On this date, 28 November 2008, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan succumbed to
his injuries during the 2008 Mumbai Attacks. Let us honor this
fallen soldier and thank God that some justice was served, as the one of the
terrorists who caused his death had been executed on 21 November 2012.
We, the comrades of Unit 1012 and our ally, All India Anti-Terrorist Front will honor
him and remember him as a hero against terrorism. We will present this
quote from the late Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to him and his loved ones:
They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side by side...To them, we have a solemn obligation — the obligation to ensure that their sacrifice will help make this a better and safer world in which to live.[Of those who died in the war in the Pacific, after ceremonies in Tokyo Bay accepting the official surrender of Japan (2 September 1945).]
We got the information about him from Wikipedia:
Native name
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സന്ദീപ് ഉണ്ണിക്കൃഷ്ണന്
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Born
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15
March 1977
Calicut, India |
Died
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28
November 2008 (aged 31)
Mumbai, India |
Cremation
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Allegiance
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Service/branch
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Years of service
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1999–2008
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Rank
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Unit
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Battles/wars
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Awards
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Sandeep Unnikrishnan (15 March 1977 – 28
November 2008) was an officer in the Indian Army
serving in the elite Special Action Group of the National Security Guards. He was killed
in action during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was
consequently awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peace time gallantry
award, on 26 January 2009.
Early and
personal life
Sandeep Unnikrishnan came from a Nair
family residing in Bangalore, where they had moved to from Cheruvannur, Kozhikode
District, Kerala. He was the only son of retired ISRO officer K. Unnikrishnan
and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan.
Unnikrishnan spent 14 years at the
Frank Anthony Public School in Bangalore before graduating in 1995 in the ISC
Science stream. He wanted to join the Army, even attending school in a crew
cut. His peers and teachers recalled him as being a good athlete who was active
in school activities and sports events. He was also a member of the school
choir and enjoyed watching movies.
Army
career
Unnikrishnan joined the National
Defence Academy (India) (NDA), Pune, Maharashtra in 1995. He was a part of the
Oscar Squadron (No. 4 Battalion) and a graduate of the 94th Course of NDA. He
graduated as a Bachelor of Arts. His NDA friends remember him as "selfless",
"generous" and "calm and composed".
He was commissioned as a lieutenant to
the 7th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment (Infantry) on 12 July 1999. After
serving the Indian Army in different locations in Jammu and Kashmir and
Rajasthan during counter insurgencies for two terms, he was selected to join
the National Security Guards. On completion of training, he was assigned to the
Special Action Group (SAG) of NSG on January 2007 and participated in various
operations of the NSG. During the 'Ghatak course' (at the Commando Wing
(Infantry School), Belgaum), the most difficult course of the Army,
Unnikrishnan topped the course, earning an "Instructor Grading" and
commendation. He opted for the NSG commando service which he joined on
deputation in 2006.
During Operation Vijay in July 1999,
he was regarded positively at the forward posts in the face of heavy artillery
firing and small arms fire by Pakistan troops. On the evening of 31 December
1999, Unnikrishnan led a team of six soldiers and managed to establish a post
200 metres from the opposing side and under direct observation and fire.
The Heroes of 26/11
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On the night of 26 November 2008,
several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked during 26/11. One of the
buildings where hostage were held was the 100-year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.
Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the
hotel to rescue the hostages. He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos
and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the
stairs, they suspected perpetrators on the third floor. A few women were held
as hostages in a room which was locked from the inside. After breaking open the
door, the round of fire by the perpetrators hit Commando Sunil Yadav, who was
Unnikrishnan's colleague.
Unnikrishan engaged the perpetrators
in a firefight. He arranged for Yadav's evacuation and gave chase to those he
had engaged in the firefight who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the
hotel. In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back before later
succumbing to his injuries.
His last words were, "Do not come up, I will handle them,"
according to NSG officials.
Ashoka Chakra
citation
The official citation for the Ashoka
Chakra Award reads:
IC-58660 MAJOR SANDEEP UNNIKRISHNAN BIHAR REGIMENT/51 SPECIAL ACTION GROUP (POSTHUMOUS)Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan led the commando operation launched on 27th November 2008 to flush out terrorists from Hotel Taj Mahal, Mumbai in which he rescued 14 hostages.
During the operation, his team came under intense hostile fire, in which one of his team members got grievously injured. Major Sandeep pinned down the terrorists with accurate fire and rescued the injured commando to safety. In the process, he was shot in his right arm. Despite his injuries, he continued to fight the terrorists till his last breath.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan displayed most conspicuous bravery besides camaraderie and leadership of the highest order and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
Funeral
At Unnikrishnan's funeral, mourners
chanted "Sandeep Unnikrishnan Amar Rahee" (Long live Sandeep
Unnikrishnan). Thousands of people lined up outside his Bangalore house to pay
their respects. His funeral was held with full military honours.
Nobody represented the Kerala
government (from where his ethnic roots were from) at Unnikrishnan's funeral.
Local and national media criticised the decision of the politicians. However, Chief
Minister of Kerala V. S. Achuthanandan and Home
Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan called on the
Unnikrishnan's family on 30 November 2008. Sandeep's father K. Unnikrishnan
criticised the visit and asked them to leave. He even threatened to commit suicide
if any politician from Kerala entered his home. When V.S. Achuthanandan visited
his home, Unnikrishnan told Achuthanandan and his delegation that "no dog
would enter my house". Later, Achuthanandan controversially said that had
it not been for Unnikrishnan not even a dog would have visited his parents'
house. Following criticism, Achuthanandan stated that he would not apologise to
the family, but that he respects them.
On 2 December 2008, Communist Party of India (Marxist)
General Secretary Prakash Karat expressed his apology for
Achuthanandan's 'dog remark'. On 3 December 2008, Achuthanandan expressed his
regrets over the incident.
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