Puneet Nath Datt

Second Lieutenant Puneet Nath Datt AC
Portrait of 2nd Lt Puneet Nath Datt
Born	29 April 1973 Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Died	20 July 1997 (aged 24) Naushera, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	09 December 1995 - 20 July 1997
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Service number	IC- 53987X
Unit	1/11 Gorkha Rifles
Awards	Ashoka Chakra
Alma mater	National Defence Academy

Second Lieutenant Puneet Nath Datt, AC (29 April 1973 – 20 July 1997) was an officer of the Indian Army's 11 Gorkha Rifles.

He was posthumously awarded India's highest peace-time gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra for bravery displayed in an operation conducted against foreign terrorists hidden in a three-storey building in the Naushera area of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.^[1]

Early life[]

He was born on 29 April 1973, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. He took keen interest in sports and extra-curricular activities. He had brilliant academic career. He did his schooling from St. Bethney's School in Darjeeling, from St Joseph's Academy in Dehradun, from St. Xavier's School in Jaipur and finally completed his class XII from Tagore Public School in Jaipur. He excelled in football and rowing whilst in school. In his childhood, his ambition was to join the Indian Army. In his childhood, he used to his grandfather's or father's uniform, complete with the Gorkha Hat and pretend to be an officer. As a child, he used to mix very freely with the Gorkha jawans of his father's unit. He could speak fluent Gorkhali. He was dearly loved by the 'Dajus' or jawans, meaning elder brother, as he addressed them and to whom he was known as their favourite 'naani', meaning little one. While still at High School, Puneet Nath Datta diverted his full attention towards his goal in life, i.e. joining the Indian Army by preparing for entry in the renowned National Defence Academy. Through his hard work, grit and determination, he secured entry in the NDA in December 1991. At the NDA, he had a brilliant record and due to his proficiency in both academic & military subjects as well as outstanding officer like qualities, he was awarded the coveted rank of 'Cadet Sergeant Major' for his 'Echo' squadron. As a Cadet Sergent Major, he won for his squadron the prized Cross Country Shield. In rowing he was also awarded three gold medals. Due to his leadership and initiative qualities, he was famous among his comrades as the josh type. So full of zeal and determined was he to join his father's regiment that throughout his stay at the NDA. He used to proudly display on his study table the Gorkha crest, always polished. Whenever he met a Gorkha officer, he used to write back home that his spirits soared . Regimental to the core, he used to make it a point. For any informations of Gorkha before and after commissioning, to go out of the way to meet any serving or retired Gorkha officer.

Family[]

His father's name was Major Pramod Nath Datt who also served in the Gorkha Rifles. For this reason Datt was inspired to join the same regiment. His grandfather's name was Colonel S.N.C Bakshi who also served in the Indian Army. While his uncle V. K. C. Bakhshi was a Commander in the Indian Navy. He was posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra which was received on his behalf by his mother, Anita Datt from the President of India on 26 January 1998, India's Republic Day.^{[citation needed]}

Military career[]

Puneet Nath Datta was commissioned in 1/11 Gorkha Rifles on 9 December 1995.^[2] He achieved the supreme aim of his life of serving his motherland, when he took part in an encounter that panned out as a cordon & search operation on specific information from a source cultivated by him regarding presence of foreign militants in a building in the Naushera locality of Srinagar. The operation was started on 20 July 1997.The building was completely surrounded by 0400 hours. The militants were secure within the three storied building located in a thickly populated and congested area. At daybreak when the terrorists found that they were surrounded, instead of surrendering to the Indian Army, they resorted to indiscriminate firing. Utmost restraint had to be exercised while trying to liquidate the onslaught so as to avoid any damage to innocent civilian life and property in the vicinity of the building. One militant visualizing the hopeless situation ran out firing on the search party. Seeing the militant firing on his troops, he ordered his troops to take cover and with utter disregard to personal safety sprang up and shot the militant in an eye-to-eye encounter. Meanwhile, sensing that the militants were trying to escape, he showed exemplary presence of mind & initiative and maneuvered his position to block the rear exit of the building. Displaying indomitable courage and guts, he shot down another militant who was trying to escape. The remaining militants inside the building meanwhile continued firing on our troops and as a result of which he was seriously wounded. But he did not give in and maintained his sustained crusade against foreign mercenaries and taking courage in both hands, lobbed a grenade inside the building, killing the remaining militants and destroying a considerable amount of the enemy's arms & ammunition. Hr almost single-handedly destroying the enemy, our hero attained martyrdom and immortalized himself by carving a niche in the annals of his Regiment and the Indian Army's history. For his bravery and in recognition of the initiative and dare devil displayed in the pursuit of his mission to eliminate militancy from the face of his motherland.

Ashok Chakra awardee[]

For his raw courage, extraordinary bravery, leadership and in recognition of the initiative and dare devilry displayed in the pursuit of his mission to eliminate militancy from the face of his motherland, Second Lieutenant Puneet Nath Datt was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the India's highest peace time gallantry award on 15 August 1997.

References[]