Manoj Kumar Bhati

Biography

Rifleman Manoj Kumar Bhati hailed from Shahjahanpur village in the Faridabad district of Haryana and was born in 1996. The youngest of four siblings, he was drawn to military service from his younger days, inspired by his elder brother Sunil Kumar, who was already serving in the army. Following his dream, he completed his school education and enlisted on 25 April 2017 at the age of 21. He was recruited into the 11th battalion of the Rajputana Rifles, an infantry regiment renowned for its brave soldiers and numerous battle honours. During 2022, his unit was deployed in the Rajouri district of Jammu & Kashmir, an area active with militancy and prone to cross-border infiltration. The unit's area of responsibility spanned dense jungle and rugged mountainous terrain, demanding constant vigilance and regular armed patrols. In the early hours of 11 August 2022, a group of armed terrorists dressed in police uniforms attempted to storm the 11 Raj Rif base at Parghal in Darhal tehsil of Rajouri. At around 2 AM, alert sentries detected suspicious persons approaching the post under cover of inclement weather and dense foliage. When challenged, the terrorists threw grenades and tried to force their way inside. Rifleman Manoj Kumar Bhati and fellow troops joined the operation, cordoning off the area and pinning the attackers down in a fierce gun battle that raged for nearly four hours. Ultimately, the two terrorists were eliminated, but during the exchange of fire Rifleman Bhati and several comrades were severely wounded. Shifted to an army medical facility, he soon succumbed to his injuries, laying down his life in the line of duty as a fearless and committed soldier.