Anurag Nauriyal, KC

Biography

Major Anurag Nauriyal hailed from Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh and was the son of Shri J. P. Nauriyal. He developed a strong inclination to serve in the armed forces during his school days, and after schooling he was selected for the prestigious National Defence Academy, followed by training at the Indian Military Academy. He passed out of the IMA as a Second Lieutenant in December 1973, becoming a commissioned officer at the age of 21. He was commissioned into the 4/1 GR battalion of the 1 Gorkha Rifles Regiment, an infantry regiment renowned for its fearless soldiers and numerous battle and theatre honours. A lively, mild-tempered and compassionate officer, Major Nauriyal was soft-spoken yet radiated courage and determination. Adventurous by nature, he volunteered for and qualified as a para commando, joining 10 Para (Special Forces), a battalion specialised in desert warfare and counter-insurgency operations. A multi-linguist and man of principle, he married Ms Uma of his own Garhwali community on 14 April 1981, taking only Rs 1.25 as shagun in opposition to dowry. He later served with Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1989, where he was injured and recovered after treatment, before being posted to militancy-affected Punjab. In October 1990, Major Nauriyal was serving as Brigade Major with 48 Infantry Brigade at Ferozepur. On 23 October 1990, acting on information about militants in the brigade's area of responsibility, he led a team of soldiers to neutralise the threat. The team came under heavy fire, and Major Nauriyal swiftly redeployed his troops and retaliated. Seeing his Junior Commissioned Officer wounded, he moved forward with disregard for his own safety and extricated him from the firing zone, sustaining bullet injuries in the process. Undeterred, he continued to command the operation from the front, leading to one terrorist being eliminated, before succumbing to his wounds. For his gallantry, leadership and supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the Kirti Chakra posthumously.