Officials Recall Major Rane’s Valor on Memorial Day

New Delhi – On the occasion of Major Rama Raghoba Rane’s memorial day, senior officials recalled the bravery that earned him India’s highest wartime honour, the Param Veer Chakra.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari posted a concise tribute on X, while Bihar’s Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the lasting impact of Rane’s actions during the 1947‑48 conflict with Pakistan.

Rane, born on 26 June 1918 in Chandia, Karnataka, first fought in World War II under the British Indian Army. After independence he continued his service, receiving a commission on 15 December 1947 with the Bombay Sappers.

In April 1948, his unit was assigned to the 37 Assault Field Company to open the road to Rajouri, a strategic town under enemy control. Under intense Pakistani gunfire, Rane worked for seventy‑two hours, clearing barbed‑wire tunnels and unexploded ordnance. Two of his companions were killed and five were wounded, including Rane himself, yet he persisted, allowing Indian armour to move forward.

The award of the Param Veer Chakra was announced on 8 April 1948, recognizing his supreme sacrifice. After 28 years of service, he retired as a major in 1968, having been mentioned in dispatches five times. He passed away at Pune’s Command Hospital on 11 July 1994, aged 76.