After Nearly a Year, Operation Sindoor Martyrs Honoured on National War Memorial
Nearly a year after Operation Sindoor, the Indian government has formally recognised six Armed Forces personnel who died during the cross-border operation in May 2025. Their names will now be inscribed on the Tyag Chakra (Circle of Sacrifice) at the National War Memorial, marking the nation's tribute to their sacrifice.
The delay in adding the names was not an attempt to conceal casualties but followed a structured administrative and legal process required before any battle casualty is officially recorded and commemorated at the memorial. War memorials serve as permanent national records of military sacrifice, and every name undergoes multiple verification levels to ensure accuracy.
According to a senior Army officer, battle casualties are never hidden. During an Operation Sindoor media briefing, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, the Director General of Military Operations, publicly confirmed the casualties. The Chief of the Air Staff personally visited the family of a fallen airman. However, the Armed Forces follow a prescribed procedure before a soldier's name can be officially declared and inscribed.
The process begins immediately after a soldier is killed in action. The commanding officer submits an initial casualty report detailing the circumstances. Simultaneously, the next of kin are informed through official channels, while medical authorities and civil administration issue death certificates required for benefits.
However, the initial report alone is insufficient for inclusion at the National War Memorial. Each case must be examined to determine if it qualifies as a Battle Casualty under Indian Armed Forces regulations—governed by rules issued by the Army, Navy, and Air Force headquarters. Officials examine whether the death occurred during combat, hostile action, war-like operations, counter-terrorist missions, or other notified circumstances. Supporting reports, eyewitness accounts, and command endorsements are scrutinised before the case proceeds.
Only after these verifications does the competent authority issue a formal Battle Casualty Report (BCR), certifying that the soldier died in action under qualifying conditions. The documentation then undergoes further scrutiny by the Ministry of Defence and the respective Service Headquarters. Only after full verification are the names cleared for inclusion in the annual Roll of Honour at the National War Memorial.
Officials state that the memorial follows strict criteria because it is a permanent national record. Any error in name, rank, unit, or operational status would become part of history and cannot be casually corrected after engraving.
The National War Memorial, inaugurated to honour Armed Forces personnel who have laid down their lives since Independence, commemorates over 26,000 soldiers. The Tyag Chakra, at its heart, comprises 16 concentric granite walls inspired by the ancient Chakravyuh battle formation. Each fallen soldier is honoured on an individual granite tablet with the name etched in golden letters alongside rank and unit.
The six personnel now formally recognised for Operation Sindoor are: Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade, Rifleman Sunil Kumar (Vir Chakra) of 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Lance Naik Dilbagh Singh of 2 Sikh Regiment, Sepoy Ramesh Yadav of 3 Rajputana Rifles, Flight Lieutenant Arjun Singh of the Indian Air Force, and Leading Seaman Vikram Sharma of the Indian Navy.
