Shankar Vembu

Colonel (India) Vembu Shankar, Shaurya Chakra (Retd.) (1975) is a decorated former Indian Army Officer, Social Worker, Amateur magician, Quiz show host and a well known collector of autographs and memorabilia in India among others. Colonel Shankar is founder of Project Sambandh, a one man philanthropic project to connect with the Next of Kin (NOK)of the Indian Army Physical Casualties which has touched the lives of many armed forces families denied or unable to access benefits due to them, and even sometimes living in penury.
== Early life ==
Vembu Shankar was born on 03 Dec 1975 in Kolkata and grew up in Madras(now Chennai). His alma mater includes P. S. Senior Secondary School, National Defence Academy (India), Indian Military Academy.
== Military Service ==
Colonel Shankar was commissioned n 1997 into the Intelligence Corps. While on attachment with the Dogra Scouts, a unit skilled in mountain warfare, that Shankar was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for gallantry in Kupwara for displaying outstanding personal bravery, in face of grave risk to life while fighting militants. Colonel Shankar rounded off his career by commanding a Battalion in the North-East and took a voluntary retirement to start a initiative named Project Sambandh as 1000 day initiative to aid families of soldiers who died in harness.
== Social Work & Project Sambandh ==
After taking premature retirement from Indian Army Colonel Shankar formalised a matter close to his heart of reaching out to the families of soldiers who died in harness. Especially those who were denied or were unable to access what was due to them due to ignorance, complex procedures and at times even apathy by launching Project Sambandh. Since the start of the Project Sambandh, Colonel Shankar has been traversing the country meeting widows, parents, children of soldiers who have died in harness and has been able to help them get their dues which had for year eluded them. Besides personally spearheading the project at his own expense, Colonel Shankar has also brought much needed attention to plight of families of "Physical Casualties" of Indian Army, many of whom live in remote areas and are not literate enough to navigate the maze of procedures to get their due. Project Sambandh has found many families living in penury having received little or none of a their dues either from organisation or sometimes due to greed of other family members and has been able to help them through provisions in welfare funds with Army. Project Sambandh co-ordinates with various military departments to expedite many cases struck due to lack of communication and contact with families after the death of the soldier. Though the Project Sambandh was launched as a 1000 day project, Colonel Shankar has decided to extend his philanthropic project indefinitely.
== Quiz, Caricatures and Autographs ==
Colonel Vembu Shankar is also a keen quizzer and a sought after free lance quiz master often conducting quizzes at top academic institutions. He also appears on Kaun Banega Crorepati as expert lifeline. He is a prolific autograph collector with over 10,000 autographs from well known personalities, sportsmen, leaders etc. He has also collaborated with top caricaturists notably Shijo Varghese and Austin Coutinhoi, to bring out books on caricature of sportsmen from cricket as well as other sports.
 
Category:1975 births
Category:Indian Army officers
Category:Indian social workers