Rukhsana Kausar

Who is Rukhsana Kausar?

Rukhsana Kausar is a Pahari Gujjar woman from Upper Kalsi known for the 2009 shooting of a LeT militant at her home, in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. She was born to Noor Hussain and Rashida Begum. A Class 10 dropout, she has been awarded the India National Bravery Award, for the killing of a Laskar-E-Taiba militant leader at her residence, using an axe and AK47 rifle. She has a younger brother, Aijaz, who helped her chase other militants and contact the police afterward.

Rukhsana Kausar had been abducted in July 2009, about 2 months earlier, and the home-invasion incident was considered in relation to that kidnapping. The family was moved to high-security government housing, and later attacks have been thwarted. She and her brother have received several major awards for their actions, and both declined offers to join the local police force.