Background

Rank: Havildar
Regiment: 81 Field Artillery

Havildar Palani, 38, had a plan laid out. Retire after 22-years of service in 2021 and settle down with the family in his village Kadukkaloor in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district.

Palani joined the Indian Army at the young age of 18. His father, a farmer, had struggled to provide him with an education, so that he could follow his dream of serving the country.

He had last visited home in January.

Palani leaves behind a 10-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter. His dream home had taken shape in June and he had made it a point to listen to all the religious mantras at the housewarming ceremony over the phone, with his 35-year-old wife Vanathi Devi. In his last phone call to his wife, he had mentioned about going away on an assignment.