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Subedar Shrirang Sawant

Subedar Shrirang Sawant

Early life

He was born is a farmer’s family in village Visapur in Satara District of western Maharashtra. He completed his primary education in village school and secondary education in nearby place Pusegaon.

Military career

After having completed his matriculation in 1961, he joined Bombay Sappers. He completed basic training and combat training in training battalion 2 of Dighi Camp near Pune. In 1962, he was posted to frontier post during Sino-Indian war and served there until war was over.

Sudedar Shrirang sawant volunteered to be part of air borne para regiment. He was trained in the earstwhile 411 (Independent) para field company regiment at Agra and completed his course with flying colours. He was posted back to Dighi camp as an instructor to new recruits in training battalion 2. After few years, he was posted on to engineering combat operations in frontier locations across north Indian states.

He was decorated with Raksha Medal in 1965, Samar Seva star Medal 1965, Sainya Seva medal with Clasp Katch Kargil and other long service medals.

In 1980 he was promoted to the rank of naib subedar and again posted back to dighi camp as a senior instructor in training battalion 2. He was specialised in bridging operations over land and river and other territories. He had hands on experience of operating motorised boats in river. He was once assigned to build a temporary bridge on Indrayani river in Alandi in October 1981 for the pilgrims visiting  the saint Dnyaneshwar shrine.

He motivated many youths of his native district to join army and personally helped poor youngsters in providing free accommodation and food in his own family quarters.

Flood Relief Operation

In July 1986, Kota district of Rajasthan was flooded and inundated due to heavy rains all over state of Rajasthan. His regiment received the orders to rescue villagers to safer places. On 29th July, Subedar Shrirang Sawant was the commander of a flood relief column at a place called Katun about 40 kilometers from Kota. His regiment team was carrying out rescue and relief operations to save lives of villagers in the flood affected areas. There was a sudden rise in the water level of the river, he sensed an urgency and without caring for his life continued his duty of saving people. While performing his duty he lost his life in the service of nation. For this act of conspicuous bravery and supreme sacrifice he was awarded “Shaurya Chakra” postumously by the President of India in 1988. In 1990, the Government of Maharashtra also honoured him with “Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar.”

Shaurya Chakra[edit]
On 28 April 1988, Subedar Shrirang Sawant's award of the Shaurya Chakra for his actions on 29 July 1986 during the flood relief operation at Katun in Kota district was gazetted. The official citation reads:

'''On the 29th July, 1986 on the orders of his task force commander, Subedar Shrirang Sawant was carrying out the flood relief rescue operations at Katun about 40 Kilometers from Kota town. The villagers were extremely panicky and had to be rescued to safer places. However, the current in the river Aru was fast and tricky and there were submerged rocks. Subedar Sawant was advised to suspend rescue operations till the water level receded. But true to the military traditions he continued the operations.'''

'''He operated the boat himself through the treacherous water channels. While making the third trip the boat hit a submerged rock and capsized. All the occupants fell in the water. Unperturbed by the accident, he shouted to everyone to have courage and swim to safety. While doing so he became unaware that he was being drawn into the mainstream of water. His head hit a rock and he became unconscious and was drowned.'''

Subedar Shrirang Sawant thus displayed conspicuous courage and laid down his life in supreme sacrifice to save the lives of others.