Major Mukund Varadarajan Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Major Mukund Varadarajan

• According to his father, Mukund expressed his desire to become an officer in the Indian Armed Forces when he was in class 3.

• For this, R. Varadarajan decided to enrol Mukund into a Sainik School; however, he dropped the idea as he got posted to a different location.
  

  A childhood photo of Mukund

• He met Indhu while studying at the Madras Christian College. According to his mother, he initially introduced her to her parents as a friend; however, he later clarified that they were in a relationship.

• After completing his formal education, Mukund joined a BPO in Chennai. He worked there for a month.

• While working in Chennai, Mukund appeared in and cleared the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE).

• He joined the Officer’s Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai in 2005.

• As per his father, he did not wish Mukund to join the army but pursue a master’s degree in business administration. He talked about it, in an interview, and said,
  

  I remember him telling me when he was in Class III that he wanted to join the forces. After graduating in journalism, he studied diploma in MCC only because he wanted to study there. He worked in a call centre for a month before passing the SSB, though I encouraged him to study MBA.”

• Mukund received inspiration from his grandfather and two uncles who served in the Indian Armed Forces.

• According to his family, Mukund initially aspired to join the Indian Air Force (IAF). He, however, changed his decision later.

• Vadarajan was commissioned as a short service officer in the Rajput Regiment as a second lieutenant on 18 March 2006.
  

  A photo of Major Mukund taken after his passing out parade from Officers Training Academy in Chennai

• After commissioning, he went to Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, where he attended the Young Officers (YOs) course.

• He later went to Belgaum, Karnataka, where he underwent a month-long training course.

• Thereafter, he was posted to the Infantry School in Mhow as an instructor.

• Mukund was later deployed in Kashmir, where he was injured after a bullet grazed his shoulder.

• Mukund was among the few officers chosen to serve in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. He served there for two years.

• Mukund was given a permanent commission in the army on 18 March 2011.

• In 2012, Mukund was sent to Shopian, where he served in the 44th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR). He assisted the unit in conducting many counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley.
  

  Major Mukund Varadarajan’s photo taken when he was serving in the Rashtriya Rifles

• In the early morning of 25 April 2014, Mukund was asked to lead a counter-insurgency operation in the Qazipathri Shadab Karewa in Shopian district after his unit received intelligence about the presence of three militants, who were reportedly involved in the killing of election officials in Kashmir a day ago.

• At around 3 p.m., Mukund’s assault team came under heavy fire from the militants hiding in a house in the village. During the firefight, Mukund, along with his men, entered the village house from where the militants were firing. During the house-clearing process, Mukund sustained three gunshot wounds.

• After getting injured, he was evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar. However, he passed away while being taken there.
  

  Army officers carry the coffin of Major Mukund Varadarajan

• After his death, J. Jayalalithaa, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, announced that the state government would give a bereavement check of Rs. 10 lakh to the family.

• His wife, Indhu Rebecca Varghese, penned a heartfelt poem as a tribute to Mukund.

• The Indian Army placed his bust at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai on 1 June 2015 as a tribute.
  

  Major Mukund’s family members standing next to his bust installed at the OTA, Chennai

• Mukund had a sweet tooth and after every meal, he asked for sweets.

• According to sources, Mukund’s last words were “Please take care of my parents, wife, and child.”

• In 2024, it was announced that a Tamil film titled Amaran, based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, would be released. In the film, Sivakarthikeyan will portray his character.
  

  Actor Sivakarthikeyan as Major Mukund in the film Amaran