Dokkari Rajesh

Biography

Naik Dokkari Rajesh hailed from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh and was born in 1999, the son of Shri D. Chittiwadu. He studied up to Class 10 at Dandugoplapuram and completed his intermediate education at Basara Degree College in Visakhapatnam, later earning an ITI diploma from Tekkali. Inspired by the many youths from his region who served in the Armed Forces, he aspired from a young age to join the Indian Army. He achieved his dream when he was selected in August 2018 at the age of 19, and was inducted into the Corps of Air Defence Artillery, now known as the Corps of Army Air Defence, an important combat support arm of the Indian Army. After serving for a few years with his parent unit, he was deputed to the 10 Rashtriya Rifles battalion deployed in Jammu & Kashmir for counter-insurgency operations. By 2024, having completed about six years of service, Naik Rajesh had evolved into a committed soldier with experience in numerous counter-insurgency operations. His unit, operating under the Counter Insurgency Force (Delta) and the White Knight Corps, was responsible for a vast and challenging area in the Doda region, known for militant activity and infiltration. On July 15, 2024, acting on intelligence about the presence of hardcore terrorists, the unit launched a joint Cordon and Search Operation with the J&K Police Special Operations Group in the Dhari Gote Urarbagi area of the Desa forest belt, about 55 km from Doda town. In the thickly forested, mountainous terrain, the troops made contact with the terrorists, sparking a fierce gun battle. Led by Captain Brijesh Thapa, the team pressed forward aggressively to block the escape routes, and in the heavy exchange of fire Naik Rajesh and three comrades were severely wounded and later succumbed to their injuries. Aged just 25, he was awarded a Mention-in-Despatches posthumously for his courage, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.