Major Som Nath Sharma, born on January 31,
1923 at Dadh, Kangra in Himachal Pradesh was the first recipient of the highest gallantry award- Param Vir Chakra. Sharma was awarded the medal posthumously for his bravery in the Kashmir operations in November 1947. He died while evicting Pakistani infiltrators and raiders from Srinagar Airport, Budgam during the Indo-Pak war of 1947-48 in Kashmir. He belonged to the 4th Kumaon Regiment.
While Brigadier Rajinder Singh, Chief of Military Staff J&K armed Forces, born on June 14, 1899, in Bagoona village, 35 km east of Jammu city in Samba Tehsil made the intervening supreme sacrifice of his life on the night of 26-27 October 1947 valiantly fighting the Pakistani raiders in Uri-Rampur sector. He was posthumously awarded Mahavir Chakra for his act of bravery. |
