Major Manish Hiraji Pitambare was born in the year 1975 to Sri Hiraji Ambo Pitambare and Smt Hemangini Pitambare. He hailed from Thane in Maharashtra. He joined the NDA and later on the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and was commissioned into the Indian Army in the year of 1996. He later volunteered to get trained as a Special Forces commando and joined the elite 3 Para (SF) battalion of the Parachute Regiment. During 2006, Maj Pitambare was serving with the 3rd battalion of the Parachute Regiment deployed for counter-insurgency operations in J&K.
Service Number | IC-54327 M |
Place of Birth | Thane |
Rank | Major |
Unit | 3 Para (SF) |
Regiment | Parachute Regiment |
Award | Kirti Chakra |
Date of Martyrdom | 27th November 2006 |
On the night of 27th November 2006, Major Pitambare’s team reached the suspected area and cordoned it off. On being challenged the terrorists fired at the troops triggering a gun battle lasting for several hours. During the battle, Maj Pitambare made courageous moves and succeeded in killing the dreaded terrorist Suhail Faisal one of the top commanders of the outfit. In the continuing exchange of fire one of the soldiers got injured seriously and Maj Pitambare without caring for his safety moved forward to shift him to a safer location. During this attempt, he exposed himself to the enemy fire and got wounded seriously. He later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred.
Major Manish Pitambare was given the nation’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, “Kirti Chakra” posthumously.