Place of birth : Sirmaur Dist (HP)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Lance Naik
Unit : 1 Para (SF)
Arm/Regt : The Parachute Regiment
Operation : CI & IS Ops
Martyrdom : August 10, 2024
Lance Naik Praveen Sharma
Lance Naik Praveen Sharma hailed from Palu village of Rajgarh tehsil in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Son of Shri Rajesh Sharma and Smt Rekha Sharma Lance Naik Praveen Sharma had two elder sisters Pooja and Arti as his siblings. He came from a distinguished lineage, a descendant of a freedom fighter who participated in the Pajhota Movement, a significant resistance against British colonial rule. Inspired by his family tradition, he always nursed the idea of serving in the Armed Forces since his younger days. Following his passion, he eventually joined the Army after completing his initial education. He was recruited into the Parachute Regiment, an infantry regiment well known for its daredevil para commandos and numerous bold operations.
Later he joined 1 Para (SF), the oldest unit of the Parachute Regiment Indian Army, specializing in Urban Warfare and tactical needs. The unit was raised in 1761 and was converted into a Special Forces battalion in 1978. After completing his training, he joined his unit and soon developed into a tough and committed soldier. His family was planning to get him married in October 2024, but destiny had some other plans for him.
Anantnag Operation: 10 Aug 2024
During 2024, L/Nk Praveen Sharma’s unit, 1 Para (SF) was deployed in the Anantnag district of J&K, close to the Line of Control (LOC). The unit troops were engaged in counter-insurgency operations on a regular basis as its Area of Responsibility(AOR) was affected by active militancy. On 10 Aug 2024, the security forces received credible information from intelligence sources about the presence of a group of terrorists in the mountainous forests of the Ahlan Gadole area of the Kokernag sector in the Anantnag district of J&K. Based on the intelligence inputs, the Army decided to launch a search and cordon operation along with its para commandos, J&K Police and CRPF. The operation was part of a larger effort to track down and neutralize a group of militants who had taken shelter in the dense forests. Accordingly, a joint operation was launched on the intervening night of 10 Aug 2024 along with other elements of J&K Police and CRPF. As planned, the joint team reached the suspected area of Anantnag district and launched the cordon and search operation.
As the search operation was underway, the terrorists, sensing danger, fired at the troops in a bid to escape. A fierce gun battle ensued thereafter, with a heavy exchange of fire from both sides. The gun battle, was fierce and fraught with risk as the terrorists were using automatic weapons and also taking advantage of the thick foliage of the forest. Undeterred by the risk involved, L/Nk Praveen Sharma and his comrades continued to chase the terrorists and pin them down. However, while doing so, L/Nk Praveen Sharma and five other soldiers got critically injured in the exchange of fire with the militants. The injured soldiers were taken to the Military Hospital for medical treatment, but L/Nk Praveen Sharma and another soldier Hav Dipak Kumar ultimately succumbed to their wounds and were martyred. L/Nk Praveen Sharma was a brave and determined soldier who laid down his life at the age of 28 years in the service of the nation.
L/Nk Praveen Sharma is survived by his father Shri Rajesh Sharma, mother Smt Rekha Sharma and his two elder sisters Smt Pooja & Smt Arti.
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