MV Pranjal, SC

Biography

Captain M. V. Pranjal hailed from Bengaluru but spent most of his childhood in Mangaluru, Karnataka. Born on 18th July 1995, he was the son of Shri M. Venkatesh, a retired Managing Director of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, and Smt. Anuradha. An exceptionally bright student, he completed his schooling at Delhi Public School, MRPL, Suratkal, and his Pre-University education at Mahesh PU College, Mangaluru. Although he secured admission to R. V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, to study Chemical Engineering, his passion for the uniform led him to pursue his dream of joining the Indian Army. He cleared the highly competitive Technical Entry Scheme (TES-30) examination with an All India Rank of 2, trained at the Officers' Training Academy, Gaya, and in 2014 was commissioned into the Corps of Signals. A keen photographer, avid traveller and dedicated Scout Ranger who earned the Rashtrapati Scout Award in 2009, he remained deeply involved with the scouting movement, often conducting sessions on the Flag Code of India during his leave. By 2023, Captain Pranjal had completed nearly nine years of service and had been deputed to 63 Rashtriya Rifles, deployed in the Rajouri sector under Romeo Force. On the intervening night of 21/22 November 2023, acting on credible intelligence about terrorist presence, he led a small surveillance team into the Kalakote area of Gulabgarh forest as part of a joint cordon and search operation with 9 Para (SF), 2 Para (SF) and the J&K Police. When the terrorists opened fire in an area that also included women and children, Captain Pranjal, disregarding his own safety, rushed out to push the civilians to safety and directly engaged the terrorists from minimal cover. He maintained contact with them until additional troops arrived, but sustained a fatal gunshot wound and succumbed to his injuries. For his unparalleled and selfless courage under fire, he was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra.