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{{Short description|Indian Army soldier and Kirti Chakra awardee}}

{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Naik (military rank)| Naik]]
| name = Dilwar Khan
| honorific_suffix = [[Kirti Chakra| KC]]
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = March, 1996
| birth_place = [[Una District]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]
| death_date = 23 July 2024
| death_place = [[Lolab Valley]], [[Kupwara district]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], [[India]]
| allegiance = {{flag|India}}
| branch = [[Indian Army]]
| servicenumber = 15240290F
| serviceyears = 2014-2024
| rank = [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]
| unit = [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]]<br>[[Rashtriya Rifles| 28 RR]]
| battles = Counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir
| awards = {{plainlist|
* [[Kirti Chakra]] (Posthumous)
}}
}}

'''Dilwar Khan''', [[Kirti Chakra|KC]] was a soldier of the [[Indian Army]] who served in the [[Rashtriya Rifles|28 Rashtriya Rifles]], a counter-insurgency unit deployed in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. He was posthumously awarded the [[Kirti Chakra]], India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for his bravery during an anti-terrorist operation in [[Kupwara district]] in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |title=कहानी दिलवर खान की: 'भारी गोलीबारी के बीच आतंकी पर झपट्टा मारा और...', अब मरणोपरांत मिला कीर्ति चक्र |url=https://www.abplive.com/states/himachal-pradesh/who-was-naik-dilwar-khan-got-kirti-chakra-himachal-pradesh-ann-2870522 |work=ABP Live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Naik Dilwar Khan, KC |url=https://honourpoint.in/profile/naik-dilwar-khan-kc/ |website=Honourpoint}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Khan born in March, 1996 and was from Gharwasda village in Bangana tehsil of [[Una district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]. Shri Karamdeen and Smt Bholan Bibi were his parents. He joined the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] in [[Indian Army]] on 20th December 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Himachal soldier killed in an encounter in Kashmir |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/himachal-soldier-killed-in-an-encounter-in-kashmir-9474243/ |work=Indian Express}}</ref>

==Military service==
Dilwar Khan served in the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]]. He was later deployed with the [[Rashtriya Rifles|28 Rashtriya Rifles]], which conducts counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Bravery honoured: Naik Dilwar Khan, Cap Deepak Singh,Corporal Vikky Pahade awarded Posthumous Gallantry Medals |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/bravery-honoured-naik-dilwar-khan-cap-deepak-singhcorporal-vikky-pahade-awarded-posthumous-gallantry-medals-1503390682.html |work=The Statesman}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Kirti Chakra for Naik Dilwar Khan: Martyred fighting terror in Kupwara |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/newsmo/video/kirti-chakra-for-naik-dilwar-khan-martyred-fighting-terror-in-kupwara-2729889-2025-05-24 |work=India Today}}</ref>

==Kupwara operation==
On 23 July 2024, Naik Dilwar Khan was part of an ambush team conducting a counter-terrorism operation in the dense forests of [[Lolab Valley]] in [[Kupwara district]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kirti Chakra for Major, slain Naik for J&K anti-terror ops |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kirti-chakra-for-major-slain-naik-for-jk-anti-terror-ops/articleshow/117564402.cms |work=Times of India}}</ref> During the operation, the team encountered heavily armed militants.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Who are the 2025 Kirti Chakra & Shaurya Chakra awardees? Stories of bravery in Manipur & Kashmir |url=https://theprint.in/india/who-are-the-2025-kirti-chakra-shaurya-chakra-awardees-stories-of-bravery-in-manipur-kashmir/2463705/ |work=The Print}}</ref> One of the militants approached close to the ambush position. Despite intense firing, Khan moved forward to engage the militant at close range.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Una soldier killed in Kupwara operation cremated with state honours |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/una-soldier-killed-in-kupwara-operation-cremated-with-state-honours-101721939734610.html |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> During the encounter he sustained serious injuries but continued the fight and successfully neutralised the terrorist before succumbing to his injuries.<ref>{{cite news |title=Army Naik killed during encounter in Kupwara forests |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/army-naik-killed-kupwara-encounter-9450000/ |work=The Indian Express |date=24 July 2024}}</ref>

==Kirti Chakra==
For displaying exceptional courage and devotion to duty beyond the call of duty, Naik Dilwar Khan was posthumously awarded the [[Kirti Chakra]] on the eve of [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] in 2025.<ref>{{cite news |title=Two Kirti Chakras, 14 Shaurya Chakras among 93 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces, CAPF personnel |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kirti-chakras-shaurya-chakras-among-93-gallantry-awards-to-armed-forces-capf-personnel/article69140967.ece |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 March 2026 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=25 January 2025 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=श्रीवास्तव |first1=निमिषा |title=शहीद बेटे नायक दिलवर खान के सम्मान में मां ने स्वीकार किया कीर्ति चक्र, आंखों में आंसू देख... |url=https://www.abplive.com/states/himachal-pradesh/shaheed-nayak-dilwar-khan-awarded-kirti-chakra-from-president-droupadi-murmu-mother-emotional-video-2949385 |access-date=12 March 2026 |work=[[ABP News]] |date=23 May 2025 |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gallantry Awards approved by the President of India |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1990000 |publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]] |date=25 January 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Kirti Chakra]]
* [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
* [[Indian Army]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kirti Chakra]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel killed in action]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]

Dilwar Khan (soldier) - Revision history

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