Days after Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar hit theatres on December 5, the spotlight has shifted to the real-life hero many believe inspired the film: Major Mohit Sharma. The conversation intensified when the late officer’s parents approached the court, claiming the film was based on their son’s life. Although director Aditya Dhar denied this and the High Court dismissed the plea, the controversy has drawn public attention to Major Sharma’s widow, Lieutenant Colonel Rishma Sarin.
Who is Rishma Sarin?
Born in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, Rishma Sarin comes from a family steeped in military service. Her father, Mohan Lal Sareen, is a retired Colonel and her brother also serves as a colonel in an artillery regiment. Rishma is a lieutenant colonel in the Indian Army, having joined the Army Service Corps in 2001. In 2023, she made history by becoming the first female officer to serve as an Agniveer recruiter.
She and Major Mohit Sharma shared two children. Following his death, the Army recognised her as the ‘next of kin,’ which later became the centre of a family dispute.
Old wounds reopen
The renewed attention has resurfaced the rift between Rishma and her in-laws. In 2010, Major Sharma’s parents claimed the next-of-kin rules gave full rights to the widow, leaving them without recognition. They alleged they weren’t invited to receive the Ashok Chakra, got their Republic Day passes just a day before the ceremony and were denied access to his uniforms and belongings.
Rishma’s family, however, said she went through severe emotional trauma after her husband’s death. Her father stated she took a month-long leave and needed psychiatric help to cope, especially due to the tensions with her in-laws.
As Dhurandhar revives national interest in Major Mohit Sharma’s extraordinary life, it has also brought renewed focus on Rishma Sarin, her career, her struggles and her place at the heart of the late officer’s legacy.
