View source for Dinesh Raghu Raman

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Major]]
| name          = Dinesh Raghu Raman
| honorific_suffix = [[Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|AC]]
| native_name   = 
| native_name_lang = 
| image         = Maj Dinesh Raghu Raman.jpg
| image_size    = 250 px
| alt           = 
| caption       = Portrait of Maj Dinesh Raghu Raman
| birth_date    = {{birth date|df=yes|1978|04|06}}
| birth_place   = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| nickname      = 
| birth_name    = 
| allegiance    = {{IND}}
| branch        = {{Army|India}}
| serviceyears  = 1999-2007
| rank          = [[File:Major of the Indian Army.svg|25px]] [[Major]]
| servicenumber = IC-59263W
| unit          = [[Jat Regiment|19 Jat]]<br>[[Rashtriya Rifles|34 RR]]
| commands      = 
| awards        = [[File:Ashoka Chakra ribbon.svg|30px]] [[Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|Ashoka Chakra]]
}}

[[Major]] '''Dinesh Raghu Raman''', [[Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|AC]] was an Indian military officer with the 19th Battalion of the [[Jat Regiment]] who was posthumously awarded India's highest peacetime military decoration Ashoka Chakra.<ref name=DW>{{cite news|title=Ashok Chakra for Brave Heart Major Dinesh Raghu Raman|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=42839|accessdate=3 October 2014|agency=PTI|publisher=Daijiworld.com}}</ref>

== Early life ==
[[Major]] Dinesh Raghu Raman was born on 6 April 1978. His father was [[Captain|Honorary Captain]] SK Murthy and his mother was Mala. He completed his schooling from [[Kendriya Vidyalaya]], INA Colony, [[New Delhi]]. He joined the prestigious [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] in 1996.

==Military career==
He was commissioned to the 19 battalion of [[Jat Regiment]] as a lieutenant on 11 December 1999. Among his batchmates was fellow Ashoka Chakra recipient [[Mohit Sharma (soldier)|Mohit Sharma]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1652  |date=2 December 2000|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2000/213194.pdf|publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He was promoted captain on 11 December 2003 and to major on 11 December 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1057  |date=31 July 2004|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2004/W_31_2011_102.pdf|publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=605  |date=29 April 2006|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2006/W_17_2011_093.pdf|publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> In his short military career, he served in various appointments and was highly appreciated by his seniors for his leadership and dedication qualities. He was also awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation medal for his contribution in Operation Parakram in Drass sector.

On 2 October 2007, he led an operation against terrorists in the [[Baramulla]] sector of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. He heard the shouts of a fellow officer during the fire exchange and crawled towards him and two others amid the intense fire. Thereafter he killed two terrorists but sustained gunshot wounds in the process. He continued to lead his team forward until he fell unconscious. He was later airlifted to the Srinagar base hospital. For his bravery, he was posthumously awarded the [[Ashoka Chakra Award|Ashoka Chakra]], the highest peacetime military decoration in India.<ref name=DW />

== Baramulla Operation ==
Maj Raman was delegated to serve with the 34 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in the Jammu and kashmir area in 2006 following service with his unit for a few years. Maj Raman led the highly successful “Op Narawar” operation in June 2007, which resulted in the elimination of three hardened terrorists in his area of command.

Maj Raman was tasked on October 2, 2007, with initiating an operation in a Baramulla area to ferret out militants hidden there. Maj Raman's crew was dispatched to the suspected region around 0820 hours on that day. Major Raman witnessed screams of a fellow officer who had been gravely hurt during the continuous altercation at 0855 hours, while closing in on suspected residences.

Maj Raman assessed the situation swiftly and rushed in the direction of his colleague's rescue. He moved towards the injured officer amid intense enemy fire, showing the highest level of camaraderie and esprit-de-corps. He then rescued him and two other wounded soldiers and transported them to a safer location. He then proceeded on to the two militants who had inflicted so many losses among the troops, and shot both of them dead in a vicious close combat battle. Other terrorists, meanwhile, were hiding in a nearby home and fired at Major Raman. This opened up a new front in the gunfight, and Maj Raman was critically injured in the ongoing exchange of fire.

For his remarkable courage, camaraderie, fighting spirit, and tremendous sacrifice, Major Dinesh Raghu Raman was awarded the nation's highest peacetime gallantry honour, the "Ashok Chakra."

==Ashoka Chakra==
[[File: Honorary Capt. S Krishnamurthy receiving Ashoka Chakra awarded to his son Major Dinesh Raghu Raman (Posthumous) from the President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, during the 59th Republic Day Parade-2008, in New Delhi.jpg|right|thumb|Dinesh Raghu Raman's father receives the Ashok Chakra from President Pratibha Patil on 26 January 2008.]]The [[President of India]] noted in the Ashoka Chakra citation that Major Raman displayed most conspicuous bravery besides camaraderie and leadership of the highest order and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.<ref name=PIB>{{cite web|title=Ashoka Chakra Awardee Major Dinesh Raghu Raman and his act of Gallantry|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=34895|website=PIB, Government of India|accessdate=3 October 2014}}</ref>

The following is the Ashoka Chakra citation honouring Major Dinesh Raghu Raman's supreme sacrifice:
{{blockquote|author=Gazette of India Notification|quote={{center|'''CITATION'''<br>
'''DINESH RAGHU RAMAN'''<br>
'''19th BATTALION (THE JAT REGIMENT)'''<br>}}
On 02 October 2007, at 0820 hrs Major Dinesh Raghu Raman deployed his company in a village in Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir where an encounter with terrorists had commenced. At 0855 hrs, while closing in on suspected houses, Major Raman heard shouts of a fellow officer who had been seriously injured. Displaying camaraderie and esprit-de-corps of the highest order he crawled towards him under heavy hostile fire. He extricated him and two other injured soldiers to safety. He then took on two terrorist who had caused heavy casualties to the troops and in a fierce close quarter battle shot both of them dead. The other terrorists now fired on Major Raman from another house. In the ensuing firefight, Major Raman was seriously injured. Undeterred, he continued leading and motivating his troops and pinned down the terrorists till he fell unconscious. He later succumbed to his injuries.|source=<ref name=Gov>{{citation|url=https://www.honourpoint.in/profile/major-dinesh-raghu-raman-ac/#:~:text=The%20citation%20for%20Ashoka%20Chakra%20awarded%20to%20him%20reads%20%3A-&text=At%200855%20hrs%2C%20while%20closing,him%20under%20heavy%20hostile%20fire.|title=Major Dinesh Raghu Raman AC &#124; Honourpoint|date=2 October 2007 |access-date=2021-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731113914/https://www.honourpoint.in/profile/major-dinesh-raghu-raman-ac/|archive-date=2021-07-27|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ashoka Chakra award recipients}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raman, Dinesh Raghu}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)]]
[[Category:Date of death missing]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Ashoka Chakra]]
[[Category:1978 births]]


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