Neelam Singh Chib, SM

Biography

Havildar Neelam Singh Chib hailed from Dalpat-Chak Kripalpur village in the Akhnoor Sub Division of Jammu district, Jammu & Kashmir. Born into a military-minded family, he enlisted in the Indian Army in 2003 and earned his place in the elite 9 Para (Special Forces) battalion of the Parachute Regiment. Over two decades of service, he developed into a seasoned commando, participating in numerous counter-insurgency missions across Jammu & Kashmir. He married Vandana, the daughter of a retired military officer, and the couple had two children. On 5 May 2023, while leading his team during a counter-terrorist operation in the Kandi Forest area of Rajouri, Havildar Chib closed in on a fortified cave hideout where terrorists were holed up. As the assault unfolded, the militants triggered an explosive device inside the cave. Hav Chib sustained grievous injuries in the blast and laid down his life alongside four of his comrades. For his conspicuous gallantry and supreme sacrifice in the highest tradition of the Indian Army, Havildar Neelam Singh Chib was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal on 26 January 2024.