India mourns Colonel Santosh Mahadik demise

The last rites of Colonel Santosh Mahadik, the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, who was killed during an exchange of firing, in Kupwara District of North Kashmir, were performed today in Santara district, in Maharashtra.

He was survived by wife and two children: a eleven-year-old daughter and a son who is five-years-old.

Col Mahadik, who was originally from Pogarwadi village in Satara district in Maharashtra and was commanding the 41 Rashtriya Rifles laid his life while conducting a counter infiltration operation in Manigah Forest of Kupwara District in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. According to reports the bullet that killed him had struck him in his neck area, which is unprotected by the bullet-proof vest.

Hailing from Satara (Maharashtra) Colonel Mahadik belonged to a small farmer’s family and later joined the Satara Military School, before joining the army in 1998. As a mark of respect, many women are not wearing bindis on their forehead while several others have not eaten today in mourning.

“It’s a great loss, but he has gone with a bullet in his chest”.

An ace football goalkeeper, a skilled horse-rider and a passionate boxer, he was an all-rounder, his friends recall.

And Northern Army Commander, Lieutenant General DS Hooda said in an interview to NDTV, “The ethos of the Indian Army, the culture of the Indian Army – these are things that are sometimes not very well understood”. Remembering Mahadik, Kartiki said, “My father would tell us stories of Shivaji Maharaj and wanted me to be like him – bold and just”. I want to become a soldier like him.