Major

Mohit Sharma

AC SM
Born (1978-01-13)13 January 1978
Rohtak, Haryana, India
Died 21 March 2009(2009-03-21) (aged 31)
Haphruda Forest, Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Allegiance India India
Branch  Indian Army
Service years 1999–2009
Rank Major
Service number IC-59066N[1]
Unit 1Para (Special Forces)
5 Madras
Awards
  • Ashoka Chakra
  • Sena Medal
Alma mater National Defence Academy
Indian Military Academy

Major Mohit Sharma AC SM[2] (13 January 1978 – 21 March 2009) was an Indian Army Officer who was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peace-time military decoration. Sharma was from the elite 1st Para SF.[3]

On 21 March 2009, he engaged in an encounter with militants in the Hafruda forest of the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir. He killed four militants and rescued two teammates in the process, but got shot multiple times. For this act, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, which is the highest peace time military decoration in India.[4] He was awarded two gallantry decorations earlier in his career. The first was the COAS Commendation card for exemplary counter-militancy duties during Operation Rakshak, which was followed by a Sena Medal for gallantry after a covert operation in 2005.[3][5][6][7]

In 2019, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation renamed the Rajendra Nagar metro station in Ghaziabad as Major Mohit Sharma Rajendra Nagar metro station.[8]

Early life and education

His father's name is Rajendra Prasad Sharma and mother's name is Sushila Sharma. He was the second born of the Sharma family.[9] He completed his 12th schooling from Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad in 1995 after which he appeared for NDA Exam.[9] At the same time he got admitted to Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj College of Engineering, Shegaon, Maharashtra, during which he passed the SSB interview from Bhopal and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in December 1995.[10]

Military career

Sharma joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in 1998. In IMA, he was appointed Battalion Cadet Adjutant. After graduation, he was included in the 5th Battalion of the Madras Regiment. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in December 1999.[11]

He was engaged in several undercover counterinsurgency operations which involved infiltrating militant outfits under secret identities. In one such operation he infiltrated the Hizbul Mujahideen military outfit under the identity of "Iftikhar Bhatt", even keeping a heavy beard and dressing as a local for his cover. During the operation he collected key intelligence to strike militant targets and also assassinated two high-level militants. He received a Sena Medal for Gallantry for this operation.[12][13]

Sharma opted for the Para (Special Forces) in December 2002 and he became a trained Para Commando in June 2003.[11] He was promoted as major on 11 December 2005, He was awarded with the Sena Medal for his bravery for an operation he did in March 2004.[11] He was posted as Instructor at Belgaum and was given the responsibility to train the Commandos in Belgaum where he instructed for two years. Mohit Sharma then moved in 2008 to Kashmir where he was killed in action in 2009.[14]

Ashoka Chakra

Sharma's wife, Maj Rishima Sharma receiving the Ashok Chakra.

Sharma's unit was stationed in the Kupwara district of J&K in 2009 and frequently participated in operations against militants. On March 21, 2009, the security forces decided to conduct a search and destroy operation based on intelligence concerning a militant infiltration attempt in the Kupwara district. Leading the Bravo Assault Team against the militants who were infiltrating the dense Haphruda Forest was Sharma's responsibility.

Attempting to ambush and overwhelm the team, militants opened heavy fire from three directions as the team manoeuvred stealthily through rugged foliage. As a result of the sudden onslaught in the initial burst, four commandos were critically injured. Sharma crawled forward to save his soldiers. Under continuous enemy fire, he pulled two wounded commandos to safety. Recognizing that the militants were trying to sever contact and move, Sharma threw grenades and eliminated two militants. In the process, he received a gunshot injury to his chest. In spite of the serious injury, he persisted in leading the attack.

As the situation escalated and the surviving militants presented an immediate threat to his forces, Sharma took down two additional militants before succumbing to his wounds. In recognition of Sharma's sacrifice during the Kupwara operation, he received the nation's top peacetime bravery honour, the Ashok Chakra, on 26 January 2010.[15]

Awards and decorations
Ashoka Chakra Sena Medal Special Service Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

See also

  • Major Mohit Sharma Rajendra Nagar metro station – Metro station in Uttar Pradesh, India
  • Sanjog Chhetri – Indian Army Ashoka Chakra recipient (1982-2002)

In the 2025 Hindi-language film Dhurandhar, the character Hamza Ali Mazari (Jaskirat Singh Rangi), played by Ranveer Singh, was speculated to have been based on Major Mohit Sharma's life but the makers of the movie denied such claims.[16] His family approached Delhi High Court, citing concerns about the portrayal of the Sharma's private life.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Mohit Sharma, SM". Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  2. ^ "List of Ashoka Chakra Awardees". Indian Army.
  3. ^ a b "Bravehearts all: Mohit Sharma, Sreeram Kumar get Ashoka Chakras". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Ashok Chakra for Mohit Sharma, Sreeram Kumar". The Hindu. 15 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Battle for 'respect': In-laws, parents fight over martyr's memory - Indian Express". Archive.indianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the Parachute Regiment". Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Biography of Major Mohit Sharma". Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Delhi Metro Red Line: Two metro stations on Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda corridor to be renamed; here's why". Financialexpress.com. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  9. ^ a b Ghosh, Uttara (2023). Major Mike (PDF). Darjeeling group, WB&S Dte.
  10. ^ Team, Editorial (26 March 2018). "Inspiring Story of Major moohit Sharma - 1st PARA (Special Forces)". SSBToSuccess. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  11. ^ a b c "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 2 December 2000. p. 1650.
  12. ^ "Who Was Major Mohit Sharma, The Soldier At The Centre Of Dhurandhar Row". NDTV. 3 December 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Major Mohit Sharma, the real-life 'Dhurandhar' who killed terrorists despite being shot, had left engineering to join NDA". The Economic Times. 13 December 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Major Mohit Sharma AC SM - Honourpoint". Honourpoint. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  15. ^ Honourpoint | Major Mohit Sharma AC SM, 21 March 2009, archived from the original on 27 March 2018, retrieved 26 March 2018
  16. ^ Bhattacharya, Trisha (6 December 2025). "Who was Major Mohit Sharma? The Ashok Chakra awardee at the heart of the Dhurandhar controversy". mint. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Who was Major Mohit Sharma? The 'Dhurandhar' soldier who faced terrorists head-on and became a legend". The Economic Times. 5 December 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 19 February 2026.