Wife remembers Handwara martyr Colonel Ashutosh Sharma – Indian Defence Research Wing


SOURCE: Times Now

A day after he attained martyrdom while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Handwara, the mortal remains of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma of 21 Rashtriya Rifles will be brought to his home in Jaipur on Monday evening. The mortal remains are expected to arrive in the Rajasthan capital at 4.30 pm and they will remain with the family till Tuesday morning. Col Sharma’s last rites will be performed tomorrow with full military honours at the 61 Cavalry grounds.

Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO Defence, Rajasthan, confirmed, “Col Sharma’s mortal remains will arrive in Jaipur on Monday evening and cremation will take place day on Tuesday.” Col Sharma is survived by his wife Pallavi Sharma and 12-year-old daughter Tamanna. While Col Sharma’s wife and daughter stay at Rangoli Gardens Society in Vaishali Nagar, his family and mother have been living at Jaisinghpura in Jaipur.

Remembering her husband, Pallavi said yesterday, “I had last spoken to Col Sharma on May 1. Thereafter, he went for the operation. Last time, I had met him on February 28 in Udhampur. Thereafter, we had always spoken on phone.”

“I am a proud wife as my husband sacrificed his life while protecting the nation. Will not shed tears on his martyrdom. It is an honour to be sacrificed for the country,” she added.

Pallavi Sharma said everyone should fulfil their responsibilities whichever field they are in.

“It’s not that one can serve the country only by joining the Army. One should be a good human and a responsible citizen. Everyone must do their work with responsibility in whichever field they go,” she told news agency ANI.

Col Sharma’s mother said, “I spoke to my son two days back. He had said that he will take me to Handwara. He called me from everywhere he was posted regularly.”

The Colonel’s daughter recalled that when she had spoken to her father the last time on May 1, he had told her: “I would come back home soon after completing the operation.”

Col Sharma’s brother Piyush Sharma told reporters, “My brother Ashutosh was a brave officer full of patriotism and valour. His body will reach Jaipur on Monday and his last rites will be performed here.”

“My brother has sacrificed his life for a greater cause. My son also wants to join the Indian Army. My son is very inspired by him and he used to learn from him about the Army whenever we used to meet,” Piyush added.

Piyush explained while the last rites of Col Sharma, who hailed from Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh, will be performed in Jaipur and not his native place.

“Our village is in Bulandshahar. As our mother is elderly, we cannot go to the village over 400 kilometers away from Jaipur during lockdown and hence have decided to perform his last rites here,” he said.

Colonel Sharma, the Commanding Officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles battalion, was a decorated officer who had been awarded gallantry medals twice in the past for exemplary bravery in counter-terrorist missions.

Colonel Sharma was posted in the Kashmir Valley for a long time. Along with him, other Army personnel who lost their lives in the encounter yesterday include Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar and Lance Naik Dinesh Singh. A J&K police sub-inspector had also lost his life during the operation.

The forces killed two terrorists during the operation in the remote location of Handwara in Jammu and Kashmir.



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