Major Rajiv Kumar Joon, AC, SC
AC, SC · 22 Grenadiers · 26 Sep 1970
A life of courage, leadership and supreme sacrifice. In barely three years of commissioned service, Major Rajiv Kumar Joon earned both the Shaurya Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra — the latter posthumously. He served with 22 Grenadiers and laid down his life during a counter-insurgency operation in Anantnag on 16 September 1994, at about 24 years of age. Early life. Rajiv was born in Gaddi Kheri village, Rohtak district, Haryana, to Shri Dharam Singh Joon and Smt Shanti Devi — the eldest of six children. He lost his father at around eleven and shouldered family responsibility young. His maternal uncle, Brigadier Kaptan Singh Kataria, was a key inspiration behind his aspiration to join the Army. Sainik School Kunjpura. His military orientation took root at Sainik School Kunjpura, Karnal. He was School No. K/2231 and passed out in July 1987. The school lists him among its distinguished gallantry-award-winning alumni, recording his unique distinction of receiving both the Shaurya Chakra and the Ashoka Chakra while fighting terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir. NDA and commissioning. He joined the National Defence Academy with the 78th Course, Kilo Squadron, trained at the IMA Dehradun, and was commissioned into 22 Grenadiers on 8 June 1991. His battalion was inducted into Jammu & Kashmir in September 1992 for counter-insurgency operations. Shaurya Chakra — 16 April 1994. Then Captain Rajiv Joon led a Ghatak team during an encounter with militants, personally leading his men and eliminating three terrorists. For this action he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra. Ashoka Chakra — Arijan Dessar, Anantnag, 16 September 1994. Commanding a cordon-and-search party, Major Joon found two militants hiding in a house. When challenged they opened heavy fire, wounding a soldier, then withdrew into a basement, firing through a loophole. Realising his men could not neutralise the threat from their positions, Major Joon personally crawled to the loophole, threw grenades and opened fire, killing one militant. As the second kept firing, rather than send another soldier into the danger, he moved forward himself — crawling through the loophole to confront the militant directly. In the darkness he was hit in the throat and chest. Despite mortal wounds, he pressed the engagement and killed the second militant. He had accomplished his mission, but succumbed to his injuries. For his conspicuous gallantry and supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, posthumously. His legacy. A boy who lost his father, rose through Sainik School and the NDA, distinguished himself in combat, and — at the decisive moment — became the man who stood between his soldiers and the enemy. His commissioned career lasted about three years; his example will last far longer. "Service Before Self." He remains among the distinguished alumni of Sainik School Kunjpura, Kilo Sqn NDA, and 22 Grenadiers.
Lest We Forget