Major Sankalp Yadav SM

Major Sankalp Yadav was born on 29 March 1993 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, to Shri Surendra Kumar Yadav and Smt. Usha Yadav. He grew up in the Nand Puri locality of Jaipur alongside his elder brother, Rohish. From an early age, he displayed both academic excellence and enthusiasm for extracurricular activities. He received his initial education at Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya in Jaipur. After completing his schooling there, he pursued his higher secondary education at Kapil Gyanpeeth (KGP), Mansarovar, Jaipur, and passed his Class XII examinations in 2011. A bright and well-rounded student, he stood out for his dedication and all-around performance. Although no one in his family had previously served in the Armed Forces, he nurtured a strong desire from childhood to join the Indian Army. Determined to turn his dream into reality, he successfully cleared the entrance examination for the National Defence Academy and joined the 126th NDA Course soon after completing school. He graduated from NDA in 2014 and proceeded to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, for pre-commission training. In June 2015, at the age of 22, he passed out from IMA and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army.

He was commissioned into the 324 Field Regiment of the Regiment of Artillery, the combat support arm of the Indian Army known for its powerful guns and heavy weaponry. His first posting was in the Drass sector of Kargil, where he gained valuable operational experience and honed his fieldcraft skills under challenging conditions. Driven by a passion for flying, Major Sankalp later volunteered for the Army Aviation Corps. After selection, he underwent the Basic Army Aviation Course in Jhansi and the Advanced Army Aviation Course in Nashik, qualifying as a helicopter pilot. In 2019, he was posted to the 663 Army Aviation Squadron based at Srinagar. Through dedication and professional excellence, he steadily rose through the ranks, and by 2022, he had been promoted to Major. By then, he had established himself as a highly competent and skilled helicopter pilot, proficient in executing a wide range of air operations.

In 2022, Major Sankalp Yadav was serving with the 663 Army Aviation Squadron of the Army Aviation Corps, based at Srinagar (Shalateng Garrison) in Jammu & Kashmir. The squadron operated the HAL Cheetah helicopter, a single-engine aircraft of 1970s vintage derived from the French Alouette. The Cheetah was known for its high performance across a wide range of weight, centre of gravity, and altitude conditions. This five-seater helicopter was versatile and multi-role in nature—capable of undertaking communication flights, observation and surveillance tasks, logistics support, casualty evacuation, rescue missions, and high-altitude operations. Its manoeuvrability and rugged construction made it particularly suitable for deployment in the challenging terrain of Jammu & Kashmir. On 11 March 2022, Major Sankalp Yadav and his Commanding Officer, Lt Col Vivek Kumar Dwivedi, were assigned a high-altitude casualty evacuation mission. The task involved evacuating an ailing BSF soldier from a forward post at Chorogah near the Line of Control (LoC) in Bandipora district. The post was situated at a high altitude in a remote and inaccessible region, where air support was often the only viable means of evacuation.

The crew took off as planned in the Cheetah helicopter. The mission proceeded smoothly during the initial phase; however, while operating in the Baraub area near Gurez, the aircraft developed a technical snag. Communication contact with the forward post at Gujran was lost, and it appeared that the engine had malfunctioned, rendering the helicopter difficult to control. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter crashed in the Baraub area of Gurez in Bandipora district. Both Major Sankalp Yadav and Lt Col Vivek Kumar Dwivedi sustained severe injuries in the crash and were immediately evacuated to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar for advanced medical treatment. Despite the best efforts of medical personnel, Major Sankalp Yadav succumbed to his injuries and was martyred in the line of duty at the young age of 29. A committed soldier and a professionally skilled pilot, Major Sankalp Yadav exemplified courage, devotion to duty, and selfless service. In recognition of his exceptional bravery and supreme sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal on 15 August 2022.

Maj Sankalp Yadav is survived by his father, Shri Surendra Kumar Yadav, mother Smt Usha Yadav and elder brother Shri Rohish Yadav.