Captain Harshan Radhakrishnan Nair,[2] AC (15 April 1980 – 20 March 2007) was an officer in the Indian Army serving in the elite 2nd Battalion of the Para (Special Forces) also known as "Predators". He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the country's highest peacetime gallantry award in 2008.[3][4][5] He was killed after being shot in the thigh and neck in an encounter with Harkatul Mujahideen terrorists in the Chhoti Margi area of Lolab in Jammu and Kashmir during an operation on 20 March 2007.
Harshan R | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Harshan Radhakrishnan Nair[1] |
| Born | 15 April 1980 Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Died | 20 March 2007 (aged 26) Jammu and Kashmir |
| Allegiance | India |
| Service | Indian Army |
| Years of service | 2002-2007 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Service number | IC-62541 |
| Unit | .svg){kind=small} 2 Para (Special Forces) |
| Awards |  Ashoka Chakra |
Personal life
editHarshan Radhakrishnan Nair was born on 15 April 1980 at Manacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was born to K. Radhakrishnan Nair and G. S. Chitrambika. He did his studies in Sainik School (Kazhakootam) and the National Defence Academy (NDA). He joined B.Tech. Civil Engineering in NSS college of Engineering Palakkad in 1997 and quit the course for joining in NDA. He was a part of the 101st course, Golf squadron at the NDA. He served as Cadet Captain at Sainik School, during his standard XII (1996–97) and is noted for a performance as 'Brutus' during a stage play on 'Julius Caesar' during the Annual day celebrations.[6]
Military career
editHarshan was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 16 December 2002 into 2nd Battalion of Special Forces. He was also selected for special weapons training in Israel. He was promoted Captain on 16 December 2004.[7]
Encounter
editThe encounter at Kaingur Nar started on 7 March 2007. Captain Harshan, while leading a small team, observed suspicious movement in the MT-3245 area. Harshan eliminated two of the terrorists without sustaining any serious injury to himself.
The encounter continued in the nearby Chotimargi MT-3448 region. On 20 March, Harshan along with one of his junior sergeants cordoned off one of the houses in which terrorists were hiding. At 03:50 AM, four of the terrorists rushed out firing towards Harshan and his companion. Harshan took out the leader of the terrorist group but was shot in the thigh. Despite sustaining the injury, he took out one more terrorist, but in the process got shot in his neck. Before dying from his injuries, he lobbed a grenade and wounded the third terrorist.[8]
Ashoka Chakra
editHarshan was given the nation's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra for his exceptional courage, fighting spirit and supreme sacrifice.
References
edit- ^ "CAPT HARSHAN R". 20 March 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ "CAPT HARSHAN R Ashoka Chakra(Posthumous)". Gallantry Awards. Govt of India. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ Sainik School alumni to honour Captain Harshan The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News, 19 June 2008
- ^ Memorial to Captain Harshan to come up The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News. 19 March 2008
- ^ "Pragmatic Euphony » Ashok Chakra, by telegram?". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
- ^ Martyrs kin to receive Ashok Chakra on Republic Day | India Defence india-defence.com
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 31 December 2005. p. 2588.
- ^ Welcome to The Parachute Regiment Archived 2016-06-08 at the Wayback Machine indianparachuteregiment.kar.nic.in