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Major Rama Raghoba Rane Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth26 June 1918

Age76 Years

BirthplaceChendia Village, Karwar District, Madras Presidency (now Karnataka)

ProfessionArmy Personnel

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRajeshwari Rane

FamilyThree sons and one daughter

Major Rama Raghoba Rane Biography

Major Rama Raghoba Rane was an Indian Army officer and a Param Vir Chakra recipient whose leadership during the 1947–48 operations at Rajauri helped open a

Early life and background

Rama Raghoba Rane was born on 26 June 1918 in Chendia village in what was then the Madras Presidency (now in Karwar district, Karnataka). The son of Raghoba P. Rane, a retired police constable, and Devika Devi, he spent parts of his childhood moving with his family as his father’s police duties required relocations. As a youth he was influenced by the political movements of the time and took part in activities tied to the non-cooperation movement against British rule.

Military career

Rane joined the Bombay Engineering Group (The Bombay Sappers) on 10 July 1940, enlisting as a sepoy to serve in the Second World War. He completed his recruit training with distinction, receiving the Best Recruit trophy and the Commandant’s Cane, and was posted to the eastern front where he rose quickly through the ranks to Naik and later to Havildar and Subedar.

While serving in Burma and the surrounding theatre, Rane took responsibility for the safety of his men under very difficult conditions. Ordered to destroy assets and cover a retreat, he organized an evacuation across the Buthidaung river despite enemy patrols and led his men back to allied lines. Accounts from that period credit him with using his navigational skill to avoid detection and with exceptional leadership under fire; one account also records that he engaged an enemy aircraft with a light machine gun during the campaign.

Following India’s independence, Rane received a commission and was promoted to Second Lieutenant in December 1947. Over the next two decades he continued his service with the Bombay Sappers, advancing through Lieutenant (1950), Captain (1954) and retiring with the rank of Major. His service number was IC-7244 and his service years spanned from 10 July 1940 until his retirement on 25 June 1968; he was re-employed by the Army until 1971.

Actions in the 1947–48 war and the Param Vir Chakra

During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947–48, Rane commanded the 37th Field Assault Company. His unit’s role was to clear extensive roadblocks—trees and anti-tank obstacles—to allow infantry and tank columns to advance toward Rajauri. In early April 1948 his company came under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. Despite suffering casualties among his men and sustaining a severe leg wound himself, Rane refused evacuation and continued to direct operations.

Recognizing that daytime operations left his sappers exposed, he shifted clearing work to night and devised practical methods to open the route. At one point he used a tank as mobile cover, working under its protection to place and detonate explosives and to cut a bypass track. His leadership and perseverance over the actions between 8 and 11 April 1948 were pivotal in enabling the advance that led to the capture of Rajauri. For his conspicuous gallantry and leadership in these operations, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration for bravery.

Later service and honours

Rane’s decorations include the Param Vir Chakra and five mentions in dispatches. The Bombay Sappers and other institutions have commemorated his service: an oil tanker of the Shipping Corporation of India was named in his honour, and a bust of Rane has been installed at the naval museum, INS Chapal at Karwar.

Personal life

Rane married Rajeshwari Rane on 3 February 1955. The couple had four children: three sons and one daughter. After his Param Vir Chakra recognition he was invited as a guest of honour to a school event where he met his future wife. Rajeshwari later ceremonially handed her husband’s medal to his parent unit, The Bombay Sappers. He was known to his wife by the affectionate nickname she used for him.

Public profile

During moments of internal unrest, Rane was called on for duties beyond conventional combat roles. In 1962, during communal violence in Calcutta, he was deployed there to help maintain law and order and is recorded as having taken on personally risky patrols in difficult areas.

Death and legacy

Major Rama Raghoba Rane died on 11 July 1994 of natural causes at the age of 76. His actions in the 1947–48 conflict remain a noted example of sapper ingenuity and courage in Indian military history. Memorials, a bust at INS Chapal and the naming of a commercial vessel ensure his name endures within both military and public memory.

Latest updates

There are no later career activities recorded beyond his re-employment by the Army until 1971 and the recognitions and memorials established in his honour.
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Career Highlights

  1. Commissioned officer in the Indian Army's Bombay Sappers
  2. Awarded the Param Vir Chakra for actions during the 1947–48 operations at Rajauri
  3. Mentioned in dispatches five times
  4. Served from 10 July 1940 to 25 June 1968 and was re-employed until 1971
  5. Bust installed at INS Chapal; an SCI oil tanker named after him
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Major Rama Raghoba Rane born?

26 June 1918

What is Major Rama Raghoba Rane known for?

Army Personnel

What is Major Rama Raghoba Rane’s marital status?

Married

Who is Major Rama Raghoba Rane married to?

Rajeshwari Rane