Surjan Singh Bhandari
Encyclopedia
Surjan Singh Bhandari was a commando of the elite National Security Guards
of the Indian armed forces
. Bhandari hailed from Gochar
, North India
n state of Uttarakhand
. Bhandari was critically wounded during the operation to flush out the terrorists from the Akshardham temple complex on September 24, 2002.
The terrorists had stuck the Akshardham complex and killed 39 civilians before the NSG team managed to flush them out. Bhandari was injured by a bullet that hit his head during the operation.
Bhandari was comatose for 600 days till his death on May 19, 2004. Bhandari had his tiranga (tricolor), the Indian national flag, by his side when he died. Bhandari was awarded the Kirti Chakra
, India's second highest gallantry award by the President of India
, Abdul Kalam
. The deceased commando's two brothers are also in the armed forces.
National Security Guards
The National Security Guard is a Special Response Unit in India that has primarily been utilized for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986...
of the Indian armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. Bhandari hailed from Gochar
Gochar
Gauchar is a Hill Town located in Karnaprayag tehsil within Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state in India. Gauchar is situated on the left bank of river Alaknanda and is en route the celebrated holy destination of Badrinath....
, North India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
. Bhandari was critically wounded during the operation to flush out the terrorists from the Akshardham temple complex on September 24, 2002.
The terrorists had stuck the Akshardham complex and killed 39 civilians before the NSG team managed to flush them out. Bhandari was injured by a bullet that hit his head during the operation.
Bhandari was comatose for 600 days till his death on May 19, 2004. Bhandari had his tiranga (tricolor), the Indian national flag, by his side when he died. Bhandari was awarded the Kirti Chakra
Kirti Chakra
The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
, India's second highest gallantry award by the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, Abdul Kalam
Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is a renowned aerospace engineer, professor , and first Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram , who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007...
. The deceased commando's two brothers are also in the armed forces.