Meet Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla: 5th Generation Officer Set to Don Indian Army Olive Green
Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya, on March 7, thereby becoming the fifth generation of his family to serve the nation in uniform. This milestone extends the Shukla family’s documented military tradition, which spans 185 years and began in 1841.
The family’s motto — “Serving the nation is our duty, serving society is our mission” — will acquire renewed significance with this commissioning. According to a statement issued by the family, the event “marks not an end, but a continuation — a torch passed from one generation to the next, illuminating the path of duty and dedication that our family has walked for nearly two centuries.”
The Shukla family’s unbroken association with military service commenced with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, who enlisted in the 32 Bengal Native Infantry (Brahmin), Bengal Army, and served from 1841 to 1859. His tenure encompassed participation in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and duties during the period of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He retired in 1859.
The second generation was represented by Naik Hari Narayan Shukla, who served between 1909 and 1923. During the First World War, he was deployed to defend the Suez Canal and subsequently participated in the Mesopotamian Campaign under the 14th Indian Division. Following the disbandment of the 3rd Brahmin Battalion in 1922, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Battalion and retired the following year.
The third generation, Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla, served from 1954 to 1990. Commissioned in 1962 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, into the 35 Medium Regiment (Artillery), he participated in the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. Upon retirement, he established the Sainik Parmarth Chikitsalaya Trust in September 2020 to deliver free medical services in rural areas. He passed away on June 1, 2021.
The fourth generation, Colonel Bipin Kumar Shukla, continues to serve actively in the Indian Army.
Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla, the fifth-generation officer, holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science Engineering, which he completed with distinction. In an era when graduates in this field frequently secure lucrative corporate positions with six- and seven-figure salaries, Tunmay Shukla consciously elected to forgo such opportunities in favour of national service. The family observed: “His choice demonstrates that patriotism and service remain vibrant ideals for the younger generation.”
On March 7, during the Passing Out Parade at OTA Gaya, Gentleman Cadet Shukla will take the oath and be formally commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army. The occasion underscores not only an individual achievement but also the enduring commitment of one family to the defence and well-being of the nation across nearly two centuries.
This rare continuity of service highlights the profound values of duty, sacrifice, and patriotism that have defined the Shukla lineage, offering an inspiring example to future generations of Indians.
