Tributes pour in for Kirti Chakra awardee Major Pradeep Tathawade on his 25th death anniversary

Time of India

17-06-2025

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Pune: Tributes were paid to Major Pradeep Tathawade, a posthumous recipient of Kirti Chakra, on his 25th death anniversary on Tuesday.
Hundreds of people from various walks of life, including school students, gathered in Karvenagar to honour his memory at Tathawade Garden, named in his honour by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2002.
Major Pradeep was commissioned into the 8th battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry on June 9, 1984. On June 17, 2000, during the unit's Jammu and Kashmir tenure at Pindi Gali (Poonch Sector of 25 Infantry Division), five militants sneaked into the battalion's area of responsibility from Pakistan. As the second-in-command of the battalion, Major Pradeep tracked them down.
"A heavy exchange of fire ensued during which he noticed three terrorists attempting to escape.
With utter disregard for his safety, he shot two terrorists dead, including one area commander. His charge to intercept the third locked them in hand-to-hand combat before they both fired at each other, wherein the officer was fatally wounded. For this gallant action, Maj Pradeep R Tathawade was conferred with the award of 'Kirti Chakra' (posthumous)," the citation at the Army Headquarters said.
PMC on Oct 31, 2002, opened 'Shahid Major Pradeep Tathawade Udyan' at Karvenagar to commemorate his rich contributions while serving the nation.
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His statue stands at the entrance of the garden. His schoolmates from Sainik School Satara recollected his bravery and rich memories. His cousin Padmakar Ghanwat became emotional during the event.
"Today's gathering took me back to our last phone conversation when he was stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, just four days before his death. He mentioned that their unit was likely to move to a peace station in a few weeks. We discussed our holiday plans that never came to fruition," Ghanwat, the retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, recalled with tears in his eyes.
War widow Leenata expressed her regret at missing his final phone call. "About 24 hours before his death, he called our home landline. Unfortunately, I was at my parents' place, so I missed the call. That was his last call to me, and I still regret not being able to answer it," she said.
At the time of Major Pradeep's death, his daughter Bhagyashree was six years old, and his son Sagar two. "We don't remember him clearly, but through his coursemates and schoolmates, we've learned about the person he was and his dedication as an army officer.
We are proud of him. Today's gathering is a testament to that," said Bhagyashree, an IT professional.
Major Pradeep also served in the Siachen Glacier. His letter, written from the post, was printed in a book titled 'Amar Yodha'. He also served in the Army's aviation wing as a helicopter pilot, said Col Pradeep Dhole (retd), his classmate. The classmates also released a special pamphlet with several photos and information about him on the occasion.
To honour his contributions, the alumni of Sainik School Association has made a special documentary on his life. The shooting was done at NDA, IMA, unit locations, and other places. Brigadier Anand Thakur (retd) said, "This documentary will inspire students, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, to pursue a career in the armed forces. The documentary will be released in the next few weeks."
His Sainik School schoolmate, retired ACP SD Deshmukh, said, "It was an emotional day for me as several memories flashed before me.
We shared the same bench till Std XI. He was passionate and highly inspired to serve in the Army. His supreme sacrifice has become a source of inspiration for students of Sainik School Satara for the last 25 years."
Former corporator Ujwal Keskar said, "PMC honoured the brave officer by naming the public garden after him. His bravery will inspire youths to join the armed forces."
Pune: Tributes were paid to Major Pradeep Tathawade, a posthumous recipient of Kirti Chakra, on his 25th death anniversary on Tuesday.
Hundreds of people from various walks of life, including school students, gathered in Karvenagar to honour his memory at Tathawade Garden, named in his honour by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2002.
Major Pradeep was commissioned into the 8th battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry on June 9, 1984. On June 17, 2000, during the unit's Jammu and Kashmir tenure at Pindi Gali (Poonch Sector of 25 Infantry Division), five militants sneaked into the battalion's area of responsibility from Pakistan.
As the second-in-command of the battalion, Major Pradeep tracked them down.
"A heavy exchange of fire ensued during which he noticed three terrorists attempting to escape. With utter disregard for his safety, he shot two terrorists dead, including one area commander. His charge to intercept the third locked them in hand-to-hand combat before they both fired at each other, wherein the officer was fatally wounded.
For this gallant action, Maj Pradeep R Tathawade was conferred with the award of 'Kirti Chakra' (posthumous)," the citation at the Army Headquarters said.
PMC on Oct 31, 2002, opened 'Shahid Major Pradeep Tathawade Udyan' at Karvenagar to commemorate his rich contributions while serving the nation. His statue stands at the entrance of the garden. His schoolmates from Sainik School Satara recollected his bravery and rich memories.
His cousin Padmakar Ghanwat became emotional during the event.
"Today's gathering took me back to our last phone conversation when he was stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, just four days before his death. He mentioned that their unit was likely to move to a peace station in a few weeks. We discussed our holiday plans that never came to fruition," Ghanwat, the retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, recalled with tears in his eyes.
War widow Leenata expressed her regret at missing his final phone call. "About 24 hours before his death, he called our home landline. Unfortunately, I was at my parents' place, so I missed the call. That was his last call to me, and I still regret not being able to answer it," she said.
At the time of Major Pradeep's death, his daughter Bhagyashree was six years old, and his son Sagar two. "We don't remember him clearly, but through his coursemates and schoolmates, we've learned about the person he was and his dedication as an army officer.
We are proud of him. Today's gathering is a testament to that," said Bhagyashree, an IT professional.
Major Pradeep also served in the Siachen Glacier. His letter, written from the post, was printed in a book titled 'Amar Yodha'. He also served in the Army's aviation wing as a helicopter pilot, said Col Pradeep Dhole (retd), his classmate. The classmates also released a special pamphlet with several photos and information about him on the occasion.
To honour his contributions, the alumni of Sainik School Association has made a special documentary on his life. The shooting was done at NDA, IMA, unit locations, and other places. Brigadier Anand Thakur (retd) said, "This documentary will inspire students, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, to pursue a career in the armed forces. The documentary will be released in the next few weeks."
His Sainik School schoolmate, retired ACP SD Deshmukh, said, "It was an emotional day for me as several memories flashed before me. We shared the same bench till Std XI. He was passionate and highly inspired to serve in the Army. His supreme sacrifice has become a source of inspiration for students of Sainik School Satara for the last 25 years."
Former corporator Ujwal Keskar said, "PMC honoured the brave officer by naming the public garden after him. His bravery will inspire youths to join the armed forces."