Major Somnath Sharma’s statue cries for attention

Despite repeated assurances by the governments that have ruled the state, there is no headway for the renovation of the statue of martyr Major Somnath Sharma, installed near the office of the Municipal Corporation, Palampur.

Major Somnath Sharma was the first to get the highest gallantry award of the country Param Vir Chakra.

The state governments have time and again announced plans to renovate or replace the statue of Major Somnath Sharma but no funds have been released so far.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the local authorities had sent estimates to the Language and Cultural Department many times in this regard. The matter was also raised before the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, but in vain.

Major Somnath Sharma laid down his life for the country in Kashmir in 1947 while leading his unit to Badgam village for evicting Pakistani raiders from the Srinagar airport. For his exceptional bravery, he was posthumously awarded the country’s first Param

Vir Chakra.

Unfortunately, except the media there is none to raise a voice against the poor condition of the statue of the martyr. Even no school, college or any institute have come up in his memory in the past 75 years.

Major Somnath Sharma was born on January 31, 1923, at Dadh village, 15 km from Palampur. He belonged to a military family wherein his father and brothers served in the Army. He went to Sherwood College in Nainital and at the age of 10, enrolled in the Prince of Wales Royal Military College, Dehradun, before joining the Royal Military Academy on February 22, 1942.

On November 3, 1947, Major Somnath Sharma and his company were ordered to reach Badgam village to take charge of the situation there. His left hand was already injured and in a plaster cast. However, he insisted on being with his company in the combat. A group of 500 raiders approached Badgam from Gulmarg and soon surrounded the company from the three sides. Major Somnath Sharma’s company was under heavy fire and in mortar bombardment, sustained heavy casualties.