Manoranjan Kumar was born in Jamshedpur district of Jharkhand. He did his schooling from wherever his father, Subedar Naveen Kumar was posted. Good in academics, he had scored 91% and 89% in class X, XII respectively.
Keen to serve the armed forces like his father who was with the Armoured Corps, Manoranjan joined the Indian Navy after finishing his high school from Army Public School, Bareilly. He then underwent training in electronics engineering in Goa and Lonavala in Maharashtra. By 2014, he had been promoted to the rank of Lt Cdr and had been trained as a diver.
He joined INS (Indian Naval Ship) Sindhuratna in January 2012 and was appointed as Watch-Keeping Officer (Electrical), Diving Officer and Officer-in-Charge of third compartment. While Kilo-class submarines like INS Sindhuratna had an average life of 30 years, the Navy had carried out several refits to increase the aging vessel’s life. INS Sindhuratna had undergone the last refit between May- Dec-2013. On 25 Feb 2014, with a crew of 94 personnel embarked onboard, INS Sindhuratna sailed for sea examination post completion of refit.
On 26 February at about 05.30am, when INS Sindhuratna was 80 kms off Mumbai coast, excessive build-up of smoke was reported in the third compartment that housed one-half of the submarine’s main batteries. Manoranjan Kumar with his colleague, Lt Cdr Kapish Singh who was functioning as Deputy Electrical Officer, immediately swung into action. They mobilised personnel to take all possible measures in dealing with the emergency.
As the temperature in the compartment increased due to heat and visibility reduced, both officers continued to fight the emergency. At one stage, when they realised the conditions for human survival in the vicinity of damage had deteriorated, they immediately ordered the evacuation of the damage control team comprising 13 personnel. The commanding officer ordered the submarine to surface. Four separate parties were sent down to compartment 3, but were forced to retreat.
The electric mains were switched off as a precaution and the rescue teams had to work in total darkness. Message was sent to Command HQ for help and a helicopter arrived within an hour and evacuated seven personnel. A naval fast attack craft evacuated more sailors. Manoranjan and his colleague not only fought fire, they also provided vital inputs to the Command Post on the status of damage control. This action contained the damage and prevented the fire spreading to the battery compartment, obviating the dangerous possibility of damage to the entire submarine. Despite breathing difficulty, both officers continued pushing the crew to safety. Manoranjan Kumar and Kapish Singh got exposed to toxic gases for prolonged period that proved fatal.
There was a row that the batteries were too old and red tape had slowed the procurement of critical safety equipment. Investigations established the fire was not caused by batteries. Taking moral responsibility, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral D K Joshi resigned.
On 15 August 2014, Manoranjan Kumar was decorated with Shaurya Chakra for exceptional courage, camaraderie, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice. He kept the safety of the submarine and personnel above his own. His act of bravery and courage was beyond the call of duty and in keeping with the traditions of Indian Navy.
Kumar`s body was received with a guard of honour at the Ranchi airport before being taken to his family home in Jamshedpur. His father Subedar Naveen Kumar, his two uncles, and his younger brother Sumant, a student of class XII flew from Mumbai to Ranchi with his body. They were accompanied by seven of Manoranjan’s course-mates from the Navy. Jharkhand’s first chief minister and leader of Jharkhand Vikas Prajatantrik Shri Babulal Marandi, Jamshedpur MP Dr. Ajoy Kumar and officials from the Governor’s office also reached the airport.
Lt Cdr Manoranjan Kumar is survived by his parents Subedar Naveen Kumar, mother Smt. Rukmini Devi and brother Sumant.