Ajay Singh Jasrotia

{{short description|Indian army officer (1972–1999)}}

{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix = Major

| name = Ajay Singh Jasrotia

| honorific_suffix = SM

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| nickname = {{hlist|Jassi|Rambo}}

| birth_date = {{birth date |1972|03|31|df=yes}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|06|15|1972|03|31|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

| death_place = Dras, Jammu and Kashmir, India

| allegiance = {{flag|India}}

| branch = {{Army|India}}

| serviceyears = 1996{{endash}}1999

| rank = 24px Major

| servicenumber = SS-36635

| unit = 13 JAK RIF

| battles = Kargil War{{KIA}}

| awards = 32px Sena Medal

}}

Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, SM (31 March 1972 – 15 June 1999) was an Indian military officer with the 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK RIF) who laid down his life during Kargil War to save the lives of his six comrades.{{Cite web|title='I threw the grenade back, but I'd lost 3 of 4 secs before it exploded'remembered|date=13 July 2019 |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/nation/current-affairs/130719/i-threw-the-grenade-back-but-id-lost-3-of-4-secs-before-it-expl.html|access-date=13 July 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/quintlab/from-kargil-with-love-indian-army-martyrs|title=From Kargil With Love, Remembering Heroes of Indian Army|first=The Quint|last=Lab|website=TheQuint}}

He was deployed in Sopore in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir when the Kargil War broke out. In spite of his weight-bearing restrictions after ankle surgery, he volunteered to join his unit 13 JAK RIF under the command of Lt General then Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi which was moved to the Dras sector as a reserve force.{{Cite web|title=Maj Ajay Singh Jasrotia SM|url=https://www.honourpoint.in/profile/maj-ajay-singh-jasrotia-sm/|publisher=Honour point|access-date=31 July 2021}}

On 15 June 1999, the base camp came under heavy artillery shelling and six of his soldiers were injured. Amidst heavy artillery shelling which continued unabated, he evacuated the wounded to safety by carrying them on his back. While rescuing the last soldier he was fatally wounded by shrapnel. All of the six lived to tell the tale. He was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal for his courage and sacrifice.{{Cite web|title=Kargil Heroes|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1P2C.aspx?MnId=9vDy9uw/9VwYYN4TzslW4w==&ParentID=H5pFfvtJiE+wsL3M1224lw==|access-date=31 July 2021}}

Contrary to British Indian Army times when officers commanded from behind, today Indian Army officers lead their troops from front and Jasrotia was among the few senior most officers to be martyred while evacuating the wounded soldiers during Kargil War.{{Cite web|title=Stop obsessing over ‘leading from the front’. It doesn’t justify sacrifice of Army officers|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/stop-obsessing-over-leading-from-the-front-it-doesnt-justify-sacrifice-of-army-officers/1884830/|publisher=The Print|access-date=14 December 2023}} Knowing that he won't survive he refused to be evacuated before his wounded men,{{Cite news|title=Martyr Major Ajay|url=https://defencelover.in/martyr-major-ajay-singh-jasrotia-saved-6-injured-soldiers-but-lost-his-life/|publisher=Defence Lover|access-date=24 November 2017 }} giving a new definition of valour, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.{{Cite web|title=Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia, SM|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1P2C.aspx?MnId=Ojv1q7ZebSyMlUTzlPzEDA==&ParentID=RwEGGf1rcaPY1bC50DuJlQ==&flag=8CKP966uzg96kLov0aWdfQ==|publisher=Indian Army|access-date=25 July 2021}}

His death played a role in motivating his juniors Captain then Lieutenant Vikram Batra PVC and Colonel then Lieutenant Sanjeev Singh Jamwal VrC to capture Point 5140 without any casualty.{{cite book |last=Rawat |first=Rachna Bisht |year=2014 |title=The Brave: Param Vir Chakra Stories |publisher=Penguin Books India Private Limited|isbn=9780143422358}}

Coincidentally Batra was killed in a similar way as Jasrotia during the capture of Point 4875 when he exposed himself to enemy fire while rescuing an injured soldier.{{Cite book|last=Cardozo|first=Ian|year=2003|title=Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|page=124|isbn=9789351940296}}{{Cite book |last=Singh|first=Amarinder|year=2001|title=A Ridge Too Far: War in the Kargil Heights 1999|publisher=Motibagh Palace|page=185|isbn=9788193107416}}{{Cite book|last=Bammi |first=Y. M. |year=2002 |title=Kargil 1999, impregnable conquered|publisher=Gorkha Publishers|page=279|isbn=9788175253520}}