Meet Lt Colonel Harsh Gupta & Havildar Surinder Singh – Men Behind Operation Sindoor’s Logo
In the aftermath of the heart-wrenching Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 Indian citizens, the Indian Armed Forces launched a powerful counter-offensive — Operation Sindoor — on May 7, 2025. This precision military operation targeted nine major terror infrastructures across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and quickly became a symbol of India’s unflinching resolve.
Amidst the military might and operational precision, a poignant emblem quietly emerged — the official logo of Operation Sindoor, designed not by a PR agency or civilian artist, but by two soldiers within the system — Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Gupta and Havaldar Surinder Singh.
The Indian Army Headquarters Operations Room released the first official visuals of Operation Sindoor’s command centre — and with them, revealed the unsung heroes behind the logo’s creation. Lt Col Harsh Gupta and Hav Surinder Singh were credited for conceptualising and crafting the powerful visual identity of the operation.
Their creation was not just a logo — it was a symbol of pain, sacrifice, and retribution. The stark and symbolic design captured the essence of the operation: retaliation against terrorism with a message rooted in tradition and emotion.
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The word “SINDOOR” in the logo is written in bold block letters. However, the real emotional power lies in the artistic treatment of one of the ‘O’s. It has been illustrated as a bowl of vermillion (sindoor) — a substance that, in Hindu tradition, represents the marital status of a woman.
But in this logo, the sindoor is spilled, resembling spattered blood — representing the lives of the husbands lost in the Pahalgam massacre and the grief of widowed women left behind. It serves as a stark reminder of what was taken — and the justice being delivered.
This fusion of cultural symbolism with military messaging elevated the logo from a mere graphic to a national emblem of collective mourning and strength.
Operation Sindoor was India’s bold response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, where terrorists, backed by Pakistan, targeted and killed 26 civilians, including newly married men. In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces carried out surgical strikes on nine terror camps, including:
- Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur
- Markaz Abbas, Kotli
- Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad
- Markaz Taiba, Murdike
- Makaz Raheel Shahid, Kotli, and more
The operation reportedly eliminated over 100 terrorists, including close associates and family members of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
The name ‘Operation Sindoor’, approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was chosen to convey a deeply emotional message — that the blood of Indian husbands, sons, and brothers would not go unavenged. It honoured the memory of women like Himanshi Narwal, married just six days before her husband, Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, was martyred in the Pahalgam attack.
Her image — a young widow kneeling by her husband's body, without sindoor on her forehead — became the tragic face of the massacre. The operation’s name and logo serve as a national cry for justice and remembrance of that pain.
Lt Col Harsh Gupta and Hav Surinder Singh may not have been on the ground in enemy territory, but their contribution to Operation Sindoor carries a symbolic weight that will be etched in the nation’s memory. Their logo doesn’t just represent a military campaign — it represents India’s tears, its anger, and its unbreakable spirit.
Through their design, they ensured that the world would not only see India’s might — but also understand why that might was unleashed.
3 comments
Good work officer.
Which software did they use to draw this?
Good work by the team