Sushil Khajuria, KC

Biography

Lieutenant Sushil Khajuria was born on 28 August 1985 in Samba district in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. The son of Naib Subedar Som Datt Khajuria, an Army veteran, he grew up in a disciplined environment and imbibed the values of patriotism and service from an early age. He completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, excelling in both academics and extracurricular activities. Inspired by his father's legacy, he pursued his graduation and joined the Officers' Training Academy to fulfil his dream of serving in the Indian Army. He was commissioned into the Army Service Corps on 20 March 2010. Though commissioned into the ASC, Lt Khajuria was deputed to the 18 Grenadiers for his first operational assignment in Jammu and Kashmir, joining the unit at Panzgam on 14 April 2010. Recognising his leadership and physical prowess, his superiors entrusted him with the demanding role of Ghatak Platoon Commander. Operating in the hostile mountainous terrain of the Kupwara sector, he participated in numerous search-and-destroy missions against infiltrators, and in his first major encounter on 29 July 2011 his decisive leadership helped eliminate a hardcore terrorist. On 27 September 2011, acting on intelligence that five to six terrorists had infiltrated the Kopra area in the dense forests of Kupwara, Lt Khajuria led and coordinated multiple teams in a search operation across steep, treacherous terrain. Coming face to face with the terrorists, he advanced from cover to cover under heavy fire and personally eliminated two terrorists, pursuing the second from an unexpected direction. When Havaldar Ravi Kumar, a leading scout, was gravely wounded and exposed to enemy fire, Lt Khajuria crawled forward without hesitation to evacuate his comrade. During this valiant effort he was grievously wounded and later succumbed to his injuries, making the supreme sacrifice. For his conspicuous gallantry, exceptional leadership and camaraderie, he was awarded the Kirti Chakra.