On the night of 25 November 1987, an Indian Army officer was shot in the chest during an ambush in Sri Lanka. He did not fall back. He snatched the rifle from the militant who had shot him, killed him with it, and kept giving orders to his men till his last breath. That officer was Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran of 8 Mahar.
For this act, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India’s highest wartime gallantry award, posthumously. He is the only soldier to receive the Param Vir Chakra for Operation Pawan, the Indian Peace Keeping Force operation in Sri Lanka. Here is the story of the officer his men lovingly called “Parry Sahib”.
Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran At A Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ramaswamy Parameswaran |
| Service number | IC-32907F |
| Born | 13 September 1946, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Parents | Shri K.S. Ramaswamy and Smt. Janaki |
| Commissioned | 1972, Short Service Commission, from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai |
| Regiment | The Mahar Regiment (8 Mahar) |
| Operation | IPKF operation in Sri Lanka |
| Date of action | 25 November 1987 |
| Award | PVC (Posthumous) |
| Known as | Parry Sahib |
Early Life Of Major Parameswaran
He was born on 13 September 1946 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Shri K.S. Ramaswamy and Smt. Janaki. As per Veer Gaatha, the NCERT book on India’s highest gallantry award winners, he studied at the South Indian Education Society (SIES) High School and College.
After college, he chose the uniform. He joined the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, and was granted a Short Service Commission in the Mahar Regiment in 1972. If you also dream of joining the academy he passed out from, you can read about the facilities available at OTA Chennai.
An Officer Who Led From The Front
In his service, he took part in counter-insurgency operations in the North East, especially in Mizoram. The NCERT book records that he was known for his sterling character and for leading from the front. His troops were so fond of him that they called him “Parry Sahib”.
Operation Pawan In Sri Lanka
India and Sri Lanka signed a peace accord in Colombo on 29 July 1987. To implement this accord, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was sent to Sri Lanka. This was Operation Pawan. Around 20,000 Indian troops took part in it and the force returned from Sri Lanka by early 1990.
The Major was keen to be a part of it. According to Veer Gaatha, his Mahar unit was the first to land in Sri Lanka. He could speak Tamil, so he was able to talk to the local people in their own language and was close to them.
The Night Of 25 November 1987
Late in the night of 25 November 1987, Major Parameswaran was leading a column on a search operation at Kantharodai, near Uduvil in Jaffna. The column had gone to look for a consignment of weapons in a hideout of the militants.
While returning, the column was ambushed by a group of militants. Under heavy fire, he did not lose his cool. As the official citation says, with cool presence of mind he encircled the militants from the rear and charged at them, taking them completely by surprise.
In the hand-to-hand fight that followed, a militant shot him in the chest. Even with this grave injury, Parry Sahib snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. He continued to give orders and inspired his men till he breathed his last.
The ambush was cleared. Five militants were killed, and three rifles and two rocket launchers were recovered. The officer was 41 years old. He was survived by his wife, Smt. Uma Parameswaran.
Param Vir Chakra For Parry Sahib
For displaying the most conspicuous bravery and making the supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the PVC (Posthumous). You can read his citation on the Gallantry Awards portal of the Ministry of Defence and on the National War Memorial website.
He remains the only PVC awardee of the IPKF operation in Sri Lanka. Out of the 21 soldiers who have received this award so far, 14 were awarded posthumously, and he is one of them. To understand where this medal stands among all the decorations, see our guide on the service medals of India.
How The Nation Remembers The Hero Of Operation Pawan
- PVC Day: 8 Mahar observes 25 November every year as PVC Day in his memory.
- National War Memorial: His bust stands at the National War Memorial in New Delhi along with the other PVC awardees.
- An island in his name: On Parakram Diwas, 23 January 2023, the Prime Minister named the 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar after the 21 PVC awardees. He mentioned the Major by name in his address.
- Param Vir Dirgha: On Vijay Diwas, 16 December 2025, the President inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a gallery with the portraits of all 21 awardees.
What Defence Aspirants Can Learn From Parry Sahib
Parry Sahib joined the Army through a Short Service Commission and went on to earn the highest gallantry award of the country. His story shows three things every aspirant should remember. An officer leads from the front. An officer stays calm when things go wrong. And an officer puts his men and his mission before himself.
If such stories inspire you, also read about Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, the hero of the 1962 war.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran?
He was an officer of 8 Mahar who was awarded the PVC (Posthumous) for his bravery in Sri Lanka on 25 November 1987.
Why was he awarded the PVC?
When his column was ambushed, he encircled the militants and charged at them. Though shot in the chest, he snatched the rifle of a militant, shot him dead and kept giving orders till his last breath. Five militants were killed in the action.
From which academy was he commissioned?
He joined the Officers Training Academy, Chennai and was granted a Short Service Commission in the Mahar Regiment in 1972.
How many PVCs were awarded for the IPKF operation?
Only one, to Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran of 8 Mahar.
Sources: Gallantry Awards portal, Ministry of Defence; National War Memorial; Veer Gaatha: Stories of Param Vir Chakra Awardees, NCERT; PIB release, 23 January 2023; PIB feature on Param Vir Dirgha, 21 December 2025.
