Meet Major Aditya Pratap Singh: The Rajputana Rifles Officer Awarded Bar to Shaurya Chakra

In the dense forests and treacherous tracks along the Indo-Myanmar border, where visibility is limited, the terrain is unforgiving, and the threat of heavily armed insurgents is constant, one officer has repeatedly demonstrated extraordinary courage under fire. Major Aditya Pratap Singh, SC, SM, of the 9th Battalion, The Rajputana Rifles (currently serving with 44 Assam Rifles), stands out as a rare double recipient of the Shaurya Chakra who also holds the Sena Medal (Gallantry). On 14 August 2026, the President of India approved the Bar to Shaurya Chakra for his actions on 5 July 2025, recognising a second act of exceptional gallantry that followed his earlier Shaurya Chakra for an operation in October 2024.

His story is one of quiet professionalism, rapid decision-making in close-quarters combat, and unwavering commitment to duty qualities that resonate deeply with defence aspirants preparing for the SSB interview and a life in uniform.

Early Life and Roots in Unnao

Major Aditya Pratap Singh hails from village Bari Panai in Beeghapur tehsil, Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh. His father passed away in 2010, after which his mother and elder brother played key roles in his upbringing.

The officer comes from a family with a strong tradition of service and patriotism. He is the great-grandson of freedom fighter late Bharat Singh, the grandson of late Shivgulam Singh, and the maternal grandson of late Major Durga Singh. This lineage of national service and military ethos appears to have shaped his path early. Local reports from Unnao consistently describe him as a product of this heritage of quiet determination and duty.

Commissioning and Regimental Career

Major Singh was commissioned into the Indian Army as a Lieutenant in 2013 and joined The Rajputana Rifles, specifically associated with the 9th Battalion (9 RAJRIF). The regiment, one of the oldest and most decorated in the Indian Army, carries the motto “Veer Bhogya Vasundhara” The Brave Shall Inherit the Earth.

In 2019, as an officer of the 9th Battalion, he led the Rajputana Rifles contingent during the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi an honour that reflects both professional competence and the trust placed in him by the regiment. Over the years he has served in varied operational environments and is currently on deputation or attachment with 44 Assam Rifles, operating in the Northeast on counter-insurgency duties along the sensitive Indo-Myanmar border.

The Awards: A Rare Combination of Gallantry

Major Aditya Pratap Singh’s decorations form an uncommon trio for an officer of his generation: Sena Medal (Gallantry), Shaurya Chakra, and Bar to Shaurya Chakra. Each was earned in direct combat against terrorists or insurgents.

Sena Medal (Gallantry) – Republic Day 2021 The Sena Medal was awarded for gallantry during a counter-intelligence and counter-terrorist operation approximately four years earlier (around 2020–21). In that engagement, Major Singh eliminated several terrorists in close combat and sustained injuries. The medal recognised his personal bravery and leadership under fire. This early award marked him as an officer willing to close with the enemy and accept risk.

Shaurya Chakra – Act of 24 October 2024 (Presented 8 June 2026) On 24 October 2024, while serving with 44 Assam Rifles, Major Singh responded to specific intelligence about the infiltration of a heavily armed insurgent group near the Indo-Myanmar border in the Arunachal Pradesh sector. He immediately took charge and launched an operation. For nearly 72 continuous hours he maintained intensive surveillance in extremely difficult terrain and weather conditions.

Once the group was located, a fierce encounter developed at close range—approximately 30 metres. Under heavy automatic fire, Major Singh displayed complete disregard for his own safety. He single-handedly engaged and eliminated a most-wanted militant, thereby foiling a major attack. His leadership, tactical patience, and decisive action at the critical moment earned him the Shaurya Chakra.

President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to him on 8 June 2026 during the Defence Investiture Ceremony (Phase-1) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Official photographs and statements from the President’s Secretariat and the Ministry of Defence confirmed the citation and the Indo-Myanmar border context.

Bar to Shaurya Chakra – Act of 5 July 2025 (Announced 14 August 2026) Less than a year later, on 5 July 2025, Major Singh again found himself in a life-or-death situation on an isolated track along the Indo-Myanmar border. Leading a patrol through thickly forested and treacherous terrain, the team came under intense automatic and grenade fire from insurgents at approximately 0445 hours.

Major Singh reacted with speed. Sensing immediate danger to his scout, he pulled the soldier to cover even as enemy fire struck his own backpack in a near-miss. Unmindful of the risk, he then crawled forward under sustained heavy fire, sustaining splinter injuries in the process. Undeterred by his wounds and with utter disregard for personal safety, he charged towards the insurgent stronghold. Using superior field craft, he lobbed a grenade and engaged the enemy with accurate fire at close quarters. He eliminated a most-wanted top operational commander of a high-profile insurgent group and recovered a large cache of war-like stores.

This second act of exceptional gallantry earned him the Bar to the Shaurya Chakra, announced by the President on the eve of Independence Day 2026 as part of 78 gallantry awards. The Bar signifies that an officer who has already received the Shaurya Chakra has again performed an act of the same high order of courage. The formal investiture is expected in due course, commonly referenced as likely around Republic Day 2027.

Recognition and Tributes

The awards have been widely acknowledged by the regiment, higher formations, and the defence community. Official accounts of The Rajputana Rifles, Spear Corps, and the Ministry of Defence have publicly recognised his service. Defence journalists and serving personnel have described his actions as embodying the finest traditions of the Indian Army placing duty and the lives of comrades above personal safety.

For the people of Unnao and the wider defence aspirant community, Major Aditya Pratap Singh represents a living example of how an ordinary young man from a small village in Uttar Pradesh can rise through commitment, training, and repeated acts of exceptional bravery to become a decorated officer.