Satish Bhagat

Biography

Rifleman Satish Bhagat hailed from Gurusinghu village in the Shamachak area of Jammu district. The son of Honorary Captain Ajit Lal, an army veteran, and Mrs Kamlesh Kumari, he was drawn from his earliest days to follow in his father's footsteps and wear the army uniform. Fulfilling that dream, he joined the Army in 2015 after completing his schooling and was inducted into the 3 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment, an infantry unit known for its brave soldiers and rich history of battle honours. In 2017 his battalion was deployed in the Keran Sector of Kupwara district in the Kashmir Valley, guarding forward posts in high-altitude terrain along the Line of Control. Despite repeated appeals for restraint, Pakistani forces continued to violate the 2003 ceasefire agreement. On 12 July 2017, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire on Indian posts in the Keran Sector, using mortars and other weapons. Rifleman Satish Bhagat was manning a forward post in the Furkiya area of Choukibal when the Indian Army responded firmly, triggering hours of intermittent heavy exchange. During the firing he sustained multiple splinter injuries and, despite immediate medical care, later succumbed to his wounds, laying down his life in the line of duty.