Indian Army has a whole constellation of men in starry badges and medals but Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat has to be one of the most flabbergasting personalities of the Indian Army. He has been vested with four most precious gallantry awards and over a dozen of regular military awards during his tenure. Adding to that, he is an accomplished mountaineer who has touched upon the world’s highest peaks (most of them more than twice). Despite having a well-decorated military career in Special Forces, he has faced vulnerable situations by falling into an unsolicited controversy. Let’s see how!
QUICK FACTS
- He was born on 18 October 1970 in Alwar, Rajasthan. He completed his schooling from Jaipur, Bikaner, and Jodhpur.
- He joined the army to trace the footsteps of his ancestors; he completed his training from Indian Military academy in 1994 and got commissioned in 17 Maratha Light Infantry.
- Soon, he volunteered and held the command of 21 Battalion, Parachute Regiment Special Forces.
- An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, the officer has an MPhil degree from Osmania University, Hyderabad and published a dissertation on Rise of Fundamentalism in Af- Pak Region, Threat to India and Role of Central Asian Republics in its Containment.
- He has also served as United Nations Military Observer in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he worked for Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Rehabilitation and Resettlement of the cadres and rebels of various warring factions.
- He is currently on a study leave pursuing research in IDSA (Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses). His research work exclusively focuses on terrorism, titled as "Rise of ISIS: Significance and Implications for India".
MUST WATCH : Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat when asked about his Religion
AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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| Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat (then Major) atop Mt. Blanc, the highest peak in Europe Image Credit - IndianRajputs.com |
He has been presented the most precious Gallantry Awards namely, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal and Vishisht Sena Medal for his exemplary acts of gallantry displayed in anti-terrorist operations, especially the Loktak Lake Operation in 2008.
Adding to his collection he has also bagged regular military awards like Samanya Seva Medal, Siachen Glacier Medal, Operation Vijay Star Medal, Operation Parakram Medal and many more.
As an avid mountaineer, he has literally reached heights by ascending the Mount Everest thrice in 2001, 2003 & 2005. He has also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and Mt. Blanc, the highest of Alps in Western Europe. He has scaled a total of 14 peaks till the date.
MUST WATCH : Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat on his Everest summit experience
Controversy
Despite having a well jewelled military career and well-fed adrenaline, his service span was not actually full of glitz and gold. In 2017, he accused former officers- Chief Gen Bikram Singh, his successor Gen Dalbir Singh and Lt. Gen Abhay Krishna of “systematically victimising” him and denying him a promotion for speaking up against a botched up operation.
In his complaint letter, Col. Saurabh Singh Shekhawat wrote, “I am forced, with distress and disillusionment, to state that despite being highest decorated serving officer in the army with an unblemished operational profile, I have been systematically victimized by officers at the highest level,”
His accusation throws light specifically on the Jorhat Operation that was severely mishandled, which in turn led to fighting among India’s top army officers. It all started on the night of December 20, 2011, when an Army intelligence unit raided the house of Jorhat-based business man Surjit Gogoi on a suspicion that he was working with the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam. The platoon of soldiers allegedly robbed the house and eventually, Gogoi filed a complaint against them. At this time, Shekhawat’s 21 Para (SF) was based in Jorhat and the army intelligence unit did not inform his unit or local police about the operation. Shekhawat brought the incident to the notice of superiors but they denied any sort of army involvement in this. As a result, Brig. Shekhawat had to bear the brunt of it by being denied the promotion.
MUST WATCH : Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat on the Jorhat Operation
The epitome of courage vitality and valour, Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat has proved to be a major source of motivation for his brethren and civilians. In an Interview, he sprinkles his achievements with apt amount of pride and says his life and his work has always been about ‘Naam, Namak aur Nishan’ (name, salt, and marks) where he always tried to uphold his family’s name with his consistent performance creating indelible marks in the history of Indian Army. In spite of facing precarious situations during the service, his love for his job is immense. Thus, he says
'’Shaheedon mein khada hona aasan nahi hota, jise ishq haqiqi ho wohi gardan katate hai’
(It is not easy to stand among the martyrs, only the soldiers who really love (their Nation) actually sacrifice).
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Hi, I am Riddhima Seth an English trainer and a literature post Graduate from the University of Delhi, aspiring to be a research scholar in Gender Studies. Currently having a stint as a learner and a content writer at The Radical and relishing the wonders of our Indian Army.
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