# Saurabh Singh Shekhawat

Brigadier Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, KC, SC, SM, VSM is a former Indian Army officer of the 21 Para (SF) and an avid mountaineer. He is one of Indian Army's most decorated officers, with one war-time gallantry award and two peace-time gallantry awards to his name.

## Early life

Shekhawat was born in a Hindu Rajput Family on 18 October 1970 in Alwar, Rajasthan. His Father's name is Dr Jaswant Singh Shekhawat and his mother's name is Dr Shraddha Chauhan, a DLit and PhD.

## Career

Military career
Shekhawat was commissioned in the 17 battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry as a Second Lieutenant from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on 11 June 1994. Later he joined 21 Maratha Light Infantry which was being converted to 21 Para (SF), he successfully joined 21 Para (SF) and was promoted lieutenant on 11 June 1996 and captain on 11 June 1999 and major on 11 June 2004. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel on 11 June 2007 and to colonel on 6 January 2010 (seniority from 1 January). He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier in March 2020.
Mountaineering Career
Shekhawat has ascended Mount Everest three times in 2001, 2003 and 2005. He has also climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, and Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps and Western Europe. In October 2009 he led the joint Indo-Kazakh team to scale the Kazakhstan peak of Marble Wall peak in Kazakhstan He has climbed 14 peaks in the world till date. On 23 June 2022, a 55 men Indian Army expedition team, led by Shekhawat, successfully scaled the climb to Shahi Kangri.

### Shaurya Chakra Citation

The Shaurya Chakra citation on the Official Indian Army Website reads as follows:
   CAPTAIN SAURABH SINGH SHEKHAWAT IC-52871 , 21ST BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (SPECIAL FORCES) (Effective date of the award: 21 May, 2001)
   "Captain Saurabh Singh Shekhawat, a member of the Army Everest Expedition fell sick and had to be evacuated from the Everest region in the initial phase. He soon recovered and reached Base Camp. He reacclimatized and on 29 April 2001 rejoined his team at Camp III. The officer reached South Column on 21 May. On 22 May at 2200 hrs they were able to commence the summit attempt. Step by step he moved along the treacherous ridge helping and encouraging other team members. Fighting extremely adverse weather conditions they continued undaunted towards the summit. By 0645 hours his team reached the tough Hillary step. Not withstanding the cold, lack of oxygen, severe winds and recent illness the officer undauntedly helped his team mates over this most difficult stretch, braving treacherous knife edge ridges, extreme cold, lack of oxygen and high speed winds that threatened to blow them away. Inch by inch he went up using ropes and other equipment. The officer, somehow, kept motivating the other members to keep going and he successfully summitted Mount Everest at 0830 hours on 23 May 2001. Captain Saurabh Singh Shekhawat displayed gallantry against high risk extremes of weather and terrain conditions."

### Kirti Chakra Citation

The Kirti Chakra citation on the Official Indian Army Website reads as follows:
   LIEUTENANT COLONEL SAURABH SINGH SHEKHAWAT, SHAURYA CHAKRA, SENA MEDAL, VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL IC-52871 , 21ST BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (SPECIAL FORCES) (Effective date of the award: 08 September, 2008)
   "Within days of insertion in Manipur, Team Leader of 21 PARA (SF), Lieutenant Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat established an innovative intelligence network to locate a terrorist camp in District Bishenpur, Manipur, hither-to-fore a terrorist sanctuary. After 45 days of continuous surveillance, planning and training he launched a historical operation to destroy the target and made national headlines. On night 08/09 September, 2008 guided by his surveillance detachment, the Team Leader successfully navigated boats/divers through weed infested waters and sited his groups in proximity to the target island without losing surprise. At daybreak, after successful sentry silencing, he along with assault group reached the island, swimming. However, surprise was lost and terrorists opened heavy fire. Without losing momentum and undaunted by hostile fire, the officer led his men in returning fire and tactically closed in. His accurate fire immediately killed two terrorists. Remaining terrorists, still in their huts, fired from behind cover. Concurrently, some terrorists fired heavy calibre weapons from a flank. This pinned down his men in the open. Seeing the precarious situation, the officer with his buddy, unfazed by flying bullets and unmindful of personal safety, exposed themselves to terrorist fire by running in the open. In the process he eliminated another terrorist and diverted their attention thus preventing casualty to own personnel. This galvanized remainder assault group to move and subsequently neutralise other terrorists. Lieutenant Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat displayed resolute leadership, exemplary mission dedication, raw courage and presence of mind in close combat conditions in fighting the terrorists."

## Controversies
### Victimization claim

In 2017, Shekhawat filed a complaint to the Ministry of Defence accusing two former army chiefs, Gen. Bikram Singh and Gen. Dalbir Singh, and a senior serving officer, Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna of victimizing him. Shekhawat claimed he was denied promotion because of lackluster reviews in annual confidential reports given to him as retaliation. Shekhawat claimed the trigger for the victimization was his report made officially to the Army about a dacoity in Jorhat of a private citizen's residence involving personnel of the 3 Corps Counter Intelligence and Surveillance Unit in December 2011. At the time of the robbery, Gen. Dalbir Singh was then Corps Commander of 3 Corps and Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna was then Shekhawat's brigadier general staff (operations). Shekhawat claimed Krishna acted on Gen. Dalbir Singh's behalf to give him poor performance reviews. When Gen. Bikram Singh became Army Chief, the Discipline and Vigilance Ban imposed on Gen. Dalbir Singh by the previous Army Chief for inaction over the robbery was lifted and Gen. Dalbir Singh was further promoted.
Shekhawat also alleged that Gen. Dalbir Singh tried to harm his career by preventing him from taking the Higher Command Course, a qualification for promotion. But since the weightage for the course selection took into account medals and field service, he qualified for the course to the alleged chagrin of Gen. Dalbir Singh. Shekhawat speculated that Gen. Dalbir Singh in reaction was able to get weightage of medals and field service removed from consideration for higher command courses from 2014 onwards.

### Dispute with The Week

On 14 March 2020, the current affairs magazine The Week published a story on Shekhawat titled 'decorated Colonel Saurabh Singh Shekhawat promoted after years of wait' regarding the claims by Shekhawat of victimization at the hands of senior officers. Shekhawat in response wrote a letter to The Week claiming the story was inaccurate and said such stories "hurt the sentiment" of soldiers who serve and create doubts in the minds of the general public about the Army. The reporter Pradip R. Sagar provided a rebuttal by pointing out the story was not meant to "cast aspersions" on the Army but highlight accusations made against top Army brass.

## Awards

| | Kirti Chakra | Shaurya Chakra | |
| Sena Medal | Vishisht Seva Medal | Samanya Seva Medal | Operation Vijay Star |
| Special Service Medal | Siachen Glacier Medal | Operation Vijay Medal | Operation Parakram Medal |
| Sainya Seva Medal | High Altitude Service Medal | Videsh Seva Medal | 75th Independence Anniversary Medal |
| 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal | 20 Years Long Service Medal | 9 Years Long Service Medal | MONUSCO |
Shekhawat has been awarded the Kirti Chakra, the Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal (Gallantry), Vishisht Seva Medal and the Samanya Seva Medal amongst other medals for anti-terrorist operations, mountaineering and distinguished service. Shekhawat in a letter to Army headquarters in 2017 referred to himself as the "highest decorated serving officer in the army with an unblemished operational profile."

## Dates of ranks

| Rank | Service | Rank dates |
| Second Lieutenant | Indian Army | 11 June 1994 |
| Lieutenant | Indian Army | 11 June 1996 |
| Captain | Indian Army | 11 June 1999 |
| Major | Indian Army | |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Indian Army | 11 June 2007 |
| Colonel | Indian Army | 6 January 2010 (Seniority from 1 January) |
| Brigadier | Indian Army | March 2020 |
Free.== Personal life == Shekhawat is married to Dr Renuka Shekhawat, a professor of Sanskrit at Rajasthan University.