Saurabh Singh Shekhawat

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Brigadier

Saurabh Singh Shekhawat

KC, SC, SM, VSM
Saurabh Singh Shekhawat.jpg
Col (now Brig) SS Shekhawat during a interview.
Born (1971-10-18) 18 October 1971 (age 50)
Alwar, Rajasthan, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service1994–Present
RankBrigadier of the Indian Army.svg Brigadier
Service numberIC - 52871
Unit21 Para SF
Commands held21 Para (SF)
9 Para (SF)
Battles/wars
  • Operation Vijay
AwardsKirti Chakra ribbon.svg Kirti Chakra
Shaurya Chakra ribbon.svg Shaurya Chakra
Sena Medal ribbon.svg Sena Medal (Gallantry)
Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg Vishisht Seva Medal
Spouse(s)Renuka Shekhawat
RelationsJ.S. Shekhawat (Father)
Sreddha (Mother)

Brigadier Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, KC, SC, SM, VSM is an Indian Army officer of the 21st battalion of the Para (Special Forces) and mountaineer. He is one of Indian Army's most decorated officers, with one war-time gallantry award and two peace-time gallantry awards to his name.[1][2]

Early life[]

Saurabh Singh Shekhawat was born on 18 October 1970 in Alwar, Rajasthan. His Father's name is J.S. Shekhawat and his mother's name is Sreddha.[3]

Career[]

Military career

Shekhawat was commissioned in the Indian Army as a second lieutenant in 1994 from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai through UPSC Combined Defence Services Examination may 1992 and was promoted lieutenant on 11 June 1996 and captain on 11 June 1999.[4][5] He was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 11 June 2007 and to colonel on 6 January 2010 (seniority from 1 January).[6][7] He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier in March 2020.[8]

Mountaineering Career

He has ascended Mount Everest three times in 2001, 2003 and 2005. He has also climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps and Western Europe.[9] In October 2009 he led the joint Indo-Kazakh team to scale the Kazakhstan peak of Marble Wall peak in Kazakhstan [10] He has climbed 14 peaks in the world till date.

Controversies[]

Victimization claim[]

In 2017, Shekhawat filed a complaint to the Ministry of Defence accusing two former army chiefs, Gen. Bikram Singh and Gen. Dalbir Singh, and a senior serving officer, Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna of victimizing him. Shekhawat claimed he was denied promotion because of lackluster reviews in annual confidential reports given to him as retaliation.[11] Shekhawat claimed the trigger for the victimization was his report made officially to the Army about a dacoity in Jorhat of a private citizen's residence involving personnel of the 3 Corps Counter Intelligence and Surveillance Unit in December 2011.[12][13] At the time of the robbery, Gen. Dalbir Singh was then Corps Commander of 3 Corps and Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna was then Shekhawat's brigadier general staff (operations). Shekhawat claimed Krihsna acted on Gen. Dalbir Singh's behalf to give him poor performance reviews.[13] When Gen. Bikram Singh became Army Chief, the Discipline and Vigilance Ban imposed on Gen. Dalbir Singh by the previous Army Chief for inaction over the robbery was lifted and Gen. Dalbir Singh was further promoted.[13]

Shekhawat also alleged that Gen. Dalbir Singh tried to harm his career by preventing him from taking the Higher Command Course, a qualification for promotion. But since the weightage for the course selection took into account medals and field service, he qualified for the course to the alleged chagrin of Gen. Dalbir Singh. Shekhawat speculated that Gen. Dalbir Singh in reaction was able to get weightage of medals and field service removed from consideration for higher command courses from 2014 onwards.[13]

Dispute with The Week[]

On March 14, 2020, the current affairs magazine The Week published a story on Shekhawat titled ‘Victimised decorated Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat promoted after years of wait’ regarding the claims by Shekhawat of victimization at the hands of senior officers. Shekhawat in response wrote a letter to The Week claiming the story was inaccurate and said such stories "hurt the sentiment" of soldiers who serve and create doubts in the minds of the general public about the Army. The reporter Pradip R. Sagar provided a rebuttal by pointing out the story was not meant to "cast aspersions" on the Army but highlight accusations made against top Army brass.[14]

Awards[]

Kirti Chakra ribbon.svg Shaurya Chakra ribbon.svg Sena Medal ribbon.svg Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg
IND Samanya Seva medal.svg IND Operation Vijay star.svg IND Special Service Medal Ribbon.svg IND Siachen Glacier Medal Ribbon.svg
IND Operation Vijay medal.svg IND Operation Parakram medal.svg IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg
IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg MONUC Medal bar.gif
Kirti Chakra Shaurya Chakra Sena Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Operation Vijay Star Medal Special Service Medal Siachen Glacier Medal
Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal MONUSCO

Brig. Shekhawat has been awarded the Kirti Chakra,[9][15][16] the Shaurya Chakra,[17] Sena Medal (Gallantry),[18] Vishisht Seva Medal[19] and the Samanya Seva Medal[18] amongst other medals for anti-terrorist operations, mountaineering and distinguished service.[20][21][22] Shekhawat in a letter to Army headquarters in 2017 referred to himself as the "highest decorated serving officer in the army with an unblemished operational profile."[23]

Personal life[]

Shekhawat is married to Renuka Shekhawat, a professor of Sanskrit at Rajasthan University.[24]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "'Special Forces My Religion,' Says Decorated Army Officer In Viral Clip". NDTV.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. ^ SSBCrackExams (5 March 2021). "5 Inspiring Facts About Brigadier Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, 21 PARA SF, Kirti Chakra". SSBCrackExams. Retrieved 20 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Capt Saurabh Singh Shekhawat". Gallantry Awards.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 7 September 1996. p. 1290.
  5. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 September 1999. p. 1249.
  6. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 8 December 2007. p. 1893.
  7. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 3 March 2012. p. 223.
  8. ^ R Sagar, Pradeep (14 March 2020). "'Victimised' decorated officer Colonel Saurabh Shekhawat gets promoted after years of wait". The Week.
  9. ^ a b "Official Website of Indian Army".
  10. ^ "Peak performance".
  11. ^ "'Victimised' decorated officer Colonel Saurabh Shekhawat gets promoted after years of wait". The Week. 14 March 2020.
  12. ^ "'I have been victimised,' says army's most decorated officer". Hindustan Times. 16 July 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  13. ^ a b c d "Jorhat robbery case echo: Colonel claims victimisation". Indian Express. 17 July 2011.
  14. ^ "Army officer seeks apology over article; THE WEEK responds". The Week. 3 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Untitled Document".
  16. ^ "Lt Col Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, SC, SM, VSM". Gallantry Awards.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Untitled Page".
  18. ^ a b http://www.timesnow.tv/Tribute-to-men-who-fight-for-the-nation---Part-2/videoshow/4381299.cms
  19. ^ "Rashtriya Rifles pick up lion's share of gallantry awards". The Tribune. India. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Karkare, Sharma among 11 to get Ashok Chakra". Rediff News. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  21. ^ "President confers gallantry and distinguished service awards". Thaindian News. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  22. ^ "Gallantry awards for Servicesmen". The Times of India. 23 August 2001. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
  23. ^ "Indian Army's top officer claims of 'systematic victimisation' by ex-Army chiefs: report". India TV. 16 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Indian Women- Acing the ageing …Like never before!".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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