Meet Colonel Krishan Singh Rawat: The Para SF Officer Who Eliminated Four Terrorists
In the high-stakes world of India’s Special Forces, where operations often remain classified and victories are measured in silent precision rather than public spectacle, certain officers stand out for their combination of tactical brilliance, personal courage, and quiet leadership. Colonel Krishan Singh Rawat, SC, SM, of the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) better known as 1 PARA SF or the “Red Devils” is one such officer. His name is etched in the annals of modern Indian military gallantry for leading a gruelling 36-hour ambush along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir that resulted in the elimination of four terrorists.
Awarded the Sena Medal for Gallantry early in his career and later the Shaurya Chakra for conspicuous bravery under fire, Colonel Rawat has risen to command one of the Indian Army’s most elite special forces units. His story is not just one of battlefield heroics; it is a testament to the demanding ethos of the Para Special Forces, the value of relentless preparation, and the leadership that binds a unit through both combat and loss.
Early Life and Foundations
Born on 25 March 1985 in Bhikyasain (also spelled Bhikiyasain) in the hills of Uttarakhand, Krishan Singh Rawat grew up with a natural connection to the mountains that would later define much of his operational life. His schooling took place in Delhi, at Green Fields School and Navyug School (Sarojini Nagar). The Navyug School community still proudly recalls him as an “ex-Navyugien.”
His father served in a senior administrative capacity in the defence establishment, retiring as Personal Secretary to the Integrated Financial Advisor at the Integrated Defence Headquarters in New Delhi. This environment of service and discipline likely played a formative role. From these beginnings, Rawat chose the path of the soldier, eventually earning a commission into the Indian Army and joining the Parachute Regiment’s Special Forces the 1 PARA SF upon commissioning.
The Path of a Special Forces Officer
1 PARA SF is one of the oldest and most battle-hardened special forces battalions of the Indian Army. Originally raised from Punjab Regiment stock and converted into a special forces unit, it has a distinguished record in high-risk counter-infiltration, direct-action, and specialised operations along the LoC and beyond. Officers who serve in such units undergo some of the most rigorous selection and training in the world: airborne qualification, combat diving, free-fall parachuting, mountain warfare, and advanced small-team tactics.
Colonel Rawat distinguished himself early. In 2010, while still a Major, he was awarded the Sena Medal for Gallantry. He was also Mentioned in Despatches for actions during unit deployments formal recognition that his conduct under operational conditions had been reported up the chain of command to the Ministry of Defence. These early decorations signalled a career defined by consistent performance in the most demanding environments.
Over the years he progressed through the ranks, earning advanced qualifications that few officers achieve. Public photographs and defence community records show him wearing the US Army Ranger tab (indicating successful completion of the elite US Army Ranger School), the Combat Diver badge, and US Paratrooper wings, in addition to Indian Army parachute and free-fall qualifications. These badges reflect both individual excellence and the international training opportunities available to select Para SF personnel.
The Defining Action: 36 Hours on the Line of Control
The operation that earned Colonel Rawat the Shaurya Chakra took place in late December 2019 along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir. At the time a Lieutenant Colonel and team leader of a mission-oriented special forces detachment, he was deployed for counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist duties.
Intelligence indicated that terrorists were likely to attempt infiltration or strike at Indian posts. Rawat positioned his team along the probable routes of infiltration. What followed was a prolonged ambush lasting 36 hours in harsh, inclement weather and in close proximity to the Line of Control conditions that test both physical endurance and mental resolve.
When the terrorist group was finally spotted, a fierce firefight erupted. Demonstrating tactical flexibility under pressure, Rawat manoeuvred his team to a flanking position. He directed a squad commander to crawl forward under fire and deliver accurate engagement, resulting in the elimination of two terrorists. As the remaining terrorists returned heavy fire, he re-sited his team onto a more advantageous tactical position.
After further protracted surveillance conducted under continuous enemy fire and at extreme close range to the LoC, Rawat identified the location of the remaining terrorists. Unmindful of personal safety and achieving complete surprise, he closed with them at extremely short range. In this final engagement he personally killed two more terrorists and grievously injured a third.
The official citation, released with the award, captures the essence of his leadership:
“For his resolute and exemplary leadership, conspicuous gallantry during the entire operation, Lieutenant Colonel Krishan Singh Rawat, Sena Medal is awarded the Shaurya Chakra.”
The Shaurya Chakra India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award was announced on the eve of Independence Day 2020 among 84 gallantry awards approved by the President. It was formally presented by then-President Ram Nath Kovind on 23 November 2021 at a ceremonial investiture. The action remains a textbook example of special forces patience, tactical adaptation under fire, and personal courage at the decisive moment.
Command and Leadership
In subsequent years Colonel Rawat rose to command 1 PARA SF itself. As Commanding Officer he embodied the unit’s deep-rooted ethos that no soldier is ever left behind whether in combat or in death. One publicly noted instance occurred in August 2024, when Lance Naik (Commando) Praveen Sharma of 1 PARA SF was martyred during an anti-terror operation in the Kokernag area of Jammu & Kashmir. Colonel Rawat ensured that the mortal remains were personally escorted to the young soldier’s native village in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, upholding a tradition of command responsibility that reinforces the familial bond within the special forces.
He has also represented the unit in receiving formal Unit Citations, including a notable investiture under Western Command, further underscoring the collective excellence of the battalion under his leadership.
Significance and Inspiration
Colonel Krishan Singh Rawat’s career offers several enduring lessons for defence aspirants and serving officers alike. First, it demonstrates that excellence in Special Forces is built over years of consistent performance rather than a single moment of glory. The Sena Medal in 2010 and the Shaurya Chakra a decade later show a trajectory of sustained operational competence. Second, it highlights the critical importance of tactical patience and adaptive leadership qualities that turn a long, cold ambush into a decisive victory. Third, it underscores the dual nature of command: the ability to lead men into extreme danger and the responsibility to care for them, and their families, when the ultimate price is paid.
In an era when special operations increasingly shape the character of conflict along India’s borders, officers like Colonel Rawat represent the quiet professionals who operate largely outside the public eye. Their awards surface only when the nation chooses to recognise exceptional valour; the majority of their work remains classified. Yet the public record of his actions particularly the 36-hour LoC engagement that eliminated four terrorists stands as clear evidence of the standard expected of India’s Para Special Forces.
Colonel Krishan Singh Rawat, SC, SM, continues to serve as an exemplar of the maroon beret ethos: professional, resolute, and utterly committed to the mission and to his men. For those preparing for the Services Selection Board or aspiring to join the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), his journey is both inspiration and benchmark proof that rigorous training, tactical acumen, and unyielding courage can shape outcomes on the most unforgiving of battlefields.
