Santosh Mahadik

Colonel
Santosh Mahadik
SC, SM
Born (1977-01-15)15 January 1977
Pogarwadi, Satara, Maharashtra, India
Died 17 November 2015(2015-11-17) (aged 38)
Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir
Allegiance  India
Service/branch Indian Army
Rank Colonel
Unit 21 Para (SF)
Awards Shaurya Chakra
Sena Medal
Spouse(s) Swati Mahadik

Colonel Santosh Mahadik, SC, SM was the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles when he died fighting terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir. He was taking part in an operation that started on November 13, 2015 to flush out terrorists, suspected to be from Lashkar-e-Taiba, hiding in the dense forest of Haji Naka in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The militants had fled deep into the forests and the security forces continued to chase them.[1] The encounter against the four terrorists had been on for a week in the Manigah forest area of border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir,when he was shot and grievously wounded on November 17, 2015 and later died in hospital on the same day.[2]

Originally from the Special Forces (elite 21st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment), he had earlier been awarded the Sena Medal for exhibiting gallantry and leadership in counter terrorist operations.[1]

Son of a dairy farmer, Colonel Mahadik was proud of his roots and would often call himself a milkman’s son. His father still supplies milk and milk products to his alma mater, Sainik School, Satara in Maharashtra. Colonel Mahadik, 37, is survived by his wife and two children aged eleven and five years.[1]

Col Mahadik became an "accomplished paratrooper and combat underwater diver" after being commissioned into the Army in December 1998.[3]

The Army Commander of the Northern Command, Lt Gen DS Hooda expressed condolences saying "We owe a deep debt of gratitude to officers like Santosh who lead from the front and are willing to pay the ultimate price in the fight against terrorism,"[4]

Swati Mahadik, the wife of the slain martyr, is set to don the olive green uniform after clearing the gruelling Service Selection Board (SSB) examination. She will undergo further training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Army colonel dies in gun battle with terrorists in Kashmir | india". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  2. ↑ "38-Year-Old Colonel Dies in Encounter With Terrorists in Kashmir". Ndtv.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  3. ↑ Share on Twitter (2015-11-17). "Bravery came easy to Col Santosh Mahadik who was killed in Kashmir encounter - Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  4. ↑ "Army pays tribute to Colonel Santosh Mahadik who was killed while battling terrorists in Kupwara, J&K". IBNLive. 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  5. ↑ "Kupwara martyr's wife set to join Army".
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