In a moving tribute to the Indian armed forces, an Ayodhya couple have named their newborn son ‘Sindoor’ after Operation Sindoor, the military action carried out by India on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. The symbolic gesture reflects the emotional impact the operation has had on citizens across the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the Hindustan Times, Soni Kanojia, a resident of Palia Shahbadi village in Ayodhya district, gave birth to a healthy baby boy on May 7—the same day Indian security forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror infrastructures across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation came in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

Rahul Kanojia, the baby’s father, said the courage of the Indian armed forces deeply moved him and his wife. “I was moved by the courage shown by our forces during Operation Sindoor, which avenged the martyrdom of innocent civilians in Pahalgam,” he said. “We decided to name our son Sindoor in honour of their sacrifice. I want him to grow up and serve the nation in uniform.”

Meera Gautam, a staff nurse at the Ayodhya district hospital’s Ayushman Ward, confirmed that five babies were born on May 7, and among them was the Kanojias’ son—whose name has drawn widespread attention and admiration.

Operation Sindoor has sparked strong emotional resonance throughout Uttar Pradesh, especially in areas like Kushinagar. In a remarkable show of solidarity, 17 baby girls born on May 10 and 11 in Kushinagar were named ‘Sindoor’ by their families as a tribute to the operation and the military’s swift action.

One such parent, Archana Shahi, who lost a relative in the Pahalgam attack, said, “Operation Sindoor is not just a name, it’s an emotion. So many women were widowed that day. Naming our daughter Sindoor is our way of honoring the bravery of our forces and the memory of those we lost.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Adampur Air Base near Jalandhar in Punjab on Tuesday, also referenced Operation Sindoor. Addressing the personnel, he emphasised that the operation was not an ordinary military move but a demonstration of India’s strength and decisiveness. “Through Operation Sindoor, the whole world saw India’s resolve turn into action,” PM Modi said.

The prime minister hailed the military for humbling Pakistan in the four-day clash that resulted in the destruction of nine terrorist camps across six cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.