fire from well-fortified enemy bunkers.
Displaying extraordinary courage, Major Adhikari immediately directed rocket launcher fire against one bunker before personally charging the enemy position and eliminating two enemy soldiers in close combat. Even after suffering serious bullet wounds, he refused evacuation, reorganised his men under heavy fire, and continued leading the assault. He then launched another attack against a second enemy bunker, personally killing another enemy soldier and securing the objective. His fearless leadership enabled Indian troops to establish a foothold on Tololing, which later facilitated the capture of Point 4590 and became one of the earliest turning points of the Kargil War.
After ensuring mission success, Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari succumbed to his injuries. For displaying exceptional valour, inspirational leadership, and supreme sacrifice in the face of the enemy, he was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. His courage and selfless devotion to duty continue to inspire generations of Indian soldiers and citizens.