Manish Pitambare
Major Manish Pitambare KC was an Indian Army officer who posthumously received the Kirti Chakra, India's second highest peacetime gallantry decoration.
Manish Pitambare | |
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Major Manish Pitambare | |
Born | 1975 |
Died | 27 November 2006 Bijbehara, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
Allegiance | India |
Service/ | Indian Army |
Years of service | 1996–2006 |
Rank | Major |
Unit | 3 Para |
Awards | Kirti Chakra |
Education
After obtaining his Secondary School Certificate with marks of almost 90%, Pitambare joined the Services Preparatory Institute (SPI) in Aurangabad, Maharashtra and then prepared for the National Defence Academy (NDA).[1] He went on to join the NDA in Pune, and went on to the Indian Military Academy (IMA). He commissioned into the Indian Army in 1996.[2] He was made a Major before the age of 31.[1]
Military career
Pitambare was part of the team that tracked down Al-Badr militant Toufik Akmal, wanted for his suspected links to the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings.[2]
In 2006, Pitambare was serving with the 3rd battalion of the Parachute Regiment and was on counter-insurgency operations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 27 November 2006, during a night-long gun battle in south Kashmir's Bijbehara, Pitambare shot dead Suhail Faizal, one of Hizbul Mujahideen’s top commanders in Kashmir.[2] He was later killed in the same battle.[3]
In January 2007, Pitambare was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second highest peacetime gallantry award.[4]
Personal life
Pitambare married his wife Mughda in 2003 and the couple had a daughter, Yukta, in 2005.[2]
References
- Dhuri, Shailesh (28 November 2006). "An obituary for Major Manish Pitambare". Rediff News, India. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- Rangnekar, Prashant (30 November 2006). "SMS to Thane, death on duty in J&K". The Indian Express Limited. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- Ahmad, Mukhtar (28 November 2006). "Army major, Hizb terrorist killed in Kashmir encounter". Rediff India Abroad. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
- "Western Command GOC-in-C to receive award". Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 2009-08-10.