Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh belonged to Gope Bigha village in Bihar's Rohtas district. He was serving with 21 Bihar and was remembered by the Army as a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier who remained devoted to his duty. He was survived by his wife, Rita Devi.
On that day, the situation along the LoC in Poonch became tense as firing and mortar shelling took place in the Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors. Forward Army positions were targeted, and Indian troops responded to the firing.
It was during the exchange of fire in the Mendhar sector that Naik Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh lost his life.
His sacrifice came at a time when soldiers deployed along the LoC were facing the constant dangers of cross-border firing, infiltration attempts and the difficult conditions of the mountainous frontier.
For his family, however, there was nothing abstract about that August afternoon. There was simply the loss of a husband who had left home to serve and would never return.
The Army's tribute described Ravi Ranjan as a soldier whose courage, motivation and sincerity reflected his devotion to duty. The nation, the Army said, would remain indebted to him for his sacrifice.
His name also became part of a difficult period along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir. Just three days earlier, on 17 August 2019, Lance Naik Sandeep Thapa had made the supreme sacrifice in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri. Ravi Ranjan's sacrifice on 20 August was another reminder of the risks faced by soldiers guarding the frontier.
But remembering Ravi Ranjan should not be reduced to the circumstances of that day's firing.
He was a soldier from Bihar who spent his life serving in uniform. He was a husband, a son and a member of a family that would carry his absence long after the firing stopped.
The passage of time does not diminish the significance of such service. Every year, when 20 August comes around, his name offers an opportunity to pause and remember the person behind the uniform.
Naik Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh
21 Bihar
Mendhar Sector, Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir
20 August 2019
He stood at his post along the Line of Control and gave his life in the line of duty.
His service is remembered.
His courage is honoured.
His supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten. 🇮🇳
**Lest We Forget.**
