Mangaloreans can be proud now as another such moment added to the list, fellow Mangalurean Major Neil Silas Lobo was honoured with the distinguished Sena Medal during the Army Day Parade in New Delhi.
Major Neil is one among the 15 Army personnel who were bestowed with the Sena medals and were awarded to the army for gallantry in combat operations on Army Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 13.
A member of the 8th Light Cavalry and seconded to the Rashtriya Rifles, he was commended for his gallantry during the cordoning operations in Jammu and Kashmir on October 19, 2020. His citation notes that during heavy and indiscriminate firing by the militants, the Major crawled into the terrorists’ area and killed two of them. He is said to have had a battle at close range with the militants who were trying to flee. Major Neil was born on July 7, 1990, to a former professor and Bajal parishioner Leo Lobo and teacher Matilda Fernandes of Neermarga parish. He has a sibling Chrisma Aquiline who is currently settled in the US. Neil is married to Shriya Sikchi and is a father of 11-month-old boy Nathan Caleb Lobo.
Major Neil’s educational journey has been through St Anthony School, Good Shepherd Convent, St Joseph’s Boys’ High School, St Joseph’s PU College (PCME) and BBM at St Joseph’s Commerce College and he landed in Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. As a student, he was an active member of AICUF, Church Youth Club and was in the choir too. An excellent sportsman, he is good at hockey, football, cricket and track events and plays for his Army Unit.
Neil was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 8th Light Cavalry, Armoured Corps on December 13, 2014. He was promoted to Captain in December 2016. In 2019, he was posted to Rashtriya Rifles in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir. Neil believes in service more than just uttering prayers.
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