Vivek Singh Bhandral, SM

Biography

Major Vivek Singh Bhandral hailed from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, born on 16 June 1970 into a family with a proud tradition of military service. After earning a commerce degree he followed his calling and qualified through the Combined Defence Services Examination, joining the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun in July 1991. He was commissioned on 19 December 1992 into the 9 Maratha Light Infantry, and in 1995, after clearing its rigorous selection and training, joined the elite 21 Para (Special Forces) Battalion. A qualified combat freefall operator, he served as a special forces team leader during Operation Rhino in Assam and Operation Vijay in the Kargil War, earning the Chief of Army Staff's commendation card for his leadership. During Operation Parakram in 2002 his unit was deployed for counter-terrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir. On 29 August 2002, acting on intelligence about terrorists in the forests of the Machhal Sector in Kupwara district, Major Bhandral led a search-and-destroy mission. When two terrorists tried to break the cordon and opened indiscriminate fire, wounding his point scout and squad commander, he responded instantly and eliminated one of them. Pursuing the second through the jungle under heavy covering fire, he was severely wounded by a burst of machine-gun fire; despite grievous injuries and continuous bleeding, he lunged forward and neutralised the second terrorist before laying down his life. For his extraordinary courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice, Major Vivek Singh Bhandral was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal.