Indian Army pays tribute to Major Somnath Sharma on 72nd "Battle of Budgam Day"

Indian Army pays tribute to Major Somnath Sharma on 72nd "Battle of Budgam Day".

Major Somnath Sharma, was the first recipient of Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India's highest military decoration.

In 1942, Sharma was commissioned into the 8th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment. He served in Burma during the Arakan Campaign of World War II, for which he was mentioned in despatches.

He later fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. Sharma was martyred on 3 November 1947 while evicting Pakistani infiltrators from Srinagar Airport and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his actions prior to his death.