Valour beyond fear

“The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I shall not withdraw an inch but will fight to the last man and the last round.”

As these immortal words of a 25-year-old officer crackled through the radio at Srinagar Brigade Headquarters on the night of November 3, 1947, India bore witness to a sacrifice that would forever be etched in her soil. That night, Major Somnath Sharma, with his company’s men, lay down his life defending the nation— and in doing so, he was reborn as a symbol of courage that continues to inspire generations of soldiers and citizens alike.

Born on January 31, 1923, in the serene Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Major Sharma hailed from a proud military family. Even as a young boy, his heart beat for the uniform. At just ten years of age, he joined the Prince of Wales Royal Military College, Dehradun, now known as the Rashtriya Indian Military College. He later honed his skills at the Royal Military Academy.

He was commissioned on February 22, 1942, into the 8th Battalion of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment (later the 4th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment). During World War II, Major Sharma’s mettle was tested in the fierce Arakan campaign in Burma, and he received a mention in despatches (MID).

But destiny had greater plans for this young warrior. His true test would come not in foreign lands, but on Indian soil—in the snowy valleys of Kashmir—where he would defend the Tricolour till his last breath.

On November 3, 1947, as the enemy advanced towards Srinagar, elements of the 161 Infantry Brigade were deployed to guard its approaches. The intelligence warned that a major force was heading for Badgam, a village just eight miles south-west of the city and less than two miles from the airfield. To hold this critical position, Major Sharma led two companies of 4 Kumaon, supported by one company of 1 Para Kumaon under Captain Ronald Wood.

Despite his injured arm, still encased in plaster, Major Sharma refused to remain in Delhi. “My company needs me,” he declared, “and I shall go with them.”

At dawn, his troops took up position on the high ground west of Badgam, reporting a “quiet and peaceful” situation to Brigadier LP Sen, DSO. Yet calm soon gave way to chaos. Disguised infiltrators posing as villagers suddenly opened fire; mortars and machine guns thundered from the houses. Surrounded from three sides, his ninety men faced nearly five hundred raiders.

Though hopelessly outnumbered, Major Sharma fought with fearless resolve. He personally laid out ground panels under heavy fire to guide the aircraft onto target—a task most would have considered impossible under such conditions. When he saw that the loss of men was affecting the operation of the light machine guns, he knelt beside them and began loading the magazines himself—determined that his soldiers would not falter for want of ammunition. It was in that moment, still performing his duty amidst the deafening roars of battle that an enemy mortar shell exploded beside him claiming his life instantly.

Major Somnath Sharma’s gallantry, devotion and selfless leadership turned the tide of that fateful day. His last stand at Badgam not only saved the Srinagar airfield—and with it, the Kashmir Valley—but also set an eternal example of valour beyond fear. For his unparalleled courage and indomitable spirit, Major Somnath Sharma was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra—India’s highest military honour—becoming its very first recipient.

He died as he had lived—a soldier to his last breath and a son of India whose courage echoes through time.