Sunil Chandra, VrC

Biography

Captain Sunil Chandra was born in Uttar Pradesh. He received his schooling at Sainik School Lucknow — the country's first Sainik School, established in July 1960 — where the foundation of his military career was laid. His resolve to join the Army grew stronger with age, and after completing school he was selected for the prestigious National Defence Academy. He joined the 63rd NDA course in 1979 and passed out in December 1982, before moving to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1983 at the age of 22 into 8 Mahar, an infantry battalion renowned for its fearless soldiers and battle honours. In 1987 his unit became part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force deployed in Sri Lanka, operating against the LTTE in the Jaffna region. On 16 October 1987, a company at Analaikoddai was surrounded and repeatedly attacked, suffering heavy casualties and running desperately short of ammunition. With helicopter resupply thwarted by enemy ground fire, Captain Chandra led a party of fifteen men to carry ammunition through routes blocked by militants. Though wounded in the leg and having lost eight of his men, he fought on through the night. He reached the besieged company on 17 October, by which time it had only six rounds and two grenades left. Hit in the chest by machine-gun fire, he crawled forward until he delivered the ammunition, then succumbed to his wounds. For his exceptional courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice, Captain Sunil Chandra was awarded the Vir Chakra.