Captain Uttam Kumar Reddy with his colleagues during his service as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force
The contribution of India’s Telugu-speaking regions to the Armed Forces is a proud but insufficiently chronicled chapter of our history. For generations, men and women from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have served in the Army, Navy, and Air Force with courage, discipline, and professionalism. From the 1971 War and Operation Pawan to Siachen, Kargil, counter-insurgency operations, and United Nations missions, they have stood guard in some of the country’s most demanding theatres.
This contribution extends from the ranks to the highest levels of command. General K.V. Krishna Rao, one of the finest military leaders produced by Andhra Pradesh, served as the 11th Chief of the Army Staff. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, the 8 Mountain Division under his command captured the Sylhet region, making an important contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh. Hyderabad-born Air Chief Marshal I.H. Latif, who headed the Indian Air Force from 1978 to 1981, represented another distinguished tradition of leadership associated with the region.
The 1999 Kargil War brought the valour and sacrifice of several such servicemen into national focus. Major Padmapani Acharya of 2 Rajputana Rifles, a Hyderabad resident, led his company against a heavily fortified enemy position under intense artillery and machine-gun fire. Though grievously wounded, he continued to lead from the front and made the supreme sacrifice. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously.
Lance Naik Poloju Gopaiah Chary of Suryapet, serving with 315 Field Regiment, and Lance Naik M.Y. Ramachander of Bolarum, serving with 8 Madras, were among the brave soldiers from the region who laid down their lives during Operation Vijay. Sergeant P.V.N. Ravi Prasad of the Indian Air Force was killed when his helicopter was struck during a live mission in the Dras sector; he received the Vayu Sena Medal posthumously.
That tradition continued at Galwan in 2020. Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu of Suryapet, Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar, led his men from the front under exceptionally hostile conditions. Despite being grievously injured, he resisted the attempt to push Indian troops back and made the ultimate sacrifice. His posthumous Maha Vir Chakra belongs not only to his family and regiment but also to the collective memory of Telangana and India.
These celebrated names represent thousands of lesser-known soldiers, Junior Commissioned Officers, sailors, and airmen from the Telugu states. Their families have sustained a culture of service through long separations, uncertainty, and loss. They have also served with distinction in humanitarian relief, disaster response, and international peacekeeping, often far from public attention.
Secunderabad Cantonment, the Air Force Academy at Dundigal, Hakimpet, the Artillery Centre at Golconda, and the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam reflect the region’s enduring relationship with India’s military institutions.
As a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot, I know that the uniform is both a privilege and a profound responsibility. Behind every person guarding our frontiers stands a family sharing that burden in silence. Remembering Telugu military heroes must therefore go beyond ceremonial homage. Their stories should enter our classrooms, institutions, and collective consciousness, inspiring youths to embrace discipline, courage, and service before self.
Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy (The writer is Telangana’s Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies and a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot)
Published – September 04, 2026 01:14 pm IST
