The home of Captain MV Pranjal, who lost his life in a recent encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri, is now cloaked in a somber atmosphere. Located in Nandanavan near Jigani, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the residence is filled with grief as Captain Pranjal’s parents, Venkatesh and Anuradha, mourn the tragic loss of their son.
In what turned out to be his final message to his wife, Aditi, Captain Pranjal had conveyed his participation in an upcoming operation and assured a call or message on Thursday. However, the family’s world was shattered when news of his untimely death, along with four other soldiers, reached them on Wednesday.
Pranjal’s father, Venkatesh, shared with reporters, “I spoke with Pranjal just days ago, but the last message was sent to Aditi mentioning the operation he was undertaking and the possibility of communication being limited until Thursday. The family awaited his call, only to receive news of his death.”
Captain Pranjal, aged 28, was slated for promotion to the rank of Major on December 9. Born and raised in Mangaluru, his courage and decisiveness were evident from an early age. Despite initially aspiring to be an IAF pilot, he joined the Army in 2014 due to height restrictions preventing him from pursuing his dream.
Venkatesh highlighted his son’s determination, recounting Pranjal’s achievements, including securing the second rank in the written examination for the armed forces. Captain Pranjal had studied at DPS MRPL School in Mangaluru and pursued his PUC at a private college in the same city. He later completed his engineering degree at the Military College of Telecommunication in MP.
A teacher at DPS MRPL, Krupa Sanjeev, remembered Pranjal as an exemplary student with strong leadership qualities. Despite the ongoing sports day, the school decided to observe a holiday as a mark of respect for Captain Pranjal’s sacrifice.
Pranjal’s mortal remains are currently in Jammu and Kashmir, and plans for bringing the body to Bengaluru have not yet been communicated to the family, according to Basavaraj, a relative. The news of Captain Pranjal’s sacrifice for the country has left the community in profound sorrow, with friends, family, and teachers remembering him as a dedicated and exceptional individual.
