Bajirao Dharma Raundal, SC

Biography

Sepoy Bajirao Dharma Raundal hailed from Baglaan tehsil in Nashik district of Maharashtra. The youngest of seven siblings, he was drawn towards the armed forces from his childhood. After completing his school education he was selected for the army and enlisted on 25 June 1988 at the age of nineteen. He was recruited into 6 Maratha LI of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, a unit with a long history of bravery and numerous battle honours. During 1993 his unit was deployed in Jammu & Kashmir for counter-insurgency operations under Operation Rakshak. The area of responsibility of the unit was affected by terrorist activity, requiring the troops to remain in a high state of alert and to frequently mount operations against militants. On 15 September 1993, acting on specific information, the unit launched an operation to apprehend terrorists, and Sepoy Bajirao was made part of the assigned team. Reaching the suspected location in Narbal village, the team began a search-and-cordon operation. As the search was underway, Sepoy Bajirao spotted a terrorist hiding in a nearby farm who then began running towards a house. He immediately fired and wounded the terrorist, who continued firing from a window after entering the building. Displaying great courage, Sepoy Bajirao entered the house to eliminate the terrorist and sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen in the ensuing close-quarter battle. Despite grievous injuries, he continued to engage the enemy until his comrades reached him. All the terrorists were eliminated and a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered, but Sepoy Bajirao succumbed to his wounds at the age of twenty-four. For his extraordinary courage, fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.