Major Padmapani Acharya MVC

Major Padmapani Acharya was born on 21 June 1968 in an Air Force family originally belonging to Odisha, but settled down in Hyderabad, in Telangana. Son of Wg Cdr Jagannath Acharya, a former wing commander of the Indian Air Force, who had served during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan and Smt Vimala Acharya, Major Padmapani Acharya had a brother Padmasambhav as his sibling. Inspired by his father, he developed a strong desire to serve in the Armed Forces since his younger days. He continued to follow his passion while growing up and eventually got selected to join the prestigious Indian Military Academy Chennai after his graduation. He passed out as a Lieutenant as part of SS 56th Course from IMA. He was commissioned into 2 Raj Rif Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles Regiment, a well-known and decorated infantry Regiment of Indian Army.

He joined his unit after completing his training and soon developed into a tough soldier and fine officer.  After serving for sometime, he got married to Ms Charulatha, in 1998. Maj Acharya’s brother Padmasambhav too joined the Army and got invloved in active operations when his unit got deployed as part of "Operaiton Vijay". Besides being adept at soldierly skills, Major Acharya was a voracious reader and had deep knowledge on various subjects.  

Battle of Black Rock Complex (Kargil War) : 28 June 1999

Major Padmapani Acharya's 2 Raj Rif battalion, under the command of Lt Col MB Ravindranath, which was part of 81 Mountain Brigade in the Lolab valley was inducted into the Drass area on 04 June 1999. The battalion was functioning under the command of 56 Mtn Bde, with overall operational control being exercised by 8 Mtn Div under Maj Gen Mohinder Puri. Shortly after the signing of the Lahore declaration in 1999, the Pakistan Army surreptitiously occupied the winter vacated posts of the Indian Army. On 03 May 1999, these intrusions were detected and on 26 May 1999, the first air-to-ground strike was launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF), followed by Operation Vijay, by the Indian Army to evict the intruders from the Indian areas. The army quickly mobilized its forces to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators from Indian territory. After the capture of Tololing and Point 5140 by 20 June 1999, it was necessary to maintain pressure on the enemy. A number of reconnaissance missions confirmed that an area called 'Three Pimples Ridge' was needed to be captured in conjunction with Point 4700 in the first phase. Subsequently it was required to capture Point 5100 to reach the LOC. The 'Three Pimples Ridge' which emanated from Pt 5100 on the Marpo La Ridgeline dominated the National HIghway, Drass town and Sando valley. The capture of this area was necessary to pave the way for capturing Pt 5100 and subsequently Pt 5600, to isolate the intrusion east of Sando Nala in Drass. Three Pimples also known as Black Rock complex consisted of Three Pimples, Lone Hill, Knoll and Kajal and bifurcated into two spur lines. Point 4700 Ridge consisted of Pt 4700, Saddle, Tommy, Sangar, Rocky and Junction Point. In order to acheive the desired objective in that area, a bold plan to launch multidirectional attacks spread over two phases was chalked out. 

As per the operational plan, in phase-I, 2 Raj Rif was to capture Knoll and Lone Hill and contact Junction Point by early morning of 29 June. 18 Garh Rif was tasked to capture Tommy, Saddle and Pt 4700 by 29 June morning. In phase-II, 2 Raj Rif was to clear Three Pimples by midday and 16 Grenadiers Battalion was to exploit the situation and capture Junction Point by 30 June. In this phase, 18 Garh Rif was tasked to capture Rocky and Sangar and thereafter link up with 16 Grenadiers at Junction Point by 30 June. The attack by 2 Raj Rif and 18 Garh Rif commenced at 2030 hrs on 28 June 1999. Unfortunately, the assault company of 2 Raj Rif suffered a large number of causalities owing to heavy artillery attack by the enemy forces. Major Padmapani Acharya as 'A' Company Commander, had the formidable task of capturing an enemy position which was heavily fortified, strongly held and covered with mines and sweeping machine gun and artillery fire. The success of the battalion and brigade operation hinged on the early capture of this position. However, the company attack almost faltered at the very beginning when the enemy’s artillery fire came down squarely on the leading platoon, inflicting large numbers of casualties. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Major Acharya took the reserve platoon of his company and led it through raining artillery shells. Even as his men were falling to the murderous enemy fire, he continued to encourage his men and charged at the enemy up the steep rock face with his reserve platoon. 

Unmindful of the hail of bullets from the enemy’s position, Major Acharya crawled up to the enemy position and lobbed grenades. In this daring assault, he was seriously injured. Despite heavy injuries and unable to move, he ordered his men to leave him and charge at the enemy while he continued to fire at the enemy. The enemy position was finally over-run and the objective was captured. Maj Padmapani Acharya, however, succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. Besides Maj Padmapani Acharya, two other officers and ten soldiers from 2 Raj Rif Battalion laid down their lives during the entire operation on that day. The other martyred brave hearts included, Capt Vijayant Thapar, Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, Hav SS Sengar, Hav Satyabir Singh, Nk Anand Singh, L/Nk Satpal Singh, L/Nk Vikram Singh, Rfn J S Shekhawat, Rfn Satyaveer SIngh, Rfn Om Prakash, Rfn Jasvir Singh and Rfn Kanwar Pal Singh. Maj Padmapani Acharya was awarded nation’s second highest gallantry award, “Maha Vir Chakra” on 15 August 2000, for his outstanding bravery, unfaltering leadership, and supreme sacrifice. Maj Padmapani Acharya, is survived by his father an Air Force veteran, Wg Cdr Jagannath Acharya, mother Smt Vimala Acharya, wife Smt Charulatha Acharya and daughter Ms Aparijita.

The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

On 28 June 1999, Major Padmapani Acharya as a Company Commander, was assigned the formidable task of capturing an enemy position which was heavily fortified, strongly held and covered with mines and sweeping machine gun and artillery fire. The success of the battalion and brigade operation hinged on the early capture of this position. However, the company attack almost faltered at the very beginning when the enemy’s artillery fire came down squarely on the leading platoon, inflicting large numbers of casualties. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Major Acharya took the reserve platoon of his company and led it through raining artillery shells. Even as his men were falling to the murderous enemy fire, he continued to encourage his men and charged at the enemy up the steep rock face with his reserve platoon.

Unmindful of the hail of bullets from the enemy’s position, Major Acharya crawled up to the enemy position and lobbed grenades. In this daring assault, he was seriously injured. Despite heavy injuries and unable to move, he ordered his men to leave him and charge at the enemy while he continued to fire at the enemy. The enemy position was finally over-run and the objective was captured. He, however, succumbed to his injuries after completion of the mission.

Major Padmapani Acharya displayed exceptional courage, leadership and spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy.

• PADMA PANI SOCIETY FOR HUMAN EXCELLENCE (PSHE). An NGO was founded in 1993 in the memory of Major Padmapani Acharya by a group of dedicated social workers committed to tackle environment, livelihood, literacy and health related issues at the grassroots level. The organisation is working to create high standard of living for vulnerable and marginalized communities. The Executive Board's versatility is enriched through the presence of social workers, financial experts, medical professionals and local community, ensuring holistic approach to cater to all kinds of social developmental activities. PSHE firmly believes that any desired change in the lives of underprivileged children will come only, when more and more privileged people participate proactively in finding a solution to the problem.

• A petrol bunk awarded to his family by the State Government at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, has been named after Major Padmapani Acharya in his honour. 

• A road, leading to Major Padmapani Acharya’s house in Hyderabad has been named as "Major Padmapani Acharya Marg"  in his honour.
• Film adaptation: The events of Battle of Tololing was adapted as one of the prominent battle scenes in the Hindi war film "LOC Kargil" in which actor Nagarjuna portrayed the role of Maj Padmapani Acharya.

• Maj P Acharya's quote in his last letter to his father, "Combat is an honour of a lifetime and I would not think of anything less. What better way to serve the nation".

      What his family had to say about him…

• “You have to accept the inevitable and adjust accordingly. It is tough to digest, but we all are proud of him and miss him,” : his father Wg Cdr Jagannath Acharya.
•  “As a mother, I am definitely sad and hurt but as a patriot, I am proud of my son. He lives forever, whereas I will not. He made me promise that I would not cry when he left for the front,” : Major Padmapani Acharya’s mother Vimala Acharya.
• “Now that the Army has opened its gates for women. I would love to see my granddaughter join the Army,” : Wg Cdr Jagannath Acharya.

• Major Padmapani Acharya last spoke to his family on June 21, 1999 which happened to be his birthday. Ironically this turned out to be the last time he spoke to his family. Seven days later, on June 28, 1999, the family of Major Padmapani Acharya received a phone call from the Army saying that he had fought bravely in Kargil and was no more.
• He had posted a letter dated June 19, 1999 to his father, Wg Cdr Acharya, which is shown below:
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• In the letter, Major Acharya had also talked about Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Kargil. His father sent a copy of this letter to the prime minister, who replied to him acknowledging Major Acharya's sacrifice.

• During the gallantry award investiture ceremony in New Delhi on Republic Day, which Wg  Cdr Jagannath Acharya attended to receive the Maha Vir Chakra, Prime Minister Vajpayee came up to him and again thanked him for the letter. He also asked then President K R Narayanan to come up to Major Acharya's father to meet him.

Tribute by his sister Ms Amrapali Acharya on 28 June 2019 :

It has been 20 years since you left us, giving it all in the line of your duty. The nation lost a great soldier and we lost-an inseparable part of our family. It has been…20 years of waiting for you to come back home on leave… 20 years of not having seen you, touched you and heard you… 20 years of talking to you only through our hearts and minds…

Not a day passes when I see your daughter, Bubbles and not think of you. Thank God, you left a piece of yourself for us to lean on, to alleviate our sorrow, make us laugh, feel loved and more so to handle life without you. I remember hearing her heartbeat for the first time when we took Charu for the scan; it was after you had left for the other world. I remember the tears welling up in our eyes and rolling down by just imagining it to be your heart beat (of course it was and of course she is).

Our lives are still being guided by your memories, that are filled with your playfulness, your outlook towards life, your sense of responsibility and the values you stood for…..and we are reliving those precious moments while bringing up and loving Bubbles. At times, it appears as if you had a premonition and thus planned your exit from this world. Your meeting with Charu, your letters back home, your conversations and finally Bubbles…seem to indicate that.

We are proud of you but sad and angry too. Though left with a sense of loss and void, we have taken it in our stride and moved on; after all, we are a soldier’s family. Ma said,” a soldier never dies, he just moves on”. Babloo, you are really the “Maha Vir”, the country looks up to, for your courage, gallantry and patriotism. You are indeed the pride of the nation.

As a family, we are immensely proud of you but miss you too in equal measure. Undoubtedly you remain an inspiration for the family and the nation as well; and your life though short has left an inspirational message for all Indians... follow your hearts, to pursue all the dreams with passion and make the country proud…..Jai Hind!

Amrapali Acharya