Meet Colonel Santosh Babu, Indian Army Officer Who Inspired Salman Khan's Role In 'Battle Of Galwan'

Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan is currently grabbing attention for his upcoming war drama film, Battle Of Galwan, directed by Apoorva Lakhia. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on April 17, 2026. For the unversed, the film tells the story of the Galwan Valley war between the Indian and Chinese Army that happened in June 2020. Currently, the film has sparked interest with its song, Maatrubhumi.

However, do you know that Salman Khan's character from the film, Battle Of Galwan is inspired by a real-life Indian Army officer, Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu? For the unversed, he served as the commanding officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment during the Galwan Valley war. However, he took his last breath in June 2020. Later, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra. Amid the buzz around Salman Khan's film, read on to know more about the Army officer.

Who is Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu?

According to a report by Filmibeat, Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu was born on February 13, 1983, in Andhra Pradesh. After his education, he joined the 105th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and later, went to Indian Military Academy in 2004. Over the years, he established himself as a dedicated and respected officer. Reportedly, he even became the Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment.

In June 2020, when tensions were rising between India and China, Colonel Santosh Babu and his battalion were given the responsibility of Galwan Valley. However, on the night of June 15, 2020, a violent war began between the Indian and Chinese Army under extreme high-altitude conditions. It is worth mentioning that soldiers did not use any firearms. Rather they fought with their hands. Colonel Santosh Babu led the war from the front. Even though he got injured in between, he continued to fight till his last breath. Reportedly, Colonel Santosh Babu passed away after falling into freezing water.

Later, Colonel Santosh Babu was posthumously awarded the second-highest military award, Maha Vir Chakra by former President, Ram Nath Gobind. It is worth mentioning that his mother and wife were there to receive the honour. For the unversed, Colonel Santosh Babu was one of the 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the war. In the upcoming film, Salman Khan will be playing the role of 'Colonel Santosh Babu'. In 2020, a senior Army Officer had a conversation with ThePrint and shared:

"It was a rare combination because people who are bold are usually outspoken too. But he was extremely soft-spoken. He was extremely sincere in what he did and never left a stone unturned in completing his tasks. He was a thorough professional who did exceedingly well in various courses."

Colonel Santosh Babu had two children

According to the same report by Filmibeat, Colonel Santosh Babu was married to Santoshi. Reportedly, the two tied the knot in 2009. The couple welcomed two children- one daughter, Abhigana and a son, Anirudh. At the time of Colonel Santosh Babu’s death, his daughter was nine years old whereas Anirudh was only four. It is worth mentioning that a clip is going viral on social media, which features Colonel Santosh Babu’s mother and wife receiving the Maha Vir Chakra. In 2020, Santoshi had a phone call with ThePrint, during which she opened up about her husband. She had shared that when Santosh became a Colonel, he brought a gift for his wife. Santoshi had said:

"He had recently taken command of the area. We have been discussing for a month that the unit will come back to peace and the tensions would normalise in a few weeks. When he came back on leave, he went for multiple trips, to temples and other places. When he became a colonel, he gave me a beautiful gift."

Watch the video here!

More about the film, Battle of Galwan

Battle Of Galwan is one of the most awaited films of 2026, starring Salman Khan. The female lead of the film is Chitrangda Singh. Apart from them, the film also stars Zeyn Shaw, Ankur Bhatia, Vipin Bhardwaj, Prashant Tamang and more. The film, directed by Apoorva Lakhia is all set to hit the silver screen on April 17, 2026. During an interview in July 2025, Salman Khan opened up about his character from the film. Salman Khan was quoted as saying:

"It is physically demanding. Every year, every month, every day it gets more and more difficult. I have to give more time now. Earlier, I would manage it in one or two weeks, but now I’m running, kicking, punching, and doing all that stuff. This film demands that. For instance, in Sikandar, the action was different, the character was different. But this is physically difficult, especially shooting in Ladakh, at high altitudes and in cold water."

What are your thoughts on the life and ultimate sacrifice of Colonel Santosh Babu? Let us know.

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