Suresh Suri, KC

Biography

Major Suresh Suri hailed from Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh and was born into a family with a proud legacy of service to the nation. His father, Shri S. V. Subba Rao, served in the Indian Air Force, and it was this military background that inspired the young Suresh to devote his own life to the armed forces. The eldest of three siblings, he grew up shaped by values of discipline, resilience, and responsibility. In 2001, he was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment, one of the Indian Army's most valiant infantry regiments, renowned for its courage and battle honours. During his early years with his parent unit, Maj Suresh honed his leadership, tactical acumen, and endurance as a soldier. Recognising his potential, the Army deputed him in 2007 to serve with the 13 Rashtriya Rifles, a specialised counter-insurgency unit operating in Jammu & Kashmir. The assignment placed him at the forefront of high-risk operations that demanded courage, quick decision-making, and absolute devotion to duty, all of which he displayed consistently in the line of fire. On 22 September 2009, his unit received credible intelligence about the presence of terrorists in a village in Bandipora district. Leading a search-and-destroy operation, Maj Suresh entered a suspected house with three other ranks. On the second floor he noticed suspicious loose planks on the roof, indicating a hideout, and scaled the roof with his buddy to achieve surprise. They came under heavy fire and he was seriously injured, but he retaliated with his AK-47 and lobbed a hand grenade, killing one terrorist and wounding another. Despite his critical wounds, he continued to provide covering fire to ensure the safe evacuation of his injured comrades before succumbing to his injuries. For his extraordinary courage and leadership, Maj Suresh Suri was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award.