Satish Dahiya, SC

Biography

Major Satish Dahiya was born on 22 September 1985 in Banihari village of Mahendragarh district, Haryana. He completed his schooling in Uttar Pradesh and his higher education at the University of Rajasthan before joining the Army. He was commissioned on 12 December 2009 into the Army Service Corps, the logistics and supply branch of the Indian Army. After training, his first attachment was with 1 Naga Regiment, deployed in Jammu & Kashmir on counter-terrorism operations, where he honed his field-craft skills and became the unit's ghatak platoon commander. He was later posted to 30 Rashtriya Rifles for anti-terrorist operations in the region. On 14 February 2017, acting on intelligence about militants hiding in Kralgund village near Handwara, Kupwara district, a joint operation by 30 Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu & Kashmir Police was launched. Major Dahiya led one of the inner cordon teams. When the militants opened heavy fire, he skilfully manoeuvred his men to seal all escape routes. Though shot and wounded, he refused evacuation, continued to fight and killed one militant. Having lost a great deal of blood, he was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries. For his indomitable courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice, Major Satish Dahiya was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.