Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was a fearless and selfless Indian Army officer. He was known for his spirit of courage and the sacrifice he made for the country. Sandeep rose to prominence during the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks where he rescued hostages at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Unfortunately, during this attack, he sacrificed his life in the line of duty at just 31 years old. Hence, this blog is dedicated to him and will unveil his personal and professional life. Here you will find Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Wife Name, Parents’ Name, Brother’s Name, Unit Name, Education, Career, Early Life, and much more in detail. So be with us!
Who was Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan?
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was an Indian Army officer. He secured a position in the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guard Battalion. He was martyred during the 2008 Mumbai Attacks. For his bravery, he was awarded the prestigious Ashoka Chakra after his death on 26 January 2009. This award is India’s Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award.
| Name | Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan |
| Profession | Army Major |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | 51 Special Action Group for NSG |
| Service Number | IC-58660 |
| Years of Active | 1999-2008 |
| Celebrity Type | Indian Army Officer |
| Age at time of death | 31 years |
| Date Of Birth | 15th March 1977 |
| Death Date | 28th November 2008 |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Place of Birth | Kozhikode |
| Place of Death | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Place of Cremation | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan (At the Time of Death)
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was born on 15 March 1977 in Kozhikode, Kerala, India. He was 31 years old at the time of death. His Zodiac sign was Pisces.
Early Life and Education
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was born in a Malayali family in Kozhikode, Kerala. After that, his family moved to Bangalore, Karnataka. He was the only child of retired ISRO officer K. Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan. He developed an interest towards serving in the Indian Army at a very young age. He was very clear since his childhood to serve Indian Army.
Unnikrishnan completed his schooling at The Frank Anthony Public School, which is located in Bangalore. After completing schooling, he graduated in the ISC science stream in 1995 and wanted to join the armed forces.
His Career as an Army Officer
He Earned a Bachelor’s dDgree.
Sandeep was admitted to the National Defence Academy in 1995, which is located in Pune, Maharashtra. He was appointed in the Oscar Squadron No. 4 battalion and a graduate of the NDA 94th course, earning a bachelor of Arts degree.
His Training Tenure
Afterwards, he completed his training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun as a part of the 104 regular courses.
He Was Recruited as a Lieutenant
On June 12, 1999, he was recruited as a lieutenant in the seventh battalion of the Bihar regiment infantry. His performance in Operation Vijay in July 1999 was highly commendable. He led six soldiers on 31 December 1999 to establish a post just 200m away from the enemy lines for constant observation and Fire.
Promoted to Captain post
It helped him to gain a promotion, promoted to a Captain post on 12 June 2003. Later on 13, June 2005, he excelled during the tough Ghatak course at the infantry wing commando school in Belgaum. He received an instructor grade and commendation for topping the course twice.
Specialized Training and Served in Challenging Areas
Furthermore, he also underwent specialized training at the high altitude warfare school in Gulmarg. Throughout his services, he was posted in challenging areas such as Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Siachen, Hyderabad and Rajasthan.
Became an NSG commando
He completed his elite commando training in 2007 and joined the national security guard. He became the training officer of the 51 Special Action Group and actively participated in several NSG missions.
Operation Black Tornado
During the attack by terrorists on the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, he went on a mission along with his team to kill terrorists. He faced open firing from the terrorists which gave him fatal injury and martyred during the mission.
Operation Black Tornado: What was the Reason for His Death?
- Several locations in South Mumbai were targeted by terrorists on the night of November 26 November 2008. One of the major sites was the prestigious Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, where hostages were held. He was the commander of 51SAG and led a group of 10 commanders to rescue the hostages. His team reached the sixth floor using the staircase successfully where they evacuated hostages from both the sixth and the fifth floor.
- During the operation, they got to know about a locker room on the fourth floor, suspected of sheltering terrorists. When the team broke the door, the terrorist opened fire on them, which led to injury to commando Sunil Kumar Yadav in both legs. Major Sandeep rescued Yadav and evacuated him, despite the terrorist escaping after exploding a granite in the room. This rescue operation took almost 15 hours.
- In the middle of the night on November 27, Major Sandeep and his team climbed the central staircase, which was the only way to reach more hostages and engage the terrorists. To anticipate their approach, the terrorist fired at the team from the first floor, which severely injured commando, Sunil Kumar Jodha and was hit by seven bullets.
- Major Sandeep evacuated him and continued the operation. He engaged with the terrorists single-handedly to prevent them from escaping to higher floors. He managed to injure four terrorists in the ballroom at the northern end of the hotel. After successfully containing them, he got seriously injured, but he continued to fight bravely and said the last words to his team “Don’t come up, I will handle them.”
- Later, NSG commandos neutralised all four terrorists trapped in the ballroom and Wasabi restaurant of the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Wife and Family
He was married to Neha Unnikrishnan before his death. The date of marriage is not available at the current time on the web. They both met at Frank Anthony Public School. Their relationship started from a mutual respect and affection into a profound bond. Neha is an architect by profession and was born in Kerala.
After the death of her husband, she chose to step away from the public eye; she was holding the memory of her husband in a private space.
Parents Name
His father’s name is K Krishnan, who is a retired officer and his mother’s name is Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan.
He received a prestigious Award- Ashoka Chakra.
Major Sandeep was awarded with Ashok Chakra after his death. It is the highest peacetime award which is a recognition of extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice, during the 26/11 Mumbai attack. The honour was announced on 26 January 2009, Republic Day. This award was given to his parents by the former president of India, Pratibha Patil in a ceremony.
Major- A Biopic on him
A biopic of him named Major was released in 2022 to honour the life and sacrifice of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. This biopic was directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka and produced by Sony Pictures India, Mahesh Babu and A+ S movies. It stars Adivi Sesh as Major Sandeep who also co-wrote the screenplay.
His Cremation
The major Sandeep funeral was honoured with the traditional military style on November 29, 2008, at the Hebbal Crematorium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The funeral was attended by thousands of people including family, friends and fellow citizens to pay their respects. His parents did the ritual with enormous courage and dignity. The atmosphere was filled with grief. His funeral included a 21 Gun salute and the NSG commandos gave him respect. Many attendees carried the Indian flag and chanted the slogan “Sandeep Unnikrishnan Amar Rahe.”
Final Words
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan is the perfect example of courage and dedication. From his early aspiration of serving the nation to his ultimate sacrifice in the 26/11 Mumbai attack, inspiring with his heroism and patriotism. His leadership and action during the operation at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel saved several lives. For his bravery, he was awarded with Ashoka Chakkar. His life and legacy will continue to inspire countless individuals to serve with honour and integrity.
Trivia (Some Lesser Known Facts)
- Major Sandeep was martyred when he was 31 years old.
- His last words are “Don’t come up, I will handle them,” showing his bravery and courage.
- His wife’s name is Neha Unnikrishnan, they met for the first time at The Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore. Initially, they had mutual respect for each other which turned into likings after some time.
- His last phone call took place with his father on 26 November 2008.
- Sandeep wanted to become an Indian Army officer. So he joined the National Defence Academy in 1995, where he graduated as a lieutenant. After graduating, he was appointed to the seventh battalion of the Bihar regiment on 12 June 1999.
- He was also a part of the Kargil War of 1999, where he stood as a forward post with his team against the heavy artillery firing and small firing from Pakistan troops.
- He was promoted to the rank of captain on 12 June 2003 and promoted to Major post on 12 June 2005.
- He joined the National Security Guard after completing his training and became the part of special action group of the NSG. During his training tenure, he topped the Ghatak course which is also one of the most training courses in the Indian Army.
- He went to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, along with his team to neutralise the attack by terrorists. He was leading a team of NSG commandos rescued several hostages from the hotel and cleared the area for further protocols.
- He was martyred during the 26/11 Mumbai attack, and the news of his death was shared after a day when the search operation for the hostel was going on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: Sandeep was one of the best officers in the Indian Army who served his services in the seventh battalion of the Bihar regiment. Later, he also joined the national security guard. He is remembered for his utmost sacrifice during the 26/11 Mumbai attack attacks.
Ans: He led the 51 Special Election Group of the National Security Guard during Operation Black Tornado at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. He rescued several hostages and engaged terrorists in an intense fight, ultimately sacrificing his life in the line of duty.
Ans: His last words were Don’t come up, I will handle them.”
Ans: He was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra for his sacrifice during the 26/11 attacks.
Ans: Yes, the biopic titled was released in 2022 starring Adivi Sesh.
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