Commissioned into the Army, Armd Corps. Sunil was from Sainik School, Satara. We lost him early while in Service in a bike accident. His boxing bouts are a part of NDA folklore.

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Sunil was from Sainik School, Satara and joined Echo, 56 NDA. Jayant Khadilkar remembers him being school type and house type. Sunil was selected to represent the School in the Junior Division NCC Contingent of the Republic Day Parade 1975. He went on to be appointed as the House Captain of their House (Tilak House) at school. Sunil was a very good sportsman and packed quite a powerful punch in his tiny frame. 

AKG Kale recollects that once during a midterm break all punishment types were having a smoke in Sunil’s cabin. Suddenly Dy Comdt Dogra opens the door to show the cabin to one of the foreign delegations visiting NDA and closed it as fast as he opened it seeing the smoke bellowing out. Luckily he didn't get punished for it.

Many of our course mates remember him as a tough and great boxer. Sunil Dhir had observed that Mahakal had gained weight to fight two weights higher. David remembers Mahakal advancing to that iconic bout with a series of knockouts...and in the first round Swami went down on one knee for a count...before coming back very strongly...continuous left jab?? Swaminathan says that If he could turn the wheels of time, he would gladly lose to him just to meet him again. Misses him lots, and remembers the punch that stung real bad. First round was Sunil’s by a long distance. Don’t really know how Swami survived that. During the breather after the First, Swami realised that he had to lower himself to his height and use straight left -right combos only. It just happened to work. That's it. Would gladly lose to him by a Ten Count Knock Out just to be able to meet him again. Nandu Koregaonkar, VP Singh, Satyanarayana still remember the bout with Swamy... the euphoria of these bouts electrifying the Academy atmosphere after the classes got over! The rivalry carried on in the class as well, being from same class. On the day of their bout Echo squadron mates shouted their guts out "Echo" "Echo".... Encouraging their "Shivaji" from Satara who had a great disadvantage of reach against Swami. The valiant effort of Mahakal is fondly remembered by his opponent Swami...  A non-boxer like Satyanarayana from E 56 could remember the true efforts of Mahakal after all these years speaks volumes about him and Swami’s appreciation is a great tribute.

Sunil was commissioned into the 18 Cavalry, joined his unit in Babina. NP Singh who was also at Babina, recalls Sunil being very fond of his drinking sessions in the Officers Mess Bar. One evening while on a course at ACC&S, Ahmednagar, Mahakal turned 'Michael' with one too many to drink rammed head-on on a Khooni Bridge( so it was) into a civil jeep with his fancy light blue Yezdi and smashed his head on the wind-screen... and dear Michael was no more. His boxing bouts are a part of NDA folklore. 

🙏May his soul rest in peace🙏