Neeraj Sharma

Biography

Major Neeraj Sharma hailed from the Una district of Himachal Pradesh. He was commissioned into the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), the branch of the Indian Army responsible for the design, development, trial, inspection and refit of weapon systems and equipment. By 2020 he was serving with the 19 Sikh Light Infantry battalion, which was then deployed in the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. On 12 September 2020, Major Neeraj Sharma, along with his Commanding Officer Colonel M S Chauhan and two other soldiers, set out from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh towards Bikaner in Rajasthan. The officers were travelling to carry out a forward-area reconnaissance in Rajasthan. At around 5.30 am, near the Jaipur National Highway close to Jodhesar village in the Bikaner region, their Tata Safari vehicle suffered a tyre burst and overturned. As the vehicle was moving at speed, the impact on its occupants was severe, and Major Sharma and his comrades sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to the nearby PBM government hospital, but the injuries proved fatal for both Colonel M S Chauhan and Major Neeraj Sharma. The two soldiers seated in the front of the vehicle survived after treatment, as their injuries were less severe. A dedicated soldier and a fine officer, Major Neeraj Sharma lost his life in the line of duty in this tragic accident on 12 September 2020.