Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga belonged to Mahradasi village, situated in the Mandawa tehsil of Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan—an area that holds a deep-rooted history of valour and service to the motherland. Growing up in a modest household shaped by discipline and integrity, Surendra was born to Smt Nanu Devi, who nurtured him with values deeply influenced by the selfless dedication of his father, a proud soldier of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). His late father’s legacy became the torch that lit young Surendra’s journey toward serving the nation.

From his early days, Sergeant Moga showed signs of immense responsibility, patriotism, and empathy—qualities that would later define his tenure in the armed forces. Inspired to follow in the footsteps of his father, he joined the Indian Air Force in 2010. His selection was not a matter of chance but the result of relentless dedication, discipline, and a deep desire to honour his family's tradition of service. With perseverance, he soon gained the trust and respect of his superiors and peers alike, proving himself to be a dependable and skilled airman.

Trained as a Medical Assistant, Sergeant Moga held a position that was central to the Air Force's life-saving operations. He wasn’t merely providing routine medical aid. His responsibilities went far beyond — addressing battlefield trauma, managing emergencies under hostile conditions, and supporting missions in disaster-struck or high-pressure environments. Medical Assistants are often the unsung heroes who hold the line when lives hang in the balance.

After earning his place in the Indian Air Force, Sergeant Moga built a life with Ms. Seema, whom he married after a few years of service. Together, they raised a loving family, welcoming two children — a daughter named Vartika and a son named Daksh. Despite the demanding nature of his job, he never failed in his role as a father and husband.

Operation Sindoor: 07–10 May 2025

By 2025, Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga was posted at 39 Wing, stationed approximately 5 km east of Udhampur town. This unit, previously known as 9 FBSU (Field Base Supply Unit) since 1 April 1976, was re-designated as 39 Wing in 1985. It had since evolved into a pivotal operational arm of the Indian Air Force. Within this base, Sergeant Moga continued to serve as a Medical Assistant, playing an essential role in supporting both frontline personnel and internal base operations.

Medical Assistants in such zones are expected to perform life-saving duties, often under the most demanding and dangerous conditions. They deliver crucial healthcare services, but they are also trained to act swiftly during combat scenarios, medical emergencies, and natural calamities. As tensions escalated in early May 2025 along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir, 39 Wing’s strategic importance grew considerably. The Indian Air Force ramped up its operational readiness, and 39 Wing was tasked with vital roles — air defence, real-time surveillance, logistical coordination, and emergency medical response.

During this volatile period, Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025, a calculated strike in retaliation for the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam. This operation aimed to destroy terrorist strongholds including training camps and launch pads deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As expected, Pakistan retaliated with heavy and unprovoked cross-border shelling, intensifying tensions across the Line of Control (LoC).

On 10 May 2025, Sergeant Moga was part of the medical response unit deployed to the RS Pura sector, one of the most exposed and targeted areas near the International Border (IB). Along with his fellow personnel, he was actively involved in extending medical and logistical support to Indian forces deployed at forward locations. Despite being under constant threat of shelling, he remained calm and committed, refusing to leave his post.

Then tragedy struck. In a brutal round of intense Pakistani shelling, Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga was critically injured. He succumbed to his injuries in the line of duty, a heartbreaking but proud testimony of his unwavering dedication and bravery. His death marked a solemn reminder that it’s not just the soldiers in combat, but also the vital support staff, who stand at the edge of danger with unflinching courage.

Sergeant Moga was just 36 years old when he made the ultimate sacrifice. He died not behind secure walls or in the safety of a hospital ward, but amidst a war-like zone, doing what he had sworn to do — protect lives and serve the nation without fear.

Today, he is survived by his mother Smt Nanu Devi, his wife Smt Seema, and their children — Ms Vartika and Daksh — who now carry forward his legacy of honour, courage, and sacrifice.

The Final Goodbye: A Village Mourns, A Daughter Rises

The moment the devastating news reached the home of Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga, it was like time stopped for his family. His wife, Seema, who had last spoken to him the previous night, collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the shock of losing the man who had been her pillar, her partner, and the father of their children. No one around her could find words to ease the pain. She had just spoken to him at 9 PM, when he had calmly said that “drones are roaming but not attacking.” That was the last message from him.

But in the middle of the sorrow, a spark of unimaginable strength came from their 11-year-old daughter, Vartika, who, despite her tender age, stood firm with pride in her voice. With teary eyes but an unshaken spirit, she said:

“I am feeling proud that my father got martyred while killing the enemies and protecting the nation... Last time, we talked to him at 9 PM last night and he said that drones are roaming but not attacking... Pakistan should be finished entirely... I want to become a soldier like my father and avenge his death. I will finish them off one by one.”

These were not just words of a grieving child — they were the words of a patriot in the making, shaped by courage and honour passed down from her father.

Sergeant Moga’s mortal remains were brought home wrapped in the Indian tricolour, placed with reverence atop a truck adorned with flowers. As the funeral procession rolled slowly through the streets, flanked by vehicles and bikers, thousands lined up to catch a glimpse of their fallen hero. People stood silently with folded hands, many climbing rooftops to bid farewell to the son of their soil. The journey to the cremation ground, though lasting only an hour-and-a-half, felt like a lifetime to those who knew him.

At the cremation ground, the atmosphere was heavy. Seema was inconsolable, supported on both sides by women from the community. The sight of their seven-year-old son, Daksh, performing his father's last rites stirred emotions too raw for words. The tricolour was handed over to Vartika, a symbolic gesture honouring her father's sacrifice and her vow. With remarkable composure, she repeated her earlier promise — "avenge her father's death by eliminating enemies."

What made the pain sharper was the fact that Moga had been stationed in Bengaluru, living a relatively stable life, and was deployed to Udhampur only five days ago as part of India's military response to the escalating border conflict.

The entire village stood in silence as Seema’s cry echoed through the air: “I love you, please wake up!” These words shattered hearts, capturing the depth of her grief and the finality of her loss. But amid this pain, her parting words — a proud “Jai Hind” and a firm salute to her husband — showed the unbreakable spirit of a soldier’s family. Her strength in that moment was as honourable as the uniform her husband wore.

Sergeant Moga’s martyrdom in Operation Sindoor is not just a personal tragedy but a national tale of honour, loss, and resilience. His sacrifice continues to remind us that freedom is not free — it is defended every day by people who willingly put their lives at risk.

In his daughter’s vow to wear the uniform and protect the nation, his legacy finds a new heartbeat. Vartika’s courage has already ignited a new chapter in the family’s service to the nation.

The funeral was attended by a host of senior political leaders across party lines. Among them were Rajasthan Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa (BJP), state leader of opposition Tikaram Jully (Congress), BJP state chief Madan Rathore, and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra — all there to offer their respects. Their presence underlined the unity of the nation in mourning its hero. As Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said in a solemn voice:

"When a soldier sacrifices for the country, his family sacrifices, too."