Kirti Chakra Awardee Major Gopal Shoots Down 2 Terrorists

 Visakhapatnam: Major Malla Ramgopal Naidu, who was awarded Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award, for unwavering leadership and eliminating two terrorists, hails from Nagiripenta village, Santhabommali mandal, Srikakulam district.

The award, announced on Independence Day, will be given at an investiture ceremony by President Draupadi Murmu. The date is yet to be announced.

Maj. Naidu is an alumnus of Sainik School Korukonda. He trained at the National Defence Academy in Pune from 2012 to 2015 and the Indian Military Academy in 2016. Major Naidu stood first in Order of Merit and received the President’s Gold Medal at the Indian Military Academy.

Maj. Naidu is presently serving with a battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir. On October 26, 2023, he was leading a patrol in the Kupwara sector on the border and established contact with a terrorist group.

At 10.10 am on that day, his troops spotted five terrorists. Maj. Naidu immediately relocated his ambush to trap them. At 10.25 am, a fierce fire-fight ensued and the terrorists took cover behind boulders.

Maj. Naidu undertook a surveillance operation and identified the location of one terrorist. The terrorists spotted him and opened intense fire. Sensing danger to his troops, he ferociously closed in and killed one terrorist at point-blank range and injured another terrorist, who had directed heavy fire at his patrol, according to the citation.

Maj. Naidu rolled over under a volley of fire, and pinned down the terrorist with fire, facilitating the elimination of three other terrorists.

Major Naidu is married and has one daughter who is two years old.