Kirti Chakra awardee Major Ramgopal brings honour to Srikakulam

Visakhapatnam:  Major Malla Ramgopal Naidu has brought honour to Santhabommali in Srikakulam district, after the commissioned officer in the Rashtriya Rifles was conferred with India's second highest gallantry award in peacetime, the Kirti Chakra.

President Droupadi Murmu approved 103 gallantry awards, including four Kirti Chakras, on the eve of this year's Independence Day.

Major Ramgopal Naidu was honoured for eliminating at least two terrorists and safeguarding his team with unwavering leadership during a gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir last year.

Major Naidu, a native of Nagiripenta village, is an alumnus of Sainik School in Korukonda.

He trained at the National Defence Academy in Pune from 2012 to 2015 and the Indian Military Academy in 2016. He stood first in the Order of Merit and received the President's Gold Medal in the Indian Military Academy.

He is presently serving with a battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir. On October 26, 2023, Major Ramgopal Naidu was leading a patrol party in the Kupwara sector near the Line of Control when he established contact with a militant group.

Major Ramgopal Naidu was in command of the ambush party.

At 10.10 am, his troops spotted five terrorists. He immediately relocated his ambush to trap them. At 10.25 am, a fierce firefight ensued. The terrorists took cover behind boulders. The officer undertook a surveillance operation and identified the location of one terrorist.

However, the militants spotted him and opened heavy fire.

Sensing danger to his troops, he ferociously closed in and killed one terrorist at point-blank range and injured another terrorist who was bringing down heavy fire on his party.

Then the Andhra Pradesh man rolled over under a volley of fire, and pinned down the terrorists with accurate gunshots, facilitating the elimination of three terrorists.

"Your achievement brings immense pride, not just to our district, but to the entire Telugu community as this marks you becoming the first serving Telugu person to be awarded the Kirti Chakra. I salute you Major and your courage to continue to inspire future generations. Jai Hind!" Union minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu tweeted on Independence Day, along with an old picture of himself with the Army man.

Major Ramagopal Naidu is married and has a two-year-old daughter.

Many other state and national leaders have lauded the Major's efforts.

Major Ramgopal Naidu is the only living Kiri Chakra awardee of this year, the other awardees are Bravehearts Colonel Manpreet Singh (19 Rashtriya Rifles), Rifleman Ravi Kumar (63 Rashtriya Rifles), and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Muzammil Bhat.