Sandeep Unnikrishnan
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, AC (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was an officer in the Indian Army serving in the elite 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guards. He was killed in action during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. He was consequently awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on 26 January 2009 by the president Pratibha Patil. Early and personal life. Sandeep Unnikrishnan came from a Malayali family residing in Bangalore, where they had moved from Cheruvannur, Kozhikode District in the state of Kerala. He was the only son of retired ISRO  officer K. Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan. Sandeep spent 14 years at The Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore before graduating in 1995 in the ISC Science stream. 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 enjoyed watching movies.Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was married to Neha. Army career. Sandeep Unnikrishnan joined the National Defence Academy (India) (NDA), Pune, Maharashtra in 1995. He was a part of the  Oscar Squadron (No. 4 Battalion) and a graduate of the 94th Course NDA. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree. His NDA friends remember him as "selfless", "generous" and "calm and composed". In Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, he was the part of 104th regular course. On 12th June 1999, he graduated from IMA and got commissioned as Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment (Infantry) of Indian Army. During Operation Vijay in July 1999, he was regarded positively 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, Sandeep led a team of six soldiers and managed to establish a post 200 metres from the opposing side and under direct observation and fire. Sandeep Unnikrishnan received a substantive promotion to captain on 12 June 2003, followed by promotion to major on 13 June 2005. During the 'Ghatak course' (at the Infantry wing Commando School, Belguam), which is considered as the most difficult course of the indian Army, Sandeep topped the course twice earning an "Instructor grading" and Commendation. He was also trained in High Altitude Warfare school, Gulmarg. After serving in different  locations including Siachen, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat (during 2002 Gujarat Riots), Hyderabad and Rajasthan, he was selected to join the National Security Guards. On completion of training, he was assigned as the training officer of the 51 Special Action Group (51 SAG) of NSG, on January 2007 and also participated in various operations of the NSG. Operation Black Tornado. On the night of 26 November 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked. One of the buildings where hostage were held was the 100-year-old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51  Special Action Group (51 SAG) deployed in the hotel to rescue the hostages. He entered the hotel with a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. After evacuating hostages in the sixth and fifth floors, as the team descended the stairs, they suspected terrorists in a room on fourth floor, which was locked from the inside. As the commandos broke open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Kumar Yadav in both legs. Major Sandeep managed to save and evacuate Yadav, but terrorists disappeared after blasting a grenade inside the  room. Major Sandeep and his team continued evacuating hostages from the hotel, for around next 15 hours. On 27th November, around midnight Major Sandeep and his team decided to take the path of the central staircase of hotel to go up, which they knew was a big risk, as they were exposed from all sides of the hotel. But this was a risk they were willing to take, as it was the only way to locate the terrorists and to save more hostages who were trapped inside the hotel. As expected, when terrorists saw commandos coming up through the central  staircase, they ambushed NSG team, from the first floor, in which Commando Sunil Kumar Jodha was grievously injured. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan immediately arranged for his evacuation and continued to engage terrorists in the firefight. He then decided to chase terrorists alone, as they were trying to escape to the next floor. In the encounter that followed, he managed to corner all four terrorists to the Ballroom in the northern end of Taj Mahal hotel, single handedly but sacrificed his own life in the course. His last words were, "Do not come up, I will handle them" according to the NSG  officials. NSG commandos later eliminated all four terrorists trapped in the Ballroom and Wasabi restaurant of the Mumbai Taj hotel. Ashoka Chakra citation. The official citation for the Ashoka Chakra Award reads: Funeral. At Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's funeral, mourners chanted "Sandeep Unnikrishnan Amar Rahe" ("May Sandeep Unnikrishnan('s name) remain eternal"). Thousands of people lined up outside his Bangalore house to pay their respects. His funeral was held with full military honours. The Mother Dairy Double Road in Bangalore, a 4.5 km stretch from Federal Mogul on Doddaballapur Road to MS Palya junction, within Yelahanka New Town, was renamed  Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road in his honour. A bust of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan is installed on Ramamurthy Nagar Outer Ring Road junction in Bengaluru and is named in his honour. There is a bust of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan at the entrance of Indian Education Society on Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road, Mumbai to honour his sacrifice and inspire young students. Biopic. Sony Pictures Entertainment has registered two titles, "Major" and "Major Sandeep" with the producers’ association, in their endeavour to make a biopic on his life. "It is not just about the attack but is more of a biopic. The studio  is in talks with the family of Major Sandeep to get the rights personal as well as work-related  and are keen to offer a tribute to the late soldier," says a trade source. "The story is also interesting as he was trying to rescue an injured comrade when he was shot and later, he succumbed to injuries. There are many layers in the film," says the source. It is reported that the title of the biopic is "Major" and actor Adivi Sesh is playing the titular role of Major Sandeep. The film is being produced by actor Mahesh Babu . The principal photography of the film began in February 2020, and is slated to premiere on 27th May 2022.