Mukund Varadarajan

Major Mukund Varadarajan AC (12 April 1983 – 25 April 2014) was an officer in the Rajput Regiment of the Indian Army. In 2014, he was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, for killing three terrorists in an encounter at the Shupiyan district of Jammu and Kashmir.

In this South Indian name, 'Varadarajan' is a patronym, not a family name, and the person should be addressed by the given name, Mukund

Major

Mukund Varadarajan

AC
Born12 April 1983[1]
Kozhikode, Kerala[2]
Died25 April 2014(2014-04-25) (aged 31)
Shupiyan district, Jammu and Kashmir
Buried
Besant Nagar, Chennai[3]
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service2006 - 2014
Rank Major
Unit22 Rajput
44 Rashtriya Rifles
Awards Ashoka Chakra (posthumous)
Spouse(s)Indhu Rebecca Vargehese[4]

Personal life

Major Mukund Varadarajan [2] was born on 12 April 1983 to R.Varadarajan and Geetha. He lived in Chennai, India and had two sisters Swetha and Nithya. Mukund married his longtime girlfriend Indhu Rebecca Varghese on 28 August 2009 .[5] and have a daughter Ashreya born on 17 March 2011.[2][6][7] He received his Bachelor of Commerce From Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya at Enathur and a diploma in journalism from the Madras Christian College, Tambaram. His grandfather and two of his uncles also served in the army and this motivated Varadarajan to enlist.[1][7]

Earlier Service

Mukund was an alumnus of Officers Training Academy,[2] and after graduating, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Rajput Regiment (22 Rajput) in 2006. He served at the Infantry School in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh and was part of a United Nations Mission in Lebanon.[1] In December 2012, he was deputed to the 44th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles and posted in the Shupiyan district of Jammu and Kashmir.[7]

Martyrdom
Major Mukund Varadarajan's funeral.
Mukund Varadarajan's wife receives the Ashok Chakra from president Pranab Mukherjee on 26 January 2015.

On 25 April 2014, he led an anti-terrorist search operation to clear village of terrorists. During the operation, his team came under heavy fire. The officer responded swiftly, and killed three terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen who were responsible for killing election officials 24 hours earlier. However, he was gravely injured during the assault and was evacuated but he died due to the injuries.[8][9][10]

For his brave actions during the operation, he was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award in 2014, for displaying valor beyond the call of duty.[8] The citation by the Government of India during the declaration of the Ashok Chakra read:[2]

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.

Mukund is the fourth recipient of the Ashoka Chakra from the state of Tamil Nadu.

On June 1, 2015 a bust of Major Mukund Varadarajan was unveiled in honor of his patriotism and sacrifice.[11] It is displayed at the Officers Training Academy.

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References
  1. "Tambaram mourns a braveheart". The Hindu. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  2. S. Sujatha (15 August 2014). "Major Mukund Varadarajan valour went beyond call of duty". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  3. "Major Mukund spouse:Indhu Rebecca Varadharajan's final journey". The Hindu. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  4. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/love-my-son-i-am-proud-of-him-i-miss-him/
  5. "'India Should See The Man Mukund Was, Not My Sorrow': Martyr's Wife to NDTV". NDTV. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. "Major Mukund Varadarajan cremated with full military honours in Chennai". The Times of India. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  7. "Major Worked at BPO Before Realising Childhood Dream". The New Indian Express. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  8. "For Gallantry". Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  9. "Major Mukund Varadarajan Awarded Ashok Chakra, the Highest Gallantry Award". NDTV. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  10. "Independence Day Gallantry Awards and Other Decorations". PIB. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  11. Desk, OneIndia Defence (1 June 2015). "Bust in memory of Major Mukund; Capt Kalia a forgotten hero". Oneindia. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
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