Operation Sindoor Martyr: Over a year after Operation Sindoor the government has officially shared the names of six Indian defence personnel who died during the operation. Their names have also been added to the Roll of Honour at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. This is the first formal public confirmation of the losses suffered during the military action.
How Operation Sindoor Began?
Operation Sindoor started on May 7, 2025 after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 civilians. Indian forces hit terror-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with precision strikes. The operation then turned into a four-day military clash between India and Pakistan. During that period, Pakistan used drone and missile attacks, while India said its forces stopped many of those attacks. It also struck key Pakistani Air Force facilities such as Nur Khan Air Base and Rahimyar Khan Air Base.
The six Brave Personnel
- Subedar Major Pawan Kumar – Indian Army
- Rifleman Sunil Kumar (Vir Chakra) – Indian Army
- Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar – Indian Army
- Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik – Indian Army
- Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh – Indian Army
- Sergeant Surendra Kumar (Vayu Medal) – Indian Air Force
The government has now engraved the six names on Wall 3D of the National War Memorial under the 2025 section for soldiers who died while serving the nation. The memorial’s Tyag Chakra records the names, ranks and units of fallen soldiers, giving Operation Sindoor a permanent place in India’s remembrance.
Among the six, Rifleman Sunil Kumar received the Vir Chakra posthumously and Sergeant Surendra Kumar was awarded the Vayu Medal posthumously for bravery.
A Lasting Salute
Until now, the government had not openly released the identities of the soldiers who died in Operation Sindoor, even though reports of casualties had been circulating since the conflict. The new public listing changes that.
It gives formal recognition to the sacrifice of the six personnel and places them among the nation’s officially honoured war dead. The National War Memorial, opened in 2019 near India Gate, stands as a lasting reminder of the service and sacrifice of India’s armed forces.
