Rajesh Kumar (soldier)

Kumar was recruited into 11th battalion Rajputana Rifles, an infantry regiment with a history of gallantry awards and battle honours.^{[citation needed]}

On 1 August 2009, he was leading a section of the Ghatak team on a search mission for terrorists in the forests of Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. He opened fire on the terrorists and killed three of them, but was seriously wounded in the process.^{[citation needed]}

He later succumbed to these injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the highest peacetime military decoration in India.^{[citation needed]}

The citation by the President of India during the awarding of the Ashoka Chakra read: Havildar Rajesh Kumar showed unparalleled feat of most conspicuous gallantry, fortitude and the rare spirit of self sacrifice in fighting the terrorists.^{[citation needed]}