Theophil Tiru, SC

Biography

Theophil Tiru was born in Ranchi district, Jharkhand (formerly Bihar), to Shri Albis Tiru and Smt Philomina Tiru. After completing his education, he enlisted in the Indian Army and was recruited into the 1st Battalion of The Bihar Regiment. Through rigorous military training and unwavering dedication, he earned promotions and rose to the rank of Lance Havildar. In 1994, Lance Havildar Theophil Tiru was deployed to Somalia as part of the United Nations Operation in Somalia-II (UNOSOM-II), a peacekeeping mission aimed at restoring order in the war-torn nation. On March 28, 1994, while escorting a UNICEF vehicle through the volatile city of Kismayo, his convoy was ambushed by twelve to fourteen heavily armed Somali militants. In the ensuing firefight, Lance Havildar Theophil Tiru was shot through his jaw and head. Despite sustaining these grievous injuries, he continued engaging the attackers with extraordinary courage, providing cover fire to protect the humanitarian personnel in the convoy. His comrade, Lance Naik Bikram Tudu, also fought valiantly and made the supreme sacrifice in the same ambush. For his conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage, and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, Lance Havildar Theophil Tiru was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra.