Shaurya Chakra awardee and Indian Navy MARCOS commando Leading Mechanical Engineer Amit Singh Rana has died in a road accident in Himachal Pradesh. The decorated sailor, who hailed from the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, was among the Indian Navy’s elite Marine Commandos and had earned national recognition for his exceptional gallantry during counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
His passing has left the defence fraternity, veterans, serving personnel, and citizens across the country in deep grief. Amit Singh Rana was widely respected as a braveheart who had faced terrorists at close range during high-risk operations and displayed courage of the highest order in the line of duty.
Amit Singh Rana belonged to village Laharu in Jwalamukhi tehsil of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. Coming from a family with a proud tradition of military service, he carried forward that legacy by joining the Indian Navy as a sailor. He qualified as a Leading Mechanical Engineer and was later selected for the elite MARCOS, the special forces unit of the Indian Navy.
MARCOS personnel are trained for some of the most demanding military environments, including maritime, amphibious, riverine and land-based special operations. Rana’s career reflected the quiet professionalism and exceptional courage for which the Indian Navy’s Marine Commandos are known.
His gallantry came to national attention during his deployment in Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Rakshak. According to the official Indian Navy citation, Amit Singh Rana was deployed in J&K from May 2018 and performed exceptionally well in two back-to-back operations, Operation Danna and Operation Shok Baba, in which eight foreign terrorists were eliminated.
During Operation Danna, Rana was serving as the buddy of Lt Cdr Mahesh Kumar. In close-quarter combat, he shot dead one terrorist at extreme close range while giving cover fire to the officer, who neutralised another terrorist. The operation resulted in the elimination of terrorists and recovery of warlike stores.
His most daring act came during Operation Shok Baba on September 20–21, 2018. The operation was carried out along with 14 Rashtriya Rifles in a cordon-and-search operation, where terrorists had taken shelter inside a mud house and cow shed in the Shok Baba area. Despite the use of heavy-calibre weapons and grenades, the terrorists remained protected inside the structure.
At this critical moment, Amit Singh Rana and his team volunteered to approach the cow shed with a heavy improvised explosive device. Under heavy enemy fire and with cover provided by fellow MARCOS personnel, Rana manoeuvred forward, placed the IED at the cow shed, and returned safely. The explosion destroyed the structure and eliminated three terrorists hiding inside. The official citation records that he was fired upon while moving in, but came out unscathed due to close cover fire from his buddy.
The Indian Navy citation praised Amit Singh Rana for displaying “exemplary courage, tactical acumen and gallantry of very high order.” It also noted that he played a vital role in neutralising terrorists, placing demolition charges under heavy fire, and keeping terrorists pinned down at close range so that the operation could progress. His role was also commended by the Indian Army.
For his selfless actions in dire circumstances, Amit Singh Rana, LME, Service No. 231243-B, was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award. The Ministry of Defence announced the award on August 14, 2019, as part of the Independence Day gallantry medals for naval personnel.
The Shaurya Chakra was later presented to him by the then President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, during an investiture ceremony. His recognition brought immense pride not only to the Indian Navy and the special forces community, but also to his native state of Himachal Pradesh.
Following the confirmation of his death, tributes have poured in for the decorated MARCOS commando. Defence community members, veterans and citizens have remembered him as a true warrior, a brave son of Himachal Pradesh and an inspiration for countless defence aspirants. Many remembered the irony and pain of losing a soldier who had survived intense counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir to a road accident in his home state.
Amit Singh Rana’s life remains a story of courage, discipline and service before self. From the hills of Kangra to the elite ranks of MARCOS, he represented the finest traditions of the Indian Armed Forces. His actions in Jammu and Kashmir showed not only individual bravery, but also the deep jointmanship between the Indian Navy’s special forces and the Indian Army in counter-terrorism operations.
His untimely demise is a profound loss to the defence community and the nation. Amit Singh Rana will be remembered as a Shaurya Chakra awardee, a fearless MARCOS commando, and a soldier whose courage under fire will continue to inspire generations of young Indians who dream of wearing the uniform.
