Nitish Sharma

Over 16 years ago Major Yogesh Gupta sacrificed his life while fighting terrorists at Surankot in Jammu and Kashmir on July 12, 2002, but his father is still waiting for a gallantry award for his brave son.Martyr’s father Ved Prakash Gupta says, “Yogesh killed four dreaded terrorists but no gallantry award was announced for him posthumously. His mother had written numerous letters to all concerned, including the Ambala GOC, the President, the Prime Minister’s Office, Union Ministry of Defence, and state government officials, but to no avail. She died last year with her desire of a gallantry award and a memorial to her son unfulfilled”.The battle casualty report of Yogesh Gupta states, “Based on specific information ‘Operation Prachand Prahar’ was launched with 9 Para (SF). At 4.30 am, contact was established with terrorists at Ranjati. In the ensuing gunfight, Major Yogesh Gupta suffered severe gunshot wounds in the abdomen. Despite being severely injured, Major Yogesh Gupta valiantly continued to engage the terrorists and killed four of them. A total of five hardcore terrorists were killed in the gunfight and Major Yogesh Gupta attained martyrdom”.“If this is not bravery, what are gallantry awards given for? Either the Army should say it had prepared a wrong casualty report or tell why the martyr has not been honoured so far,” adds Ved Prakash.He says, “After years of struggle we got a letter from the Army in October last year that the case has been examined and as per the MS Branch, Army headquarters, they did not receive any citation for a gallantry award. Honours and awards are conferred within a specific period from the date of the act qualifying for such recognition. Since the act pertains to 2002, which is more than 15 years’ old, it is not feasible to have it processed at this late stage”.The martyr’s father says, “I still remember, after my son’s martyrdom, the Commanding Officer mentioning his name being forwarded for the Ashok Chakra, but now we have been told that they did not receive any citation for a gallantry award. But we have been raising the issue for last several years, and now we are told that it is not feasible to have the case processed at this stage. If the Army did not receive the citation, at least it should have taken action on our requests made all these years”.“We are demoralised and are not expecting much. But we will continue our fight. If needed, we will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court too,” he says.Besides the gallantry award, the family has been struggling to get a memorial or a chowk in Ambala named after Major Yogesh Gupta.After years of struggle, the family now sees a ray of hope. Ved Prakash says, “It was an attempt to keep the name of the martyr alive. Officials of the Municipal Corporation Ambala recently told us that soon a chowk in Ambala Cantonment will be renamed after Major Yogesh Gupta. We will be grateful to the local administration and Health Minister Anil Vij if a chowk is renamed after Yogesh”.