Editor's note: The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy.
We welcome additional materials about Major Sharma - pre-Army, in-Army - from relatives, friends, colleagues and other people who have relevant materials.
We also welcome similar materials - for separate stories - about other heroes and martyrs of the Indian Armed Forces, provided the time of the event was at least 30 years ago. Our contact is indiaofthepast@gmail.com
This section is adapted mainly from the official Indian Army account and the Better India "India's largest positive news platform"(with permission). It also uses a limited amount of information, on a fair-use basis, from Claude Arpi's blog (no response from him)
ajor Somnath Sharma was born on 31 January 1923 at Dadh in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. His father, Amar Nath Sharma, was a Major General in the Indian Army who later became the first director general of India's Armed Medical Services.
As a young boy, he spent time with his maternal grandfather Pandit Daulat Ram in Srinagar. His favourite pastime was listening to his grandfather's on the Bhagavad Gita. This influence of Krishna's teachings to Arjun were to remain with him forever.
