Gentleman Cadet Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya on March 7, continuing his family’s 185-year military tradition into its fifth generation.
The Shukla family traces its service to the nation back to 1841. With Tunmay Shukla’s commissioning, the family says its long-standing commitment to military service will enter a new chapter.
“Serving the nation is our duty, serving society is our mission,” a motto the family follows, will gain renewed meaning with the induction of the next generation into the armed forces.
According to documented family accounts, the Shukla family’s military journey began with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, who served in the 32 Bengal Native Infantry (Brahmin) of the Bengal Army from 1841 to 1859. His service included participation during the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and the period of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 before retiring in 1859.
The second generation was represented by Naik Hari Narayan Shukla, who served between 1909 and 1923. During World War I, he was deployed to defend the Suez Canal and later served in the Mesopotamian campaign under the 14th Indian Division. After the disbandment of the 3rd Brahmin Battalion in 1922, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Battalion and retired the following year.
The third generation, Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla, served in the Indian Army from 1954 to 1990. Commissioned into the 35 Medium Regiment (Artillery) from the Indian Military Academy in 1962, he served during the Sino-India War of 1962, the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987.
Following his retirement, he established the Sainik Parmarth Chikitsalaya Trust in September 2020 to provide free medical services in rural areas. He passed away on June 1, 2021.
The fourth generation of the family is represented by Colonel Bipin Kumar Shukla, who continues to serve in the Indian Army.
Tunmay Shukla, representing the fifth generation, graduated with distinction in Computer Science Engineering. According to the family, he chose to pursue a military career despite lucrative opportunities in the corporate sector.
“In an era when Computer Science graduates command six and seven-figure salaries in the corporate sector, Tunmay made the conscious decision to forgo lucrative opportunities and instead serve the nation,” the family said in a statement.
They added that his decision reflects the continuing spirit of patriotism and service among younger generations.
On March 7, Gentleman Cadet Shukla will formally take the oath and be commissioned as a Lieutenant during the Officers Training Academy, Gaya Passing Out Parade.
Leave a Reply