Major Devender Pal Singh, born in September 1973 in Jagadhari, India, is a retired Indian Army officer and Kargil War veteran, renowned as India’s first blade runner. During the Kargil War on July 15, 1999, he sustained severe injuries from a mortar explosion near the Line of Control in the Akhnoor sector, leading to the amputation of his right leg.

Undeterred by his injuries, Major Singh began running with a prosthetic limb and has since completed 26 half-marathons, including three in high-altitude regions like Leh. His remarkable achievements earned him a place in the Limca Book of Records’ “People of the Year 2016” list. In 2018, he received the National Award for Persons with Disabilities in the Role Model category from the Government of India. The following year, he was honored with the CavinKare Ability Mastery award for his exceptional accomplishments against all odds. Additionally, in 2019, Major Singh became Asia’s first solo skydiver among persons with disabilities.

His inspiring life story is chronicled in the 2019 graphic memoir “Grit: The Major Story,” co-authored with V.R. Ferose and Sriram Jagannathan.