Amit Ahuja

Biography

Major Amit Ahuja was born in February 1975 in Ambala, Haryana. He completed his early schooling at St. Paul's School, Ambala, and later studied at the Army School, Ambala Cantt, before graduating from DAV College, Ambala. Known from childhood as a well-mannered and intelligent boy, he was drawn to the Indian Army from an early age. Pursuing this passion, he cleared the Combined Defence Services examination and trained at the prestigious Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the 2 Dogra Battalion of the Dogra Regiment, an infantry regiment renowned for its brave soldiers and numerous battle honours. In 2001, his battalion was deployed in the Gurez Sector of Jammu & Kashmir, a remote high-altitude area of Bandipora district, engaged in counter-terrorism and anti-infiltration operations along the Line of Control. On 22 August 2001, Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire and opened unprovoked fire on the sector, likely to provide cover for infiltrators. Major Ahuja was manning one of the forward posts that bore the brunt of the enemy shelling. During the intense firing he and two other soldiers were hit and gravely wounded. He was evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, but later succumbed to his injuries. Leading from the front in the line of duty, he laid down his life at the age of 26.