Ajay Singh Jasrotia

Major

Ajay Singh Jasrotia

SM
Nickname(s)
  • Jassi
  • Rambo
Born(1972-03-31)31 March 1972
Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Died15 June 1999(1999-06-15) (aged 27)
Dras, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Allegiance India
Service / branch Indian Army
Years of service1996–1999
Rank Major
Service numberSS-36635
Unit13 JAK RIF
Battles / warsKargil War †
Awards Sena Medal[1]

Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, SM (31 March 1972 – 15 June 1999) was an Indian military officer with the 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK RIF) who laid down his life during Kargil War to save the lives of his six comrades.[2][3]

He was deployed in Sopore in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir when the Kargil War broke out. In spite of his weight-bearing restrictions after ankle surgery, he volunteered to join his unit 13 JAK RIF under the command of Lt General then Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi which was moved to the Dras sector as a reserve force.[4]

On 15 June 1999, the base camp came under heavy artillery shelling and six of his soldiers were injured. Amidst heavy artillery shelling which continued unabated, he evacuated the wounded to safety by carrying them on his back. While rescuing the last soldier he was fatally wounded by shrapnel. All of the six lived to tell the tale. He was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal for his courage and sacrifice.[1]

Contrary to British Indian Army times when officers commanded from behind, today Indian Army officers lead their troops from front and Jasrotia was among the few senior most officers to be martyred while evacuating the wounded soldiers during Kargil War.[5] Knowing that he won't survive he refused to be evacuated before his wounded men,[6] giving a new definition of valour, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.[7]

His death played a role in motivating his juniors Captain then Lieutenant Vikram Batra PVC and Colonel then Lieutenant Sanjeev Singh Jamwal VrC to capture Point 5140 without any casualty.[8] Coincidentally Batra was killed in a similar way as Jasrotia during the capture of Point 4875 when he exposed himself to enemy fire while rescuing an injured soldier.[9][10][11]

  1. ^ a b "Kargil Heroes". Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  2. ^ "'I threw the grenade back, but I'd lost 3 of 4 secs before it exploded'remembered". 13 July 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. ^ Lab, The Quint. "From Kargil With Love, Remembering Heroes of Indian Army". TheQuint.
  4. ^ "Maj Ajay Singh Jasrotia SM". Honour point. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Stop obsessing over 'leading from the front'. It doesn't justify sacrifice of Army officers". The Print. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Martyr Major Ajay". Defence Lover. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, SM". Indian Army. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  8. ^ Rawat, Rachna Bisht (2014). The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories. Penguin Books India Private Limited. ISBN 9780143422358.
  9. ^ Cardozo, Ian (2003). Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle. Roli Books Private Limited. p. 124. ISBN 9789351940296.
  10. ^ Singh, Amarinder (2001). A Ridge Too Far: War in the Kargil Heights 1999. Motibagh Palace. p. 185. ISBN 9788193107416.
  11. ^ Bammi, Y. M. (2002). Kargil 1999, impregnable conquered. Gorkha Publishers. p. 279. ISBN 9788175253520.