Shayne2017 at 01:09, 29 April 2026

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{{Short description|Indian Army Major (1985–2016)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}
{{notability|Biographies|date=December 2024}}
{{Indian name|Akshay|Girish Kumar}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Major
| name = Akshay Girish Kumar
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Akshay Girish Kumar.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1985|12|06|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bangalore]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|11|29|1985|12|06|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Nagrota, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly constituency]], India
| allegiance = [[India]]
| branch = [[Indian Army]]
| service_years = 2007 - 2016<ref name=honourpoint />
| service_years_label =
| rank = [[File:Major of the Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Major (rank)|Major]]
| rank_label =
| service_number = IC-69755H<ref name=honourpoint />
| unit = 51, [[Bengal Engineer Group|Bengal Sappers]]
| battles_label =
| battles = [[2016 Nagrota army base attack]]
| awards = [[Commendation Card (Indian Army)|Army Commendation]]
| memorials =
| spouse = Sangeeta Ravindran
| relations = {{plainlist|
* [[Wing commander|Wg Cdr]] Girish Kumar (father)
* Meghna Girish (mother)
* Neha (twin sister)
}}
| children = {{plainlist|
* Naina Akshay Girish (daughter)
}}
| other_work =
| signature =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| website = {{URL| https://majorakshaytrust.org/}}
| module =
}}

'''Major Akshay (Girish)''' (6 December 1985 – 29 November 2016) was a third generation military officer of the Indian Army. He was [[killed in action]] during the [[2016 Nagrota army base attack]] while saving trapped hostages including women and children from [[Jaish-e-Mohammed]] terrorists.<ref name="huffpost">{{cite news |last1=Madhukalya |first1=Anwesha |title=Here's What You Should Know About The Nagrota Martyrs, Major Akshay Girish Kumar And Major Gosavi Kunal Mannadir |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/heres-what-you-should-know-about-the-nagrota-martyrs-major-aks_in_5c11f549e4b003d830eb12d8 |work=[[HuffPost]] |date=Nov 30, 2016}}</ref> He comes from a family of war veterans including his grandfather [[Lieutenant colonel]] AK Moorthy(retired), father Wing Commander Girish Kumar(retired) and his maternal uncle Wing Commander K Harisenani(retired).<ref name=honourpoint/>

==Early life and family==
Akshay and his twin sister Neha were born to Girish Kumar and Meghna Girish on Dec 6, 1985 at Bangalore. His early education spanned across various cities in India like Bidar, Wellington Gorakhpur, Bengaluru and Chennai . He joined [[Bangalore Military School]] in his 8th grade, as a boarder. He cleared [[Twelfth grade#India]] in 2003, and joined the [[National Defence Academy (India)|NDA]] few months after pursuing graduation at [[Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College|Jain College]]. After training in NDA and thereafter in the [[Indian Military Academy]], he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in 51 Engineer Regiment. He could not join the [[Indian Air Force]] like his father because his eye vision did not meeting the stringent standards needed to be a fighter pilot.<ref name="honourpoint">{{cite web |title=Major Akshay Girish Kumar |url=https://honourpoint.in/profile/major-akshay-girish-kumar-2/ |website=honourpoint.in |access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Nagrota attack: Martyr Major was set to return to his hometown Bengaluru on Thursday |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/011216/nagrota-attack-martyr-major-was-set-to-return-to-his-hometown-bengaluru-on-thursday.html |agency=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |date=Dec 1, 2016}}</ref> He married his friend Sangeeta in 2011 and his daughter Naina was born in October 2013. His hobbies included painting, playing tennis and basketball, [[bungee jumping]], [[Parachuting|skydiving]], singing, dancing, poetry and cooking.<ref name=honourpoint />

==Military career==
Akshay was commissioned in 51 Engineers of the Bengal Sappers regiment on Dec 10, 2007. He pursued his Electrical Engineering graduation degree from [[College of Military Engineering, Pune]]. He earned Alpha status in Young Officers Course and Instructors grading in the Junior Command Course while in training. He was posted at Kashmir, Nagaland, Sikkim and Manipur at various junctures of his almost decade long tenure.

==Death==
{{Main|2016 Nagrota army base attack}}
Akshay led his unit's [[Rapid reaction force]] (QRT) that was rushed to counter the terror attack on a neighboring artillery unit and saved the lives of trapped families and unarmed personnel. He was hit by bullets and a grenade while trying to secure sixteen hostages from three heavily armed terrorists. He succumbed to his injuries. All hostages were rescued unharmed and the terrorists were subsequently neutralized.<ref name=huffpost/><ref>{{cite news |title=Major Akshay Girish killed in terrorist attack in Nagrota |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/Major-Akshay-Girish-killed-in-terrorist-attack-in-Nagrota/article16729757.ece |agency=[[The Hindu]] |date=Nov 29, 2016}}</ref>

He was accorded a martyr's funeral at Bangalore which was attended by Defence Officers, Politicians and Civilians alike.<ref>{{cite news |title=Major Akshay Kumar gets a martyr's funeral in Bengaluru |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/584346/major-akshay-kumar-gets-martyrs.html |publisher=[[Deccan Herald]] |date=Dec 2, 2016}}</ref>

==Public Honors==
He was conferred COAS Commendation in 2009 for rescuing injured civilians in [[Kupwara]].<ref name=honourpoint /> A road in Bangalore named after Akshay was inaugurated on Dec 16, 2018.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Arun|last1=Dev |title=Road in Bengaluru to be Named After Nagrota Martyr Major Akshay |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/road-in-bengaluru-named-after-nagrota-martyr-major-akshay |agency=[[The Quint]] |date=Dec 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bengaluru: Road named after Major Akshay Girish |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/171218/bengaluru-road-named-after-major-akshay-girish.html |agency=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |date=Dec 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Road named after slain officer in Bengaluru |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/road-named-after-slain-officer-in-bengaluru/article25759028.ece |agency=[[The Hindu]] |date=Dec 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=BBMP names road after late Major Akshay Girish Kumar on Vijay Diwas |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/karnataka/bbmp-names-road-after-late-major-akshay-girish-kumar-on-vijay-diwas-pjtywd |agency=[[Asianet News]] |date=Dec 16, 2018}}</ref> He was conferred the Desh Ratna Award by Rotary Mysore Midtown in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sobers |first1=S.N.Venkatnag |title=Family relives Akshay Girish's heroism |url=https://starofmysore.com/family-relives-akshay-girishs-heroism/ |work=Star of Mysore |date=Feb 16, 2017}}</ref>

==Controversy==
Akshay was recommended for but not conferred the [[Shaurya Chakra]], a gallantry award posthumously as is commonly observed for similar cases.<ref name="controversy">{{cite news |title=Fighting For Son's Honour, Army Major's Mother Puts Government On Notice |url=https://www.livefistdefence.com/armed-with-text-messages-from-the-battlefield-army-majors-mother-puts-government-on-notice/ |publisher=LiveFistDefence |date=Mar 30, 2019}}</ref> A formal appeal was made to [[Ministry of Defence (India)]] which ordered an enquiry into the matter at the behest of the then [[Minister of Defence (India)|Raksha Mantri]].<ref name="controversy2">{{cite news |title=Nagrota attack: Def Ministry forms panel to probe death of Major Akshay Girish |url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/nagrota-attack-def-ministry-forms-panel-to-probe-death-of-major-akshay-girish-2831640.html |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] |date=Jan 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=2016 Nagrota terror attack: Committee formed to probe death of Major Akshay Girish, says Nirmala Sitharaman |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/2016-nagrota-terror-attack-committee-formed-to-probe-death-of-major-akshay-girish-says-nirmala-sitharaman-5831571.html |agency=[[Firstpost]] |date=Jan 3, 2019}}</ref> It was ascertained that no review policy was currently in place for gallantry awards in India.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Snehesh |first1=Alex Philip |title=Mother questions Army's Shaurya Chakra process, says 'unsung hero better than insulted one |url=https://theprint.in/defence/mother-questions-armys-shaurya-chakra-process-says-unsung-hero-better-than-insulted-one/219647/?clientId=663c631856e840159e994170 |agency=[[ThePrint]] |date=Apr 10, 2019}}</ref> Details of the reason for disregarding the original recommendation were not disclosed in public records.<ref>{{cite news |title=Army committee retains award given to late Major Akshay |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/army-committee-retains-award-given-to-late-major-akshay20190330232826/ |agency=[[Asian News International]] |date=Mar 30, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Naina Akshay Girish And Ors vs Union Of India And Ors on 3 May, 2023 |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/76386518/ |publisher=[[Indian Kanoon]] |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Kashmir conflict]]
[[Category:Biography (military) articles by importance]]
[[Category:Biography (military) articles by quality]]
[[Category:Biography articles by importance]]
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel killed in action]]

Akshay Girish Kumar - Revision history

Shayne2017 at 01:09, 29 April 2026