India Publishes Names of Six Bravehearts Killed in Operation Sindoor
India has officially released the names of six soldiers who sacrificed their lives during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan in May last year. The names have been made public on the website of the National War Memorial in New Delhi, where each martyr's name will be engraved on a special brick. Among them, two are gallantry awardees: one received the Vir Chakra and the other the Vayu Medal.
List of Martyrs and Their Units
The six martyrs include five from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force. They are: Sub Maj Pawan Kumar from Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade; Rifleman Sunil Kumar from the 4th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment; Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar from the 5 Field Regiment; Agniveer Mood Murali Naik from the 851 Light Regiment; Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh from the 237 Field Workshop; and Sergeant Surendra Kumar from the 39 Wing of the Air Force.
Gallantry Awards Conferred
Rifleman Sunil Kumar was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra, the country's third-highest battle honour, while Sergeant Surendra Kumar received the Vayu Medal. On June 8, President Droupadi Murmu presented the Vir Chakra to Sunil Kumar's mother, Sudesh Kumari, and father, Yash Paul, during the Defence Investiture Ceremony.
Details of Casualties
Most of the casualties occurred in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources indicate that Rifleman Sunil Kumar was deployed along the Line of Control with Pakistan. The names of the Operation Sindoor martyrs have been released alongside the list of all soldiers who lost their lives in 2025 in various operations.
National War Memorial's Tyag Chakra
The National War Memorial features the Tyag Chakra (circle of sacrifice), comprising 16 concentric circular walls built from granite bricks. Each brick bears the name, rank, and regiment of a fallen martyr who made the supreme sacrifice since Independence. The six new names will be added to this memorial.
