Vineet Verma

Biography

Major Vineet Verma hailed from Prayagraj (Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh, though his early childhood was spent in Bihar and Jharkhand. Born on 12 August 1979 in Patna to Shri D.K. Verma and Smt. Meera Verma, he completed his schooling at Bishop Westcott School in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and later graduated from the University of Delhi. He then cleared the Combined Defence Services examination and was selected to join the Army. He passed out from the prestigious Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on 12 June 2004 at the age of 24 and was commissioned into the 19th Battalion of the Dogra Regiment, an infantry unit renowned for its valour and battle honours. Known as an approachable officer who believed in leading his men from the front, he honed his field-craft skills across various field postings and was promoted to Major after about nine years of service. In 2013 his unit was deployed in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, engaged in counter-insurgency operations. On 30 April 2013, Major Verma was leading an area domination patrol in the Chotipara area of Goalpara district when militants ambushed the patrol in a pre-planned strike. Though the attack was sudden, he and his men retaliated fiercely. In the ensuing gun battle he was gravely wounded and laid down his life in the line of duty.