Army Day - Honouring the unseen, Medical Heroes.

Capt. Devashish Sharma, KC (P)

1994. 10th of December. A cordon and search operation is underway in the lush valleys of Kashmir. 26 Punjab, with Captain Devashish Sharma from the Army Medical Corps deployed in their service, are busy carrying out Operation Rakshak in Dangarpur village in the insurgent-infested district of Baramulla.Dr. (Captain) Devashish Sharma, son of Jitendra Kumar Sharma, a poet, author and Kendriya Vidyalaya Principal and Nirmala Sharma, hailed from Madhya Pradesh. He was commissioned into the Indian Army under the Army Medical Corps after completing his studies at the Armed Forces Medical College in 1992. After another month of commando training in Lucknow, he was first posted to the 10th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment in the January of 1993. Another year later, on January 12, 1994, his new posting brought him to Jammu and Kashmir with 26 Punjab. 

Here, during his posting in this extremism-affected area, Captain Sharma put the identity of his patients aside, and duty first, as he risked his life to treat a woman protestor who had suffered a gunshot wound. While the other protestors raised hell for him, objecting that a male military physician was treating the victim, they were only pacified when the AMC officer warned them that the victim would die if he didn’t attend to her within half-an-hour.

As the next winter drew in, military intelligence sent Captain Sharma and 26 Punjab on an operation in the Dangarpur Village. The unit’s assault team reached the suspected area and surrounded the hiding place of the insurgents in the village house. Captain Sharma’s primary role in the operation was to provide primary medical aid when the time came. On that ill-fated day, his job came in early as the troops were challenged by the militants, who opened heavy gunfire on them. The soldiers were caught in the open, and under the constant firing many soldiers of the unit were shot and injured. Captain Devashish sensed the urgency, knowing that the only chance for survival for these soldiers was if they were provided with critical medical care immediately. Ignoring the danger to his own life, he rushed forward under heavy fire, treating the wounded soldiers and ultimately saving their lives because of his timely intervention. While treating a soldier, Captain Devashish was shot, hit on his left thigh. Profuse bleeding followed, but he still put the treatment of other soldiers above himself. Showcasing great bravado, he picked up his rifle, returned fire and shot down the militant before continuing to treat the wounded personnel, even though he was already gravely injured. As the operation drew to an end, emergency evacuation by helicopters started for the wounded soldiers of the unit. Captain Sharma insisted that the other wounded personnel be evacuated first, putting his duty of saving others ahead of his own life, as he later succumbed to his injuries en route to the base hospital, attaining martyrdom on the unfortunate day of 10th December, 1994, showing exemplary courage and saving the lives of many of his comrades. 

Captain Devashish Sharma was posthumously awarded with the nation’s second highest (peacetime) gallantry award, the Kirti Chakra, and the Sainya Seva Medal, conferred by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.His commander, Major-General Sarabjit Singh Grewal, General Officer Commanding, 8 Mountain Division, wrote for Captain Sharma’s mourning mother, “As a brave soldier he also displayed exemplary courage in killing the terrorist in spite of having sustained serious injuries. Devashish gave his life for the sake of the nation, a noble death for any soldier and a doctor.” “The courage and spirit of self-sacrifice displayed by Devashish is now a source of inspiration to young officers of the AMC. His name will be entered in the Roll of Honour in the AMC Centre, Lucknow”, wrote Dr. (Lieutenant-General) D Raghunath — who was the then Director-General Medical Services. While Captain Sharma represented Madhya Pradesh in swimming during his time at AFMC, he also was a great singer and played the violin. Today, his legacy continues as the parade ground at AFMC is proudly called Captain Devashish Sharma Parade Ground. 

Captain Sharma was the first from his family to serve in the armed forces, while also completing his mother’s dream of being a doctor. His last letter to his mother, written on December 1, 1994, reached her after December 12, the day of her son’s funeral. The letter, adorned with the AMC coat of arms and motto ‘Sarve Santu Nirmaya’ was the last communication between the officer and his family, after attending his cousin’s wedding with them a few days earlier. Enclosing a bank form to be filled by his mother, for his salary to be deposited in Bhopal, he concluded his letter with, “Chitthi jaldi likhna (write soon). Pyaar sahit (with love), Devashish”.