Shanti Swarup Rana

Lt Col Shanti Swarup Rana was born on 17 September 1949 in village Badla, Hoshiarpur district, Punjab. He initially served in the Corps of Signals and was subsequently selected for the Army Cadet College, Dehradun. He was commissioned into 3 Bihar in 1977 and served in several operational environments, including Operation Rhino, Operation Pawan and Operation Rakshak. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1994 and served as Second-in-Command of 13 Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu & Kashmir.

On 2 November 1996, Lt Col Rana led a counter-insurgency operation in the Hafurda Forest of Kupwara district against terrorist hideouts. During the operation, he personally led his troops against fortified positions, destroyed hideouts and engaged terrorists at close range. Despite sustaining fatal injuries, he continued to lead and motivate his men and killed another terrorist before succumbing to his wounds. He was awarded the Ashoka Chakra posthumously for his exceptional courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice.

Hafurda Forest Operation — 02 Nov 1996

On 02 November 1996, Lt Col Shanti Swarup Rana, Second-in-Command of 13 Rashtriya Rifles, led a counter-insurgency operation in Hafurda Forest, Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir, against heavily armed militants. He personally led the assault and destroyed four fortified hideouts containing large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives. Despite coming under heavy fire and sustaining serious injuries, he continued to lead and motivate his troops, personally engaging and eliminating militants at close range. Lt Col Rana ultimately succumbed to his injuries after killing another terrorist. His courage and supreme sacrifice enabled his troops to successfully complete the mission. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra for his exceptional gallantry.