Lieutenant Atul Katarya SM

Lt Atul Katarya was born on February 21, 1975, in Gurgaon in a family with long army tradition. He showed leadership qualities right from his childhood and always wanted to join the army and follow in the footsteps of his father. After completing his schooling, he joined NDA and passed out in 1995. Lt Atul passed out of  IMA in 1996 and was commissioned to one of the most illustrious regiments of the Indian Army, 13 Punjab (Jind).

Lt Atul was a dynamic and committed soldier and soon proved his mettle in the unit. In a short span of time, he developed the ability to gather information about insurgents employing unconventional and innovative methods. Lt Atul volunteered himself for high-risk missions and played a pivotal role in the elimination of scores of militants during his short tenure of two years in Kashmir.

Pulwama Operation: 14 Oct 1998

On getting specific intelligence reports about the presence of militants in Sangarwani area in Pulwama district, Lt Atul’s unit was tasked to engage them on 14th October 1998. Lt Atul Katarya was chosen to lead that mission and he immediately swung into action with his team. Lt Atul launched the offensive along with his troops and charged into the militant hideout with his gun blazing with full fury. A fierce gun-battle ensued and Lt Atul killed four militants during the encounter. But Lt Atul got caught in a barrage of bullets and was martyred.

Lt Atul always led from the front and his raw courage and daredevilry earned him great respect among his troops. Lt Atul lived by the ethos, “Service before self” and followed it in his personal life too. He was an officer par excellence and a thorough gentleman too. His amicable behavior and positive attitude endeared him to the local populace too, who would lovingly call him “ABDUL”. Even at a tender of 23 years with barely two years of service, this brave soldier proved to be an inspiring leader and died a hero’s death showing considerable courage and leadership skills. Lt Atul Katarya was awarded “Sena Medal” for his bravery, leadership and supreme sacrifice in the service to the nation.

Lt Atul Katarya is survived by his father Col Dhanraj Katarya, an Army veteran, mother Smt Sumitra Katarya and younger brother Amit Katarya.