CM Samrat Choudhary honours Major Somnath Sharma on death anniversary
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary marked the death anniversary of Major Somnath Sharma on November 3, honouring the soldier who posthumously became India's first Param Vir Chakra recipient for his actions defending Srinagar's airfield during the 1947 Kashmir war.
Key Takeaways
Major Somnath Sharma was killed on 3 November 1947 during the Battle of Badgam , holding back Pakistani tribal raiders advancing on Srinagar airport .
He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra , India's highest wartime gallantry honour, making him its first-ever recipient.
The Param Vir Chakra was instituted on 26 January 1950 .
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary offered tribute on X on November 3, 2026 , calling Sharma a 'symbol of indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice.' Annual November 3 commemorations by state governments and the Indian Army mark the anniversary as part of a broader tradition honouring 1947-48 war sacrifices.
On the death anniversary of India's first Param Vir Chakra recipient, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary paid tribute on Tuesday, November 3 to Major Somnath Sharma — the soldier who held the line at Srinagar's Badgam in 1947 and gave his life doing it.
Posting on X in Hindi, CM Choudhary wrote: 'Adamya sahas, advitiya veertha aur sarvoch balidan ke prateek' — 'Symbol of indomitable courage, unparalleled valour, and supreme sacrifice' — offering a respectful salute to the fallen officer and expressing that his 'undying bravery and dedication to defending the motherland will forever inspire the people of this nation.'
The battle that forged India's highest honour
On 3 November 1947, Pakistani tribal raiders advanced rapidly toward Srinagar airport — a strategic lifeline that, if seized, could have changed the course of the Kashmir war entirely. Major Somnath Sharma of the 4th Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, led a small company to hold them back near the village of Badgam. Outnumbered roughly three to one, he refused to withdraw, reportedly signalling headquarters: 'The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily under pressure. Do not worry, we will never leave our post.' He was killed when an enemy mortar shell hit an ammunition box nearby. The airfield held.
The Param Vir Chakra — India's highest wartime gallantry award — was instituted on 26 January 1950, and Major Sharma was the first to receive it, posthumously. His action at Badgam is taught at military academies as a foundational example of sacrifice in independent India's first war.
A ritual of remembrance, and what it signals
The annual tribute on November 3 has become a marker on the political calendar: state chief ministers, defence ministers, and Army commands pause to acknowledge the 1947-48 war dead. For CM Choudhary — a senior BJP leader who has consistently woven military valour into public messaging — the post fits a pattern of reinforcing the connection between the ruling dispensation and the armed forces' legacy. The gesture is ceremonial, but the symbolism is deliberate and widely understood.
Seventy-nine years on, Major Somnath Sharma's name remains the first entry on the roll of India's bravest. That is not a small thing to carry.
Point of View
Which has made national security and military valour central to its identity politics, these tributes carry additional weight. CM Samrat Choudhary's post follows a well-worn script, but the underlying message — that the sacrifice at Badgam remains a living debt — resonates beyond electoral calculation. As tensions over Kashmir and borders remain perennial features of Indian strategic discourse, the memory of November 3, 1947 functions as both history and ongoing argument.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Major Somnath Sharma?
Major Somnath Sharma was an Indian Army officer of the 4th Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, who was killed on 3 November 1947 while defending Srinagar's Badgam area against Pakistani tribal raiders during the first Kashmir war. He was posthumously awarded India's first Param Vir Chakra.
Why is November 3 significant for Major Somnath Sharma?
November 3 is the anniversary of Major Somnath Sharma's death in 1947 during the Battle of Badgam, when he held his position against a much larger force to protect the Srinagar airfield. It is observed annually as a day of tribute by the Indian Army and political leaders.
What is the Param Vir Chakra?
The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest wartime gallantry award, instituted on 26 January 1950. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of this honour, awarded posthumously for his actions at Badgam in November 1947.
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary post about Major Somnath Sharma?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary posted a tribute on X on 3 November 2026, describing Major Somnath Sharma as a 'symbol of indomitable courage, unparalleled valour, and supreme sacrifice' and saying his bravery would forever inspire the nation.
What happened at the Battle of Badgam in 1947?
In the Battle of Badgam on 3 November 1947, Major Somnath Sharma led a small Kumaon Regiment company against Pakistani tribal raiders threatening Srinagar airport. Heavily outnumbered, he refused to retreat and was killed when a mortar shell struck an ammunition box, but the airfield was successfully held.
