Major Somnath Sharma
Maj Somnath Sharma was born on the 31st of January 1923 in Kangra. His father, Amarnath Sharma who was a Medical Corps officer also reached the rank of Major General in his service. Somnath was referred to as Some as a baby.
His brother who was conjointly a military officer was referred to as Cindy within the army circles. once Cindy was four years recent, their father was sent to a European nation for a medical course. Hence, each of the brothers was sent to Lionel Hampton Court Convent, Mussoorie. They conjointly did their studies along. They studied along in Sherwood School, Nainital.
He was registered within the patrician of Wales Military school (now Rashtriya Indian Military College), Dehradun owing to his robust want to hitch the military. once passing out from there in 1941, he joined the Indian academy (IMA). The war had started by then and therefore the military training program at the IMA had to be stopped in between. In Feb 1942, once 9 months of vigorous training, Maj Somnath Sharma was commissioned in 8/19, Hyderabad Regiment (which later came to be referred to as the fourth Battalion, Kumaon Regiment).
He was just nineteen years recent then. Maj Somnath came to India as an adjutant in 4 Kumaon and picked up his duty to confirm the interior security of Punjab. He conjointly helped the police and administration to manage the unrest of 1947. These qualities enabled him to guide his company throughout the unrest created by Pakistani infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir. The military officer (CO) of four Kumaon wasn't prepared for Somi’s movement however ultimately giving in to his persistence, the CO agreed upon sending him.
He was given the responsibility of leading two Kumaon companies. This story is usually continual in army messes and books. it's a story of pride and courageousness. On 3 Nov 1947, Major Somnath Sharma’s company was ordered on a fighting patrol to Badgam within the Jammu and Kashmir valley. He reached his objective initially light on 3 Nov and took up a footing south of Badgam at 1100 hours. The enemy, calculable at concerning five hundred attacked his company position from 3 sides, and the corporate began to sustain serious casualties.
Fully realizing the gravity of the case and therefore the direct threat that will result to reaching the airport and Srinagar if the enemy attack wasn’t commanded till reinforcements may well be hurried to shut the gap resulting in Srinagar via Humhama, Major Sharma urged his company to fight the enemy doggedly. With extreme bravery, he unbroken speeding across the open ground to his sections exposing himself to the serious and correct fireplace to urge them to carry on.
Keeping his nerve, he skillfully directed the hearth of his sections into the ever-advancing enemy. He repeatedly exposed himself to the total fury of the enemy fireplace and ordered artifact strips to guide our craft onto their targets fully read of the enemy. Realizing that casualties had affected the effectiveness of his light automatics, this officer whose paw was in plaster, in person commenced filling magazines and issue them to the sunshine machine gunners.
A mortar shell landed right within the middle of the ammunition leading to an explosion that killed him. Major Sharma’s company hung on to its position and therefore the remnants withdrew only if completely utterly encircled. His exalting example resulted in the enemy being delayed for 6 hours, therefore gaining time for our reinforcements to urge into position at Humhama to stem the tide of the enemy’s advance. His leadership, gallantry, and tenacious defense were such his men were impressed to fight the enemy for seven to at least one, six hours once this gallant officer had been killed.
