Sandeep Unnikrishnan Sandeep Unnikrishnan ( 15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008 ) was a Major in the Indian Army serving in the elite Special Action Group of the National Security Guards ( NSG ) . He was killed in action while fighting terrorists in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks . His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra , India ' s highest peace time gallantry award , on 26 January 2009 . “ Do not come up , I will handle them ” , were the last words which Major Unnikrishnan told his men as he was hit by bullets while engaging terrorists inside the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower during Operation Black Tornado , according to NSG officials . Later , NSG sources clarified that when a Guardsman got injured during the operation , Major Unnikrishnan arranged for his evacuation and started chasing the terrorists himself . The terrorists escaped to another floor of the hotel and during the chase Major Unnikrishnan was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries . Family . Sandeep Unnikrishnan came from a Nair family residing in Bangalore , where they had moved to from Cheruvannur , Kozhikode District , Kerala . He was the only son of retired ISRO officer K . Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan . Childhood . Unnikrishnan spent 14 years at the Frank Anthony Public School , Bangalore , graduating in 1995 in the ISC Science stream . A popular figure among his contemporaries , he wanted to join the Army , even attending school in a crew cut . His peers and teachers recalled him as being a good athlete who was active in school activities and sports events . He was also a member of the school choir , and very interested in movies . Army career . Sandeep joined the National Defence Academy ( NDA ) , Pune , Maharashtra in 1995 . He was a cadet , part of the Oscar Squadron ( No . 4 Battalion ) and a graduate of the 94th Course of NDA . He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts ( Social science stream ) . His NDA friends remember him as " selfless " , " generous " and " calm and composed " . His happy - go - lucky face masked a ruthless and determined soldier , so did his thin physique hide a tough , never - give - up spirit that was seen in various training camps and cross country races he participated in with in the NDA . He was commissioned as Lieutenant to the 7th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment ( Infantry ) on 12 July 1999 . After serving the Indian Army in different locations in Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan to counter insurgencies for two terms , he was selected to join the National Security Guards . On completion of training , he was assigned to the Special Action Group ( SAG ) of NSG on January 2007 and participated in various operations of the NSG . He was a popular officer who was loved and adored by his seniors and juniors alike . During the ' Ghatak course ' ( at the Commando Wing ( Infantry School ) , Belgaum ) , the most difficult course of the Army , Major Unnikrishnan topped the course , earning an " Instructor Grading " and commendation from seniors . Perhaps this was the reason or his passion for bravery that he opted for the NSG commando service which he joined on deputation in 2006 . During Operation Vijay in July 1999 he showed grit and determination at the forward posts in the face of heavy artillery firing and small arms fire by Pakistan troops . On the evening of 31 December 1999 , Major Sandeep led a team of six soldiers and managed to establish a post 200 metres from the enemy and under direct enemy observation and fire . Operation Black Tornado . On the night of 26 Nov 2008 , several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists . One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100 - year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel . Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostages . He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase . As the team descended the stairs , they sensed the terrorists on the third floor . The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside . After breaking open the door , the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Yadav , who was Major Unnikrishnan ' s partner . Major Unnikrishan led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight . He arranged for Commando Sunil Yadav ' s evacuation and regardless of personal safety , chased the terrorists who , meanwhile , escaped to another floor of the hotel , and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them . In the encounter that followed , he was shot from the back , seriously injured and succumbed to injuries . Funeral . At Unnikrishnan ' s funeral , mourners shouted “ Long Live Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan “ , “ Sandeep Unnikrishnan Amar Rahee ” . Thousands lined up outside the Bangalore house of the NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan to pay their respects . The funeral of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was held with full military honours . Controversy . Nobody represented the Kerala government in Major Unnikrishnan ' s funeral . Local and national media criticized the decision of the politicians . However the Chief Minister of Kerala V . S . Achuthanandan and Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan called on the Unnikrishnan ' s family on 30 November 2008 . Sandeep ' s father K . Unnikrishnan was angry , criticized the visit and asked them to leave . He even threatened to commit suicide if any politician from Kerala entered his home . When V . S . Achuthanandan visited his home , Unnikrishnan roared at the Chief Minister and his delegation and said that " No dog would enter my house " . Later , V . S . Achuthanandan told media that had it not been for Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan , not even a dog would have visited his parents ' house . This again invited harsh criticism from the media and public . However , Achuthanandan stated that he would not apologize to the Major ' s family . He added that he respects the slain Major ' s family . On 2 December 2008 , Communist Party of India ( Marxist ) General Secretary Prakash Karat expressed his apology for Achuthanandan ' s ' dog remark ' . On 3 December 2008 , Achuthanandan expressed his regrets over the incident .