Sub Sukhdev Singh SM

Subedar Sukhdev Singh hailed from Peoni village in Majalta tehsil of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir. He joined the Army after completing his school education like many young people for his village. He was recruited into 16 Grenadiers of the Grenadiers, an infantry Regiment known for its brave soldiers and rich history of various battle honours. After serving for few years, he got married and the couple had a daughter Tanvi and a son Tanmay.

As a young soldier he had taken part in the Kargil war in the year 1999, while his unit was deployed in Kargil sector. By the year 2020, he had been promoted to the rank of Subedar and had developed into a battle-hardened soldier and a very dependable junior commissioned officer. He had served in various operational areas by then and gathered substantial field experience.

Cross-Border Firing (Nowshera Sector): 05 Oct 2020

During Oct 2020, Sub Sukhdev Singh’s unit 16 Grenadiers was deployed in Rajouri district of J&K. The unit troops were manning the forward posts in the Nowshera sector along the LOC.  The LOC remained highly active and volatile with ceasefire violations occurring very often and without any warning. Like the previous years the year 2020 too continued with ceasefire violations and by Oct 2020 the number exceeded 4000. Pakistan continued to violate the 2003 ceasefire agreement with India despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the pact during flag meetings between the two sides. In yet another case of ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire in Nowshera sector along the LOC on 05 Oct 2020.

On 05 Oct 2020, in the evening around 1900 hrs Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked firing on Indian posts from across the border in Nowshera Sector of Rajouri district. During that period, Sub Sukhdev Singh was supervising the forward posts along the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector. The Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to heavy cross border firing at Kalal, Lam and Jhangad sectors along the LOC. Indian army responded in a befitting manner to the Pakistani aggression and consequently, a heavy exchange of fire ensued thereafter, which continued intermittently for several hours. However, during this heavy exchange of fire, Sub Sukhdev Singh got severely injured. He was shifted to the Army medical facility but he succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. Sub Sukhdev Singh was a valiant soldier and a committed junior commissioned officer, who laid down his life in the line of his duty. Sub Sukhdev Singh was given the gallantry award, “Sena Medal” on 26 Jan 2021 for his courage, camaraderie, devotion to duty, and supreme sacrifice.

Sub Sukhdev Singh is survived by his parents, wife, daughter Tanvi Rajput and son Tanmay Rajput.