Army veteran's family donates his body to medical college

Jaipur, May 8

Family members of Shaurya Chakra recipient Lt Col (retd)Ratan Kumar Sen on Saturday donated his body to a medical college here, a day after he passed away due to prolonged illness.

He was bid final adieu at the Mission Compound following the COVID-19 protocols. The funeral procession was taken out in an Army vehicle to reach the JNU Medical College, Jagatpura, for body donation, his family said in a statement.

It stated that no member in the family has so far been infected with COVID-19.

Sen is survived by his wife, two daughters and grandchildren.

He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in 1972 and deployed to Jammu and Kashmir in 1994 as part of 2nd Rashtriya Rifles for counter-insurgency operations.

During one such operation in Anantnag district, on March 17, 1994, he found himself ambushed by terrorists and was pinned down under heavy gunfire. He was shot in the head by a terrorist with an AK-47 at point-blank range. Despite severe loss of blood and exhaustion, he continued to fight saving precious lives, according to the family.

He was evacuated and promptly provided medical treatment by the Army doctors which gave him a new lease of life. For his brave and gallant act, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra on January 26, 1995 by the President of India.

Sen faced several medical issues due to the gunshot and was forced to take premature retirement in 1997 at the age of 46. — PTI