Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang was enrolled into The Parachute Regiment on 28 June 2014 and has been operating in OP RAKSHAK ever since. On 04 April 2020, Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang was part of the Special Forces detachment which was helidropped in Keran Sector (Jammu & Kashmir) to intercept and eliminate an infiltrating column of terrorists. After wading through waist deep snow for over five hours, the squad successfully established contact with the terrorists. In the intense close quarter fire fight that ensued, both the squad commander Subedar Sanjiv Kumar and Paratrooper Amit Kumar sustained gunshot wound and the remainder of the squad was out of communication.
Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang after carrying out a quick mental survey of the situation moved ahead tactically to evacuate his squad commander. He successfully evacuated his squad commander under intense fire from the terrorists. Paratrooper Amit Kumar was injured and was pinned down by accurate fire from the terrorists. Sensing grave danger to his buddy, Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang in a daring act crawled towards the boulder and killed one terrorist with accurate rifle fire at close quarters.
He then lobbed a grenade at a fleeing terrorist and injured him grievously. Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang displayed raw courage and utmost gallantry in eliminating one hardcore terrorist, injuring one other terrorist and evacuating Subedar Sanjiv Kumar to safety. He maintained his composure and fought with nerves of steel under the most adverse circumstances wherein all other squad members of his detachment were killed in action. For his conspicuous courage and selfless action, Paratrooper Sonam Tshering Tamang is awarded “SHAURYA CHAKRA”.
