Uttarakhand AAP has named him as the party’s chief ministerial face for the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly polls.
Col Ajay Kothiyal (R)
KC, SC, VSM
4 GARHWAL RIFLES
He was born on 26 Feb, 1969 to Inspector General Satyasaran Kothiyal (R), BSF and Smt. Sushila Kothiyal.
After completing schooling from St. Joseph's Academy, Dehradun and Kendriya Vidyalaya Dehradun, he was graduated from D.A.V.Post Graduate College Dehradun. He then cleared CDS and joined IMA.
He was commissioned as second Lieutenant into 4 GARHWAL RIFLES in 1992.
In 1994, he went for training in the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS).
He was also part of Op Vijay.
In 2001, then Maj Ajay was part of the first team of the Indian Army that successfully summited the Mt Everest in 2001, under the leadership of Brigadier Krishan Kumar AVSM.
On 12 May 2003, Indian Army had carried out a surgical strike in Pulwama district under the leadership of Major Kothiyal. He was wounded in the operation, in which seven terrorists were neutralized.
He was awarded Kirti Chakra.
He still has two bullets inside his body.
In 2011, he decided to scale the 8th highest peak in the world, Mt Manaslu. No Indian had ever climbed this mountain. Fighting harsh weather and inhospitable conditions, his team unfurled the Indian Flag at the peak of Manaslu on 9th May 2011.
He was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal.
In 2012, Colonel Kothiyal led a team of seven female officers from Indian army and successfully scaled the world's highest peak for the second time. Mrs Pratibha Singh Patil, President of India at that time, awarded him Shaurya Chakra.
In 2013 during Himalayan Tsunami at Kedarnath, Col Kothiyal and his team were among the first to reach the affected area. Under his supervision, rescue operation was conducted and Kedarnath was rebuilt and restored to its pristine form.
He started 'Youth Foundation' to assist the aspirants who are financially weak. Many have joined the Indian Army through this NGO.
In 2018, Col Kothiyal took voluntary retirement from Indian Army to focus more on NGO.
He joined the AAP on 19 April 2021.
#KnowYourHeroes
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