Major Mukund Varadarajan valour went beyond call of duty
Mukund Varadarajan was killed in an operation against militants in J&K
By : s. sujatha
Update: 2014-08-15 05:34 GMT
Chennai: Major Mukund Varadarajan (31), who was killed in an operation against militants at Qazipathri village in Shopian district in south Kashmir on April 25, 2014, has been awarded with the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra posthumously. Mukund is Tamil Nadu’s fourth Ashoka Chakra award winner.
“During the operation, before attaining martyrdom, Major Mukund displayed exemplary leadership skills, raw courage, planning and swift action, which culminated in the elimination of the three top ranked Hizbul Mujaheddin terrorists,” read the release from the government of India on the eve of Independence Day.
The previous Ashoka Chakra award winners from the state are Second Lieutenant P. M. Raman of Tiruvannamalai district (1957, posthumously), Major Dinesh Raghu Raman of Kancheepuram district (2008, posthumously) and Major D. Sreeram Kumar of Madurai district (2010).
Major Mukund, from Tambaram near Chennai, was an alumnus of OTA. “As an Army officer’s wife, I feel really proud of him. I wish he was around to receive the award,” said wife Indhu Rebecca Varghese. She added that it was normal for all Army officers to talk about winning an award in their career and “Mukund too aspired for one.”
His father Raghavachari Varadarajan, a retired IOB officer was close to tears when Deccan Chronicle contacted him. “Mukund has been remembered again and I am feeling very emotional. This morning, the 44RR commanding officer called me and informed that my son has been rewarded for his hard work and sacrifice,” Mr Varadarajan said.
Lt Gen (retd) S. Pattabhiraman said, “Decorating Mukund with this award posthumously will further inspire people to join the armed forces. He is already a role model to aspiring defence personnel.”