Lt. Col Hemant Raj becomes a superhero for Kerala, from floods to Babu's rescue in the Cheradu Hills

Lt. Col. Hemant Raj was also among the soldiers dispatched to Kerala to assist with flood relief efforts. Years after the deluge, he captivated Keralites' hearts once more when he led the army squad that rescued the youth stuck in the Cheradu Koormbachi hills in Malampuzha on Wednesday.

Babu, a 23-year-old youth, was safely hauled from the cleft on the hills and hospitalised after an hour-long rescue operation. Hemant Raj did not abandon the young man even after rescuing him. This soldier is said to be caring for Babu at the Palakkad district hospital. He was also part of the 14-man rescue squad that was sent out after the Coonoor Chopper crash, which claimed the lives of 14 persons, including Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.

Hemant Raj, the Indian army's Madras regiment's trainer in Ootty, has become a celebrity after participating in numerous rescue operations.

He was at the forefront of the rescue operations in Chengannur and Alappuzha after the state was destroyed by floods in 2018. He was awarded the President's medal for exceptional service in 2019 for his outstanding service. When a big landslide destroyed Kavalappara the next year, Hemant Raj and his team returned to Kerala.

Hemant Raj led the Madras regiment at the Republic Day parade in Chennai in 2021. He is one of the few Keralites who has been given this privilege.

As ordered by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a 9-man army team commanded by Hemant arrived in Malampuzha to rescue the youth from the hills. After bringing a few indigenous with them, the soldiers ascended the hills. Hemant and his crew successfully fulfilled the task by persuading the populace to trust the army.

Hemant is the son of retired excise inspector TK Rajappan and CS Lathika Bhai, both of Ettumanoor. His wife, Dr. Theertha, a Payyoli native, runs a dentistry clinic in Ettumanoor's Thavalakuzhi. Ayaan is the couple's kid.

Many individuals are paying Hemant's family visits to express their gratitude for his efforts in the campaign to save the youth. Over the phone, Union minister V Muraleedharan and minister VN Vasavan congratulated Hemant.