Bal Krishan, SM

Biography

Bal Krishan was born on 15 February 1995 in Puid village, Naggar tehsil, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh. He joined the Indian Army and earned his place in the elite 4 Para (Special Forces) battalion. During Operation Rangdori Baihk (April 1-5, 2020), Paratrooper Bal Krishan was airdropped with his fellow para commandos into the Zurhama forest area of Kupwara district to counter a terrorist infiltration attempt near the Line of Control. Navigating through waist-deep snow in treacherous terrain, the team located the terrorists. While attempting tactical positioning, the soldiers broke through an ice cornice into a frozen stream where terrorists were hiding. Under intense and merciless fire, Bal Krishan fought valiantly but was fatally wounded alongside four comrades on 5 April 2020. For his exceptional courage, devotion to duty, and supreme sacrifice, Paratrooper Bal Krishan was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal on 26 January 2021.