Captain Shubham Gupta of 9 PARA SF, Indian Army, has been awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry. Captain Shubham Gupta made the ultimate sacrifice in combat with terrorists in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, in November 2023. His bravery reminds us that freedom is not free, and some bear the cost of war.
Captain Shubham Gupta, originally from the Taj Ganj area of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, was born on October 7, 1997. The son of Basant Kumar Gupta and Pushpa Devi Gupta, he grew up with his younger brother, Rishabh Gupta. From a young age, Captain Gupta was drawn to the Armed Forces, a passion he nurtured throughout his childhood.
He completed his education at St. Georges Inter College in Agra. At the age of 17, in 2015, he joined the Indian Army through the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) after clearing a competitive exam. He graduated from the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) in Gaya in 2018 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Corps of Signals, a key unit responsible for the army’s communication in both war and peace.
A true soldier by heart, Captain Gupta yearned for an adventurous life and voluntarily joined the Special Forces. He successfully passed the rigorous selection process and training, joining the prestigious 9 Para(SF), an elite unit established in 1966 that specializes in Mountain Warfare and Counter Insurgency/Terrorism operations. He was proud to be part of this distinguished force and was later stationed in Jammu & Kashmir.
In November 2023, Captain Gupta’s unit, 9 Para(SF), was operating in the Rajouri sector of the Kashmir valley as part of the ‘Romeo’ force under the XVI Corps of the Indian Army. The unit frequently engaged in counter-insurgency operations due to the militant activity in the area.
On November 22, 2023, based on intelligence, a joint operation was initiated with 63 RR and J&K Police. The team targeted the Kalakote area of Gulabgarh forest in the Rajouri district. Captain Gupta, leading troops from 9 Para(SF) and working alongside 63 RR soldiers, encountered heavy resistance from terrorists. During a fierce gunfight, Captain Gupta was fatally wounded.
The operation successfully neutralized the terrorists, but it also resulted in the loss of four other brave soldiers from 9 Para(SF) and 63 RR, including Captain MV Pranjal, Havildar Abdul Majid, Lance Naik Sanjay Bisht, and Paratrooper Sachin Laur.
At the young age of 26, Captain Shubham Gupta sacrificed his life for his country. He is survived by his father, Basant Kumar Gupta, his mother, Pushpa Gupta, and his younger brother, Rishabh Gupta.
