For the first time, the government has formally disclosed the identities of six Indian military personnel who were killed in action during Operation Sindoor, the cross-border offensive conducted in May last year to dismantle terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The names of the six personnel have been listed in the Roll of Honour section on the National War Memorial website and engraved at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, representing the first official public recognition of the casualties sustained by the Indian armed forces during the operation.
The deceased personnel are Subedar Major Pawan Kumar from Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade; Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Vir Chakra, of the 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry; Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5 Field Regiment; Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik of the 851 Light Regiment; Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh of the 237 Field Workshop Company; and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, Vayu Medal, of the 39 Wing. The names have been inscribed on the 3D wall of the memorial within the 2025 section, which is dedicated to military personnel who sacrificed their lives in service to the nation.
Up to this point, the government had not formally revealed the names of the personnel who died in Operation Sindoor, even though reports and speculation about military fatalities had circulated during the four-day clash between India and Pakistan in May 2025..
Listing the names on the National War Memorial's Roll of Honour effectively serves as the first formal acknowledgment of the armed forces personnel who died during the operation..
Operation Sindoor commenced in the early hours of May 7, 2025, several weeks after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists. The Indian armed forces conducted precision attacks on nine locations associated with terrorism in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, focusing on facilities connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Following discussions between the Directors General of Military Operations of both countries, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to cease military operations on May 10.
Army and Air Force personnel among the fallen
The newly disclosed names show that the losses during Operation Sindoor affected both the Army and the Indian Air Force, underscoring the joint character of the campaign and the coordinated involvement of multiple military branches.
Among those recognised are Rifleman Sunil Kumar, who received the Vir Chakra for his bravery, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, who was awarded the Vayu Medal, underscoring the contribution of decorated personnel to the operation. The National War Memorial, inaugurated in 2019 near India Gate, honours members of the Indian armed forces who lost their lives in military operations and conflicts after Independence. The inclusion of the six names formally acknowledges Operation Sindoor among the campaigns commemorated at the memorial.