Srinagar, November 2, KDC: Paying tribute to the courage and supreme sacrifice of a decorated Army officer, Savita Rana on Monday unveiled the bust of her husband, Lt Col Shanti Swarup Rana, Ashoka Chakra (Posthumous), at Rana Army Goodwill School in Hajin in Bandipora district of north Kashmir on the occasion of his 30th martyrdom anniversary.
According to a handout issued by the Indian Army, the ceremony was organised to commemorate Lt Col Rana’s supreme sacrifice during an anti-terrorist operation in Kupwara district on November 2, 1996.
The officer, who was then serving as the Second-in-Command of 13 Rashtriya Rifles, was leading an operation against terrorist hideouts in the Hafruda forest of Kupwara when he displayed exceptional courage and leadership, the handout said.
During the operation, Lt Col Rana led his troops in destroying four fortified terrorist hideouts containing substantial quantities of arms and explosives.
When heavy firing erupted from a fifth bunker, he fearlessly crawled forward, lobbed grenades and eliminated two foreign terrorists who emerged firing. Despite sustaining grievous injuries, he continued to lead and motivate his men before engaging another terrorist in hand-to-hand combat and eliminating him. He later succumbed to his injuries, making the supreme sacrifice, the handout stated.
In recognition of his conspicuous bravery and indomitable courage, Lt Col Rana was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.
Named in his honour, Rana Army Goodwill School stands as a tribute to the officer’s legacy and commitment to the nation. The newly unveiled bust on the school campus is expected to inspire generations of students to uphold the values of courage, discipline, integrity, patriotism and selfless service.
The handout said the ceremony was a tribute to an officer whose legacy continues to inspire the students of the institution and the people of Hajin.
Lt Col Rana is survived by his wife, Savita Rana, a son, a daughter and grandchildren. (KDC)
