Lieutenant Colonel Ashok Chopra hailed from Ambala Cantt, Haryana and was born on 23 August 1950. He was the son of Shri Kasturi Lal Chopra and Smt. Champa Wati Chopra, and grew up alongside his brother, Pawan Chopra. From an early age, he displayed exceptional academic brilliance and a well-rounded personality. A bright and disciplined student, he consistently excelled in his studies. Beyond academics, he possessed a deep passion for the arts—particularly music. An extraordinarily gifted singer, he won his school’s singing competitions every year from Class VI to Class XII. He led the school choir with distinction and earned widespread admiration for his melodious voice and commanding stage presence.
After completing his schooling, he was selected for the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), where he pursued and completed his MBBS. He later specialized as a surgeon, combining medical excellence with a spirit of service. He was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in 1974 at the age of 24. He later specialized as a surgeon, combining medical excellence with a spirit of service. After serving for a few years, he married Dr Madhu Chopra, a fellow Army doctor hailing from Jharkhand and the daughter of Dr Manohar Kishan Akhouri and Smt. Madhu Jyotsna Akhouri. The couple was blessed with a daughter, Priyanka, and a son, Siddharth. During his military career, he served in various Army medical establishments across the country. Over the years, he earned a reputation as a professionally competent surgeon and a committed soldier. By 1997, after more than two decades of dedicated service, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In the same year, he retired from active military service, having completed a distinguished career in uniform.
Life After Retirement: A Healer, Artist, And Philanthropist
Following his retirement in 1997, Lt Col Ashok Chopra established three medical facilities in Bareilly under the name “Kasturi Hospitals,” in loving tribute to his father. The hospitals flourished under his leadership, and he quickly earned recognition as a highly respected and compassionate medical practitioner. His professional competence, coupled with his humane approach to patient care, strengthened his standing in the medical community. Yet medicine was only one dimension of his remarkable personality. Music remained an inseparable part of his life. An accomplished and soulful singer, he enjoyed a devoted fan following. He frequently organized and performed in musical programs for the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), many of which were highly successful.
On one occasion in Ladakh, he organized a musical event intended to last a single day. Such was the overwhelming response from the Army jawans that the program continued for an entire week. He also performed in Delhi alongside renowned orchestras such as “Bullets” and “Friends,” receiving immense appreciation for his performances. Lt Col Chopra derived special joy from singing for soldiers deployed in remote and challenging areas, seeing it as a way to uplift their spirits. His repertoire was diverse and spiritually rich. He performed solo programs featuring Naatia Kalam, Gurbani, and Bhajan Kirtans. In 1993, after a powerful performance at the Dargah Shareef in Bareilly before an audience of nearly three lakh people, T-Series released a cassette and CD titled “Kalame Ala Hazrat” featuring his renditions, which became widely popular. Another devotional album, “Har Har Shankar,” was also released and well-received. Beyond his professional and artistic accomplishments, Lt Col Chopra was deeply socially conscious. He often used his musical talent to raise funds for charitable causes. Notably, he performed a live concert at ISKCON, Juhu, to support the construction of an old-age home at Karjat, reflecting his commitment to service beyond personal success. A man of immense talent, discipline, and compassion, Lt Col Ashok Chopra lived a fulfilled and meaningful life. He passed away on 10 June 2013 at the age of 62, leaving behind a rich legacy of service, art, and humanity.
Lt Col Ashok Chopra is survived by his wife, Dr Madhu Chopra; his daughter, Priyanka Chopra, a leading actress; his son, Shri Siddharth Chopra; and his brother, Shri Pawan Chopra.
BAL KRISHEN KOUL
2026 at 1:11 pmI was in charge Leh Earrh Satellite station in year 1992_1993 and he was posted in High altitude Leh General hospital! He used to come to our station and was a very good friend of mine !
He was a jolly person with great heart love and regard! He would sing I our satellite ground we many times used to do get together! We had a very good liason with GH hospital staff those days! Others were vol Rso skin specialist?Major Bhaskaran surgeon, Major Mundi FOD etcetc
I only came to know about his demise recently and am feeling much for this great soul! ShreeKrishna giv Sadgati to his soul and enough courage and strength to respected Maduji and dear Priyanka ji!
B k koul ( koul brothers as nick name those day in Leh satellite)
Sudha Tolia Parekh
2026 at 1:11 pmGreat Dr and fantastic singer.
Sudha Tolia Parekh
2026 at 1:12 pmI am heavily impressed after knowing and reading about Lt Col Ashok Chopda.
He was a great surgeon in Army Hospital and at the same time very good singer. He gave many programs for the humanitarian cause.
Iam more impressed because I taught Psycho social aspects of disease in AFMC from 1966 to 1971 where he studied. He suffered from cancer and left this world. So sad. My condolences to Madhuben Priyanka and Sidharth. I live in New York. My cell 1914 393 9631