Mahipal Singh Pilania

Biography

Mahipal Singh Pilania hailed from Surehati Pilania village, Mahendergarh district, Haryana. He was the first commissioned officer from his village and served in the Indian Army for over 20 years, including during the Kargil War. In 2013, Lt Col Pilania was deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). On 9 April 2013, he was leading a 32-person patrol near Gumuruk in the Jonglei region when their convoy was ambushed by over 200 armed rebels. Displaying remarkable composure and leadership, he organized a counter-attack that lasted over an hour. During the intense firefight, he sustained fatal chest wounds while protecting his team. For his outstanding courage and supreme sacrifice, Lt Col Mahipal Singh Pilania was posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal by the United Nations.