Martyred NSG commando Niranjan hailed from Bengaluru

National Security Guards commando Lt Col E K Niranjan, who was killed in an explosion during mopping up operations at the Pathankot Air Base on Sunday, was born and brought up in Bengaluru.

He is survived by wife, Dr Radhika, and 18-month-old daughter Vismaya. The 35-year-old Niranjan is the second NSG commando from Bengaluru to be martyred during anti-terror operations after Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who died fighting terrorists in Mumbai in November 2008. Incidentally, the families of the two martyrs hail from Kerala and live in the neighbouring areas of Vidyaranyapura and Yelahanka in north Bengaluru.

As the news spread that a commando from Bengaluru had sacrificed his life during the terror operations, people started gathering at duplex house of Niranjan’s father Sivarajan, a retired BEL employee, at Subbanna Layout at Doddabommasandra in Vidyaranyapura.  Niranjan, Sivarajan’s second son, lost his mother Rajeshwarai when he was just three-years old.

After his schooling at the BP Indian Public School in Malleswaram, he completed his PU from BEL PU College in Jalahalli.

After finishing his BE (Mechanical) from Sir MV Institute of Technology at Hunasamaranahalli on Kempegowda International Airport Road, Niranjan joined the National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune.

“My son was extremely passionate about joining the armed forces and getting clad in army uniform. He joined Short Service Commission in October 2003. Two year later, he was permanently commissioned. He had undergone training in the US and had served in Kashmir before his current posting in Delhi,” said Sivarajan.

While his sister Bhagyalakshmi is a teacher here, his younger brother, Shashank, works with TCS.

H­ard working
Niranjan, according his friends and family members, was an avid sportsman who took part in basketball, cricket, football and kick boxing.

 His teacher Major Shankar Jadhav remembered him as “a very good, hard working and determined boy”.

 Harikrishnan, Niranjan’s paternal uncle who lives in Palakkad in Kerala, remembered him as a “focused officer”.

 Niranjan’s family members said that his body would be brought to Bengaluru in the early hours of Monday by a special aircraft.

It would be taken to his house and then kept at BEL School ground, opposite BEL hospital, to allow public to pay their homage.

Around 3 pm, the body will be taken to Kerala.

The last rites will be performed at Kalarikkal Tharavadu, Niranjan’s family home in Elambilassery in Palakkad district.