Bhikale Uttam Balu, SM

Biography

Sepoy Bhikale Uttam Balu was born in 1984 in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. Drawn to a life in uniform from an early age, he joined the Indian Army in 2002 at the age of eighteen and was enrolled into the 2nd Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry, one of the oldest and most distinguished infantry regiments of the Indian Army. Through his years of service, he earned a reputation as a dependable and capable soldier who carried out every task entrusted to him with quiet dedication. In May 2014, his battalion was deployed in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu & Kashmir, an area that had been seeing repeated attempts at infiltration by the adversary. On 18 May 2014, Sepoy Bhikale was part of an armed patrol moving through the Nathua Tibba area when the patrol was suddenly ambushed by a well-trained Border Action Team using mines and small arms fire. Despite the surprise of the attack, he and his comrades reacted swiftly and engaged the attackers with determination and courage. In the fierce exchange that followed, he was hit by multiple bullets and sustained critical injuries, succumbing to his wounds at the spot. For his conspicuous bravery, steadfastness and supreme sacrifice in the face of the enemy, Sepoy Bhikale Uttam Balu was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal.