Who Is Major Sharyf Bhonsle: Para SF Officer Declared Deserter After 10 Years
Major Sharyf Bhonsle emerged as a figure of intrigue in the Indian military landscape, not for battlefield heroics alone, but for the enigmatic circumstances surrounding his disappearance in 2014. Born in Pune, Maharashtra, Bhonsle pursued a career marked by discipline and adventure, qualities that defined both his professional life and, ironically, the events leading to his vanishing. As an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (noted in some reports as National Defence College, though this may be a misattribution given the institution's focus on senior officers), he was commissioned into the prestigious 2 Para (Special Forces) regiment, headquartered in Bengaluru. This elite unit, part of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment, is renowned for its airborne operations, counter-terrorism roles, and high-risk missions, often in challenging terrains like those in Jammu and Kashmir or along India's borders.
Bhonsle's career trajectory included a notable deputation to the Arunachal Pradesh state government, where he served as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma. Sharma, himself a veteran of the Para regiment, had a shared regimental bond with Bhonsle, which likely influenced the posting. This role, while prestigious, placed Bhonsle outside the direct chain of military command, as he was on civilian deputation for approximately one year prior to the incident. ADCs to governors handle protocol, security, and administrative duties, blending military precision with diplomatic finesse. Reports indicate Bhonsle excelled in this capacity, with no prior disciplinary issues noted publicly.
The sequence of events began on June 23, 2014, when Bhonsle commenced his approved leave, expected to conclude on August 18. Instead of a routine vacation, he embarked on an international trip focused on adventure sports a passion evident from his participation in high-adrenaline activities. He flew to Paris on July 1, then proceeded to Spain for a six-day international para-jumping festival. From there, he traveled to Norway, where he engaged in BASE jumping, an extreme sport involving leaps from fixed structures like cliffs or bridges using parachutes. His last confirmed activities were in Lysebotn between July 18 and 27, with possible involvement in an event in Romsdal on August 21. Crucially, Bhonsle did not secure the mandatory clearance from the Military Intelligence Directorate for overseas travel, a requirement for all serving officers, especially those in sensitive roles. This lapse was later highlighted as a key procedural failure.
By mid-August, alarm bells rang when Bhonsle failed to report back to the Governor's office in Itanagar. His family, based in Pune, reported no contact, and his social media accounts last updated on August 15 went silent. The Indian Army, through its Headquarters, initiated inquiries, contacting embassies in Madrid and Oslo. The embassy in Oslo, via Head of Chancery K.N. Chari, sought local assistance, including from BASE jumping communities. Bhonsle's passport details (number G 8620998, issued in Pune on May 6, 2008) were circulated.
A Court of Inquiry (CoI) convened at the Para Regimental Centre in Bengaluru formally investigated the matter. By October 2014, with no leads, Bhonsle was declared a deserter a standard procedural designation under Army rules for personnel absent without leave (AWOL) beyond a certain period. This status allows for potential arrest and court-martial if located, but it also underscores the Army's view that his absence was unexplained and unauthorized. Army officials emphasized that this was not the first instance of personnel deserting abroad, though it was rare for an elite SF officer.
Theories surrounding his fate vary widely, reflecting the absence of concrete evidence. One prominent hypothesis is an accident during BASE jumping. Instructors and forum discussions from BASE jumping communities reported rumors of Bhonsle misrepresenting his experience to join a course at Kjerag, Norway. He allegedly confided to a roommate about going AWOL from the military before vanishing. Some accounts suggest he left Norway unharmed, possibly heading to Munich with friends. Parallels were drawn to a Russian skydiver in California who disappeared after a solo jump, only for his body to be discovered months later with an unopened parachute, attributed to a medical event or equipment failure.
Alternative speculations include voluntary desertion, perhaps due to career frustrations forum posts mention possible dissatisfaction with his Annual Performance Report (APR) or stalled advancement. Comparisons to other cases, like RAW officer Rabinder Singh who defected to the US in 2004, fuel conspiracy theories of espionage or defection, though no evidence supports this for Bhonsle. Army sources leaned toward injury during adventure activities rather than intentional abandonment.
As of 2026, the Indian Army has formally begun the process to terminate the commission of Major Sharyf Bhonsle, a Special Forces officer from Pune who has been absent without authorization since August 2014 and subsequently declared a deserter.
