Manish Pitambare

Manish Pitambare
Born	1975
Died	27 November 2006 Bejibehara, Kashmir
Buried at	Thane, Kashmir
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	1996–2006
Rank	Major
Unit	3 Para Regiment
Awards	Kirti Chakra

Manish Pitambare was a paratrooper from the Special Forces of the Indian Army who posthumously received the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peace-time gallantry decoration.

Biography

After obtaining his Secondary School Certificate with almost 90% marks, Pitambare joined the Armed Forces after his SSC.^[1] He went on to join the National Defence Academy in Pune, and IMA After completing the training he joined the Army in 1996.^[2] He was made a Major before the age of 31.^[1]

He married his wife (Mughda) in 2003^[2] and the couple had a daughter Yukta in 2005.^[2]

He was part of the team that tracked down Al-Badr militant Toufik Akmal, wanted for his suspected links to the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings.^[2]

He was killed following a night-long gun battle in south Kashmir's Bejibehara town on 27 November 2006, when he was a member of the 3 Para Regiment.^[3] During the battle, Pitambare shot dead Suhail Faizal, one of Hizbul Mujahideen’s top commanders in Kashmir.^[2]

In January 2007, Pitambare was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest Peace-Time Gallantry Award.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Dhuri, Shailesh (28 November 2006). "An obituary for Major Manish Pitambare". Rediff News, India. http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/nov/28obit.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Rangnekar, Prashant (30 November 2006). "SMS to Thane, death on duty in J&K". The Indian Express Limited. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sms-to-thane-death-on-duty-in-j&k/17616/2. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
3. ^ Ahmad, Mukhtar (28 November 2006). "Army major, Hizb terrorist killed in Kashmir encounter". Rediff India Abroad. http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/nov/28hizb.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 
4. ^ "Western Command GOC-in-C to receive award". Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. 26 January 2007. http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=219436. Retrieved 2009-08-10. 

Persondata
Name	Pitambare, Manish
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1975
Place of birth
Date of death	27 November 2006
Place of death	Bejibehara, Kashmir