Uttam Chand Katoch

Biography

Uttam Chand Katoch was born in Nagrota, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. He was the eldest of five siblings who overcame the early loss of his father to pursue education at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. Commissioned into the Army Service Corps in 1971, he served across multiple operational units including Sagar, Sunderbani, and Gwalior, eventually commanding the 554 ASC Battalion. Known for his intellect, warm nature, and passion for golf and cooking, he embodied discipline, camaraderie, and the spirit of service. During Operation Pawan in 1989, while leading a reconnaissance mission near Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, his patrol encountered an IED concealed in an abandoned bicycle. The explosion was followed by heavy gunfire from LTTE militants. Major Katoch fought valiantly during the subsequent firefight but sustained fatal gunshot wounds alongside Major Suresh Harsha and Sepoy Ramesh Baban Shinde.