Lt. Triveni Singh Age, Death, Family, Biography & More

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Age: 25 Years

Caste: Dogra Rajput

Death Cause: Gun Shot Wound

Bio/Wiki
Full name	Triveni Singh Thakur ^[1]The Indian Express
Nickname	Sonu
Profession	Indian Army Officer
Known for	Being the recipient of the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 178 cm in meters- 1.78 m in feet & inches- 5’ 10”
Weight (approx.)	in kilograms- 60 kg in pounds- 132 lbs
Eye Colour	Dark Brown
Hair Colour	Black
Military Service
Military Service	Indian Army
Rank	Lieutenant
Service Years	8 December 2001 - 2 January 2004
Unit	5th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI)
Service Number	IC-61417
Military Decoration	Ashok Chakra (posthumous) (26 January 2024) Note: The award was received by Triveni's father.
Personal Life
Date of Birth	1 February 1978 (Wednesday)
Birthplace	Namkum, Bihar (now in Jharkhand), India
Date of Death	2 January 2004
Place of Death	Jammu Railway Station
Age (at the time of death)	25 Years
Death Cause	Shot in the lower part of his face ^[2]Rediff
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Pathankot, Punjab
School	St. Joseph’s Convent Secondary School, Pathankot, Punjab
College/University	Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, Punjab (1996-2000)
Educational Qualification	BSc in Agriculture
Caste	Dogra Rajput
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)	Engaged
Fiancée	Triveni Singh was engaged with Mala when he died. His wedding was scheduled to take place on 10 March 2004.
Family
Parents	Father- Janmej Singh Thakur (also spelt as Janmejaya Singh Thakur) (retired honourary captain of the Indian Army) Mother- Pushplata Singh (homemaker)
Siblings	Brother- None Sister(s)- 2 • Pooja (elder; lives in the US) • Jyotsana (MSc post-graduate, works in the Government of Punjab)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Triveni Singh

Triveni Singh was a lieutenant in the Indian Army. After his courageous act in thwarting a terrorist attack at Jammu railway station in 2004, he was posthumously honoured with India’s highest peacetime bravery award, the Ashok Chakra.

While studying in school, Triveni Singh demonstrated exceptional expertise in martial arts, securing numerous accolades across various national-level competitions.
A picture of the martial arts medals won by Triveni

Upon finishing his school studies, he received an offer to join the Naval Academy in Khadakwasla, Pune, to train to become an Indian Navy officer. Nevertheless, he opted not to join the academy as his parents wished for him to pursue a degree in agriculture and assist them with their farmland in Punjab.

Upon completion of his formal education, he undertook the Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) and passed it. Subsequently, he joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, where he underwent an intense eighteen-month military training program.

On 8 December 2001, Triveni Singh joined the 5th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) as a lieutenant.
A photo of Triveni Singh taken after his commissioning as an officer
Following his commissioning, he reported at the Infantry School of the Army War College in Madhya Pradesh, where he attended the Young Officer’s (YOs) course.

Afterwards, he was sent to Belgaum, Karnataka, where he completed a rigorous training program at the Junior Leaders Wing that lasted for a month.

Triveni Singh assumed the role of adjutant for his battalion, which was stationed in Jammu. He played a crucial role in several important assignments within the Jammu and Kashmir area. Among these tasks was a mission to locate and neutralize terrorists who had attacked a unit barrack of the Dogra Regiment in Kashmir.
Triveni Singh’s photo taken in uniform

On 2 January 2004, a group of heavily armed militants launched a fidayeen assault on the Jammu railway station with the intent to maximize passenger casualties. Following the revelation of the attack, Singh stepped forward to lead a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) in response to the militants. Acting upon directives from his Commanding Officer (CO), Singh swiftly arrived at the scene accompanied by his team. Positioned at the railway station, he directed some of his personnel to establish a perimeter, preventing the militants’ potential escape. At 10:20 pm, a militant who had been concealed beneath a staircase initiated gunfire towards the combined police and army unit, resulting in injury to a police officer. Triveni promptly incapacitated the militant and set out to locate the remaining assailant. During his encounter with the second militant, who was hurling grenades and discharging an AK-47 from an elevated bridge, Triveni sustained a gunshot wound to his lower facial region. Despite his severe injury, Triveni successfully cornered the militant and engaged in direct combat, ultimately eliminating the threat. Triveni’s life came to an end while en route to a medical facility for treatment. According to sources, during Triveni’s transport to the hospital, a senior army commander encountered him; at that moment, Triveni saluted the commander and conveyed, “Mission Accomplished, Sir.” In an interview, his father talked about it and said,

I noticed a headline scrolling at the bottom of the screen. Then they put out a flash naming the officer; it was my son, Lieutenant Triveni Singh. In my mind, I knew my son was dead. But I did not tell anyone. [After calling his unit] The officer at the other end said Triveni was all right. But I insisted on speaking to his superior. Within fifteen seconds of beginning the operation, Triveni had achieved his target.”

Following his passing, the Punjab administration constructed a school in his honour in his native town.

In his honour, a statue was raised at the Sunjuwan Military Station in Jammu in August 2019.
A photo of Triveni Singh’s family standing next to his statue at the Sunjuwan Military Station