Who Is Major Rishma Sarin? Legal Battle Behind Martyr Major Mohit Sharma Resurfaces Amid Dhurandhar Controversy
The name of martyr Major Mohit Sharma has once again entered public discourse, following controversy surrounding the film Dhurandhar, which his parents initially believed was inspired by their son’s life. While the court later clarified that the film bears no connection to Major Sharma’s story, the episode has reopened attention on a deeply emotional and prolonged legal battle between his parents and his widow over the Indian Army’s Next of Kin (NOK) recognition.
At the centre of this dispute is Lieutenant Colonel Rishma Sarin, an Indian Army officer who not only shared her life with Major Mohit Sharma but also continues to serve in uniform, carrying forward his legacy.
Context: A Martyr’s Story and a Family Divided
Major Mohit Sharma was martyred at the age of 31, leaving behind his wife, two young children, and grieving parents. What followed was not just national recognition of bravery, but a painful dispute over the Army’s NOK policy, which grants full legal and ceremonial rights to the martyr’s spouse.
The controversy resurfaced after Major Sharma’s parents approached the court during the release of Dhurandhar, claiming the film was based on their son. Although the claim was dismissed, it drew attention back to the unresolved emotional conflict surrounding his legacy.
Who Is Major Rishma Sarin?
According to multiple reports, including Bollywoodshaadis and The Times of India, Lieutenant Colonel Rishma Sarin (then Major) is an officer in the Army Service Corps, the same unit her father, Retired Colonel Mohanlal Sarin, once served in.
In 2023, Rishma made history by becoming the first woman officer to serve as an Agniveer Recruiter, marking a significant milestone in the Indian Army’s recruitment process. Colleagues and observers have described her career as a continuation of the values she and her late husband shared.
She and Major Mohit Sharma had two children, whom she continues to raise while serving actively in the Army.
The NOK Legal Battle: Parents vs Widow
Following Major Sharma’s martyrdom, his parents publicly criticised the Army’s NOK rules, arguing that the policy effectively sidelines parents once a soldier is married.
Their grievances included:
- Alleged exclusion from the Ashok Chakra ceremony
- Claims that they were denied access to their son’s uniform, shoes, and personal belongings
- A demand to be recognised as co-NOKs, not for financial gain, but symbolic honour
They insisted their fight was about dignity, remembrance, and recognition, not compensation.
Conflicting Allegations From Both Sides
The dispute escalated into a legal battle in the Supreme Court, with both sides presenting starkly different narratives.
Major Sharma’s parents alleged mistreatment and exclusion, claiming their marginalisation stemmed from tensions with their daughter-in-law, who comes from an Army family herself.
In response, Retired Colonel Mohanlal Sarin strongly denied these allegations. He claimed that his daughter, Major Rishma Sarin, was subjected to emotional distress by her in-laws, stating that she was not even allowed to take photographs of her late husband from their home.
He further alleged that the emotional strain forced her to take a month-long leave from duty and seek psychiatric assistance to cope with the trauma.
Court Ruling on Dhurandhar Controversy
The controversy reached a turning point when the court ruled that Dhurandhar is not based on Major Mohit Sharma’s life, effectively closing the legal challenge related to the film.
While the ruling brought an end to the cinematic dispute, it also inadvertently re-exposed the deeply personal conflict between two families united by loss but divided by grief.
Dhurandhar, Uri and the Viral Fan Theory
Separately, Dhurandhar has sparked a viral fan theory linking it to director Aditya Dhar’s Uri: The Surgical Strike.
Fans noted that in Uri, Kirti Kulhari’s character mentions her martyred husband Jaskirat Singh Rangi. In Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh’s undercover agent Hamza is revealed to be a prisoner with the same name — Jaskirat Singh Rangi — chosen for a high-risk mission.
Despite timeline inconsistencies, the identical name has fuelled speculation of a shared cinematic universe, with comparison videos circulating widely on social media.
About Dhurandhar
Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is a high-octane spy action thriller featuring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan and Rakesh Bedi.
Ranveer plays Hamza, an undercover Indian agent tasked with infiltrating a terrorist network rooted in Karachi’s Lyari underworld. The film draws from real geopolitical events such as the IC-814 hijacking and the 2001 Parliament attack, focusing on dismantling the terror–ISI nexus.
The film has received strong audience response and crossed ₹160 crore globally in its opening weekend.
Analysis: Grief, Legacy and the Cost of Recognition
The resurfacing of Major Mohit Sharma’s story highlights the complex emotional terrain that follows military sacrifice. While laws aim to bring clarity, grief rarely follows legal frameworks. The NOK dispute underscores how honour, memory and recognition can fracture families already burdened by loss.
Conclusion
Though the Dhurandhar controversy has been legally resolved, the story of Major Mohit Sharma, his widow Major Rishma Sarin, and his parents remains a poignant reminder that martyrdom leaves behind not just medals, but unresolved human pain.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople
Behind every decorated martyr lies a family navigating grief in different ways. The case of Major Mohit Sharma reminds us that while the nation honours sacrifice, the emotional cost borne by families often remains unseen — and unresolved.