Somnath Sharma Biography - Birth date, Achievements, Career, Family, Awards

Major Somnath Sharma was born on 31 January 1923 in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. His full name was Major Somnath Sharma. His father's name was Amar Nath Sharma. His father Major Amarnath Sharma was also a doctor in the Army and retired from the post of Director General of the Army Medical Service. He also had two brothers and a sister. His brother Surinder Nath Sharma had been Lieutenant General in the Army and while the other brother Vishwanath Sharma had also been the Chief of Army Staff. His sister Major Kamala Tiwari was also a medical doctor in the army.

Somnath Sharma died on November 3, 1947 (24 years) at the age of just forty-four years while fighting Pakistani infiltrators in Budgam, India.

Somnath Sharma completed his schooling at Sherwood College, Nainital before enrolling in the Prince of Wales Royal Military College, Dehradun. He later studied at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In his childhood, Somnath was influenced by the teachings of Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, taught to him by his grandfather.

Major Somnath started his military life from 22 February 1942, when he appointed Somnath Sharma as commissioned officer in the Eighth Battalion of the Nineteenth Hyderabad Regiment of the British Indian Army, this regiment was later known as the fourth Kumaon Regiment in the year 1942. At the same time, he was sent to the Burmese front by making Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General. He fought against Japanese forces in the Arakan campaign during World War II in Burma. During the Second World War, he took action against the Japanese people in the Arakan Campaign in Burma. At that time he worked under the command of Colonel KS Thimmaiah, who later rose to the rank of General and remained in the Army from 1957 to 1961. Mr. Somnath Sharma was also sent during the Battle of Arakan Campaign. His contribution to the Arakan campaign earned him a place in Menshund in Dispatches. On 15 August 1947, after the independence of India, the sad division of the country also took place. Major Somnath Sharma's company was given the responsibility of security of Budgam Airport near Srinagar. On 31 October, the D Company of the 4th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment reached Srinagar under the command of Shri Somnath Sharma. During this time he had plaster on his left arm which was inflicted on the hockey field due to injury, but he insisted on taking part in the war with his company and was later allowed to leave.

On 21 June 1947, Shri Somnath Sharma was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his actions on 3 November 1947, in defense of Srinagar Airport. It was the first time a person was honored after its inception. Incidentally, Savitri Bai Khanolkar, the wife of Mr. Sharma's brother, was the designer of Paramveer Chakra. In 1980, the Shipping Corporation of India (Bhanuni), an undertaking of the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, named its fifteen oil carrier vessels after the Paramveer Chakra in honor of the Mahaviras. Oil carrier ship MT Major Somnath Sharma, PVC was handed over to Bhanouni on 11 June 1984. The ship was lifted from the naval fleet after 25 years of service. The first episode of the TV series on the life of Param Vir Chakra winners, Param Vir Chakra (1988) covered the works of Shri Somnath Sharma of 3 November 1947. In that episode, his character was played by Farooq Sheikh.