Sepoy Anusuya Prasad MVC

Sepoy Anusuya Prasad was born on 19th May 1953 in the village of Nanna, located in Chamoli district of present-day Uttarakhand. He was the son of Shri Dayanand and Smt Ukha Devi. Growing up in a modest family, he exhibited strong values of discipline, determination, and patriotism from an early age. Inspired by the spirit of service and national pride, he chose to join the Indian Army, following in the footsteps of many brave soldiers from the region. On 19th May 1971, at the age of 18, Sepoy Anusuya Prasad was enrolled in the 10th Battalion of the Mahar Regiment (10 Mahar). The Mahar Regiment, known for its valiant history and distinguished service in various military operations, was an ideal fit for his dedication and resilience. He underwent rigorous training to develop the physical and tactical skills necessary for a combat soldier. Despite being a young recruit, he quickly adapted to the challenging environment and displayed remarkable discipline and commitment.

Eastern Front Operation (Indo-Pak War) : 30 Nov 1971

Although the Indo-Pak war officially began on 03 December 1971, following Pakistan’s preemptive airstrike on Indian airbases, border skirmishes had been ongoing for months. On the night of 29/30 November 1971, Sepoy Anusuya Prasad’s unit, the 10 Mahar Battalion, as part of the 81 Mountain Brigade, was deployed in Shamsher Nagar, in the then East Pakistan. The battalion was assigned the formidable task of capturing a well-fortified enemy stronghold—a tea factory at Chatlapur—which was a crucial defensive position protected by machine gun emplacements on all sides. The attack strategy, under the command of Major General K.V. Krishna Rao, involved infiltrating enemy defenses and setting the factory ablaze to neutralize their stronghold. Recognizing the danger of the mission, Sepoy Anusuya Prasad volunteered without hesitation, displaying extraordinary bravery and selflessness. Armed with phosphorous grenades, he crawled towards the enemy position, fully aware of the life-threatening risks involved.

During his daring advance, enemy forces opened fire, hitting him in both legs. Despite his grievous injuries, he continued his mission undeterred, inching forward towards the enemy’s ammunition stockpile. Moments later, a machine gun burst struck his shoulder, causing severe wounds and profuse bleeding. Yet, with unyielding determination, he reached the target and hurled his grenades into the building, setting it ablaze. His audacious action forced the enemy to abandon the stronghold, turning the tide of battle in India’s favor. Eventually, on 17 December 1971, two Pakistani brigades defending the town surrendered, marking a decisive victory for Indian forces. What makes Sepoy Anusuya Prasad’s feat even more remarkable is that he had only 11 days of service with his battalion at the time of his supreme sacrifice. His unparalleled courage and devotion to duty have since been etched into the annals of Mahar Regiment’s glorious history. In recognition of his extraordinary valour, he was posthumously awarded the "Maha Vir Chakra"—India’s second-highest gallantry award—making him the youngest recipient of the prestigious honour.

Sepoy Anusuya Prasad is survived by his wife Smt Chitra Devi, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of soldiers and patriots.

The citation for "Maha Vir Chakra" awarded to Sep Anusuya Prasad reads:

Sepoy Ansuya Prasad was young soldier in a battalion of Mahar Regiment, which was given the task of capturing an enemy position on the Eastern Front. The enemy was occupying a well-fortified building dominating the entire area around it with machine guns. It was decided to send a squad to get into the enemy defences and to set the building on fire.

Sepoy Ansuya Prasad volunteered for the task and taking a few grenades, with utter disregard for his personal safety, crawled towards the enemy position. During the process, he was shot in both his legs but undaunted he continued crawling up towards a stock of ammunition. He now received a machine gun burst in his shoulder. Still undeterred, though bleeding profusely, he crawled up to the building and lobbed the grenades into it setting it on fire before succumbing to his wounds. His action forced the enemy to abandon the building and enabled our troops to capture the objective.

In this action Sepoy Ansuya Prasad displayed conspicuous gallantry and made the supreme sacrifice.

• The Housing project of Prasad Nagar in Roorkee has been named after Sepoy Ansuya Prasad MVC in his honour.
• A parade ground at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh has been named after Sepoy Anusuya Prasad.   A statue of the brave soldier has been installed in front of the unit ,that is today famous as Anusuya Prasad Battalion in honour of the exceptional courage shown by the martyred soldier.
• Sepoy Ansuya Prasad’s wife Smt Chitra Devi is running an organization called "Veer Shaheed Anusuya Prasad Mahila Samiti" based in Chamoli district and in Bhauwala, Dehradun. The organisation is working with the following objectives:
  • Empowering Women – Skill development programs for financial independence.
  • Educational Support – Scholarships and mentoring for underprivileged children.
  •  Social Welfare – Community-building, healthcare, and awareness programs.
  • Sports & Leadership – Organizing competitions to encourage youth participation.
  • Honouring Martyrs – Supporting the families of brave soldiers and preserving their legacy.