Ajay Vardhan Tomar, KC

Biography

Subedar Ajay Vardhan Tomar served over three decades in the Indian Army with the Garhwal Rifles. Hailing from Village Jwad, Pauri Garhwal District, Uttarakhand, he was the Platoon Commander of Alpha Company, 14 Garhwal Rifles. On 1 December 2014, at approximately 2100 hours, while leading an operational team at Point 4053 in the Naogam Sector, Kupwara District, at 13,000 feet in sub-zero temperatures near the Line of Control, he established contact with infiltrating terrorists. Despite heavy enemy fire, Subedar Tomar engaged the terrorists with LMG and rifle fire, shooting dead one terrorist at close quarters. When he observed a wounded comrade being encircled by two terrorists, he charged at them with utter disregard for personal safety, killing a second terrorist at point-blank range. He then pulled the wounded soldier to safety. Despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body, he refused evacuation and continued leading his men until he made the supreme sacrifice. Subedar Ajay Vardhan Tomar was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award. He had earlier won the Chief Instructor medal at Infantry School, Mhow, and was repeatedly commended for best turnout. He was the sole earning member of his family, survived by his wife Smt Laxmi Devi, daughter Bhumika, and son Akshat.