Fifth-generation officer set to don Indian Army olive green, extending 185-year family military legacy on March 7

New Delhi: Gentleman Cadet (GC) Tunmay Shukla will be commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya on March 7, carrying forward his family's 185-year-old military tradition into its fifth generation.

"Serving the nation is our duty, serving society is our mission", a line the Shukla family calls its motto, will gain new meaning with his commissioning.

Their family tradition began back in 1841 and continues with its next generation, that being soon-to-be Lieutenant Tunmay Shukla.


According to the family's documented account, Shukla family legacy has been 185 Years of Military service to the nation that started in 1841 and is continuing to date.

As per the family's statement, the upcoming commissioning of 5th generation soldiers "marks not an end, but a continuation--a torch passed from one generation to the next, illuminating the path of duty and dedication that our family has walked for nearly two centuries."

The family's military journey began with Havildar Karta Ram Shukla, who served in the 32 Bengal Native Infantry (Brahmin), Bengal Army, from 1841 to 1859. His service included the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 and the period of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He retired in 1859.

The second generation, Naik Hari Narayan Shukla, served between 1909 and 1923. During World War I, he was deployed to defend the Suez Canal and later served in the Mesopotamian Campaign under the 14th Indian Division. After the 3rd Brahmin Battalion was disbanded in 1922, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Battalion and retired in 1923.

The third generation, Lieutenant Colonel Sri Niwas Shukla, served from 1954 to 1990. Commissioned in 1962 into the 35 Medium Regiment (Artillery) from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he served during the Sino-India War (1962), the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971, and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987.

After retirement, he established the Sainik Parmarth Chikitsalaya Trust in September 2020 to provide free medical services in rural areas. He passed away on June 1, 2021.

The fourth generation, Colonel Bipin Kumar Shukla, continues to serve in the Indian Army.

GC Tunmay Shukla, the fifth generation, as per the family statement, graduated with distinction in Computer Science Engineering.

"In an era when Computer Science graduates command six and seven-figure salaries in the corporate sector, Tunmay made the conscious decision to forgo lucrative opportunities and instead serve the nation," they said.

Their statement further added that, "His choice demonstrates that patriotism and service remain vibrant ideals for the younger generation."

On March 7, GC Shukla will formally take oath and will be commissioned into the Indian Army as a Lieutenant during OTA Gaya's Passing out Parade (PoP).