Major Vivek Jacob was a former officer in the Indian Army’s Special Forces (Para SF) and is known for his extraordinary dedication and commitment to serving his country. He has participated in several combat missions during his tenure in the army and has received numerous accolades and awards for his bravery and valor. After his retirement from the army, he founded C.L.A.W. Global, a social enterprise aimed at providing adventure and outdoor activities to people with disabilities. Major Vivek Jacob’s story is an inspiration to many and serves as a testament to the unwavering spirit of courage and determination that characterizes the men and women of the Indian Armed Forces.
Major Vivek Jacob Biography | Wikipedia
| Real Name | Vivek Jacob |
| Date Of Birth | 17th August |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Light Brown |
| Home town | Kerala |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Food Habit | Non- vegetarian |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | 9 Para SF, 11 Para SF |
| Post Retirement Year | 2017 |
| Service | Indian Army |
| College | National Defence Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA) |
| Educational Qualification | Graduate |
| Profession | Former Special Forces Member |
| Founder | Claw Global , Soul Of Steel |
| Hobbies | Travelling, Listening Music, Boxing, Playing Guitar |
Family Background
Major Vivek Jacob hails from a family with a strong and illustrious military lineage in the Indian Army. His grandfather, father, and three uncles have all served with distinction in this esteemed institution, embodying a deep sense of patriotism and a steadfast commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty. Their collective legacy is a testament to the values and ethos of the Indian Army, and stands as a shining example of the selflessness and courage that characterizes its members.
Early Life
He was born on 17 august. and he was the youngest among his two brothers. His father was stationed in field areas throughout his career in the Indian Army, which resulted in limited opportunities for the two to spend time together during his childhood. His upbringing was marked by his parents’ divorce during his childhood and he was entrusted to the custody of his mother. The separation of his parents likely presented significant emotional and financial challenges for the family. Indeed, the financial situation was particularly dire, with limited resources available to purchase even basic necessities like food.
Following his completion of 12th grade, Major Vivek Jacob began to feel a strong sense of responsibility to provide for himself and his mother, and recognized the need to earn money by any means necessary in order to ensure their well-being. He determined that pursuing a career in Marine Engineering would provide him with an opportunity to improve his economic circumstances while fulfilling his aspiration of traveling the world. However, in 1997, the cost of the Marine Engineering course was prohibitively expensive(around 5 lakh rupees), preventing him from enrolling. Although he considered joining the merchant navy as an alternative but he didn’t have a 6*6 eye sight, precluded him from pursuing this career path.
Preparation For NDA(National Defence Academy)
At one point, Major Vivek Jacob lacked interest in his studies, which caused his mother to express concern. However, when his pursuit of a career in the merchant navy was thwarted by his eyesight, he dedicated himself to preparing for the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance exam, studying tirelessly day and night. His mother was pleasantly surprised by his newfound motivation and commitment to his education.
Major Vivek Jacob attempted to join the National Defence Academy (NDA) on multiple occasions. In his first attempt, he did not clear the written exam, and in the second attempt, although he passed the written exam, he was not selected after the Service Selection Board (SSB) evaluation. However, he persevered and made a third attempt, which proved successful. He cleared the written exam, the SSB, and the medical evaluation, and was finally able to join the NDA.
Life At NDA(National Defence Academy)
In June 1997, Major Vivek Jacob joined the 100th course of National Defence Academy (NDA) to begin his journey towards serving in the armed forces.
initially, Major Jacob found the academy very challenging . At that time, the Indian Government used to incur a daily expenditure of ₹5000 on each cadet, and if any cadet left the course midway, then the cadet would have to return the amount spent on him to the government. Initially, Major Vivek Jacob had a strong desire to leave the National Defense Academy, but when he calculated the amount his parents would have to pay (₹30000) if he left, which they could not afford, he decided to complete his training at the academy.
After joining the National Defence Academy everything went well for a few days but one day Major Vivek Jacob and his fellow cadets were surprised by a sudden announcement of a treat in the tea room. They gathered excitedly to enjoy some cold coffee and cake. However, their enjoyment was short-lived when their instructor arrived and was angered by their disobedience and lack of discipline. As a punishment, the cadets were made to stand on their heads, with their legs at a 90-degree angle above the ground.
in Academy there are two sports which are very prestigious one is cross country and other is boxing. He had a decent exposure to boxing from class fifth. He played boxing till the district level while in school and won medals. During the second term of his training at the National Defence Academy, boxing was introduced and the Fox Shot Squad was forming its team. It was during this time that a team member of the Fox Shot Squad observed Major Vivek Jacob’s boxing skills and was greatly impressed. Vivek Jacob’s remarkable performance led to his inclusion in the team. In his first boxing match, he defeated a medalist and who was also a six-stomer emerged as the only medalist in his squad, thereby elevating his status within the National Defence Academy. Following his impressive performance in the boxing squad, Major Vivek Jacob was appointed as the captain of the team.
Prior to the passing out parade(POP), Major Vivek Jacob had an unusual incident involving a junior cadet named Mustafa, who hailed from Palestine . On a dinner night, two weeks prior to the passing out parade, a heated argument broke out between Major Vivek Jacob and his junior, Mustafa, who was a national wrestler from Palestine. Mustafa’s ego issues led to the altercation, and in the heat of the moment, Vivek Jacob punched him, resulting in Mustafa losing a tooth. Fearing a complaint to the embassy and subsequent inquiry, Vivek Jacob and his coursemates approached Mustafa’s cabin to resolve the issue. However, Mustafa resorted to abusive language, and Vivek Jacob punched him again, this time breaking his nose. Mustafa lodged a complaint with the Palestine Embassy, and the court of inquiry was initiated against Major Vivek Jacob, led by a naval officer. Vivek Jacob’s mother had also arrived for the passing out parade, unaware of the incident. When Major Vivek Jacob’s mother arrived at the academy to meet him, she noticed that he was wearing a different uniform from the other cadets. Curious, she asked him why he was not wearing the standard blue uniform like the other cadets. Vivek Jacob replied that he was wearing a special uniform as he was a distinguished cadet. However, in reality, he was actually wearing the uniform as a punishment.After the court of inquiry was conducted, it was decided that Major Vivek Jacob would not be dismissed from the academy. However, he was given a punishment of 14 days of restrictions and had to stay back in the academy even after passing out. During this time, he had to undergo three restrictions every day. Following the incident, the Palestine government imposed a lifetime ban on Major Vivek Jacob, prohibiting him from visiting Palestine.
Meanwhile, one of his course mates had his parents come to attend the passing out parade, but unfortunately, his father passed away during the event. Fortunately, Vivek Jacob was there for his course mate and helped him through the tough time. In a subsequent interview, Vivek Jacob reflected that it was good for him that he was able to be with his course mate until the last rites of his father.
During the second term of his training at the National Defence Academy, Major Vivek Jacob unfortunately suffered a bike accident that resulted in a broken leg. As a result of the injury, he had to take a six-month period of bed rest to allow for proper healing. This incident caused him to take a break from his training and delayed his training period. Eventually, he was able to continue his training and passed out in the 101st course, a testament to his determination and resilience.
Para SF (Para Special Forces)
Probation Period
Initially, Major Vivek Jacob was unaware of the existence of the special forces. It was during his sixth term of training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun when his Directing Staff (DS) came for a visit that he caught a glimpse of the DS and was immediately impressed with his personality. This encounter led him to learn about the special forces and eventually decide to join them. As per the custom in the final term at the Indian Military Academy, cadets are given the option to choose their arms, including Ordnance, Artillery, Engineering Signals, and Special Forces. Major Vivek Jacob chose to join the 9 Para Special Forces unit and went through the rigorous probation process to become a part of the elite group.
During his initial months of joining the Para SF, Major Vivek Jacob underwent a rigorous probation period of 6 months. It is worth noting that, during that period, only the 9 Para SF battalion had a probation period of six months, whereas the other battalions had a probation period of only three months.
The first two and a half months of the probation period were quite challenging for Major Vivek Jacob, as he was the only officer doing probation during that time. The battalion had a reputation for being a “ghost battalion,” and it was commonly believed that only legends resided there. Despite the initial doubts, Major Vivek Jacob persevered through the rigorous training, which included advanced medical techniques, signal operations, weapons training, and theoretical studies. Throughout his probation period, he underwent intense physical and mental torture, including exams and other tests, all designed to push him to his limits.
During the probation period, Vivek Jacob had to report in the Officer’s Mess after 7 pm, where he was grilled by all the officers who wanted to select the best among them to join them in combat. Although the officers asked him general knowledge questions, Vivek Jacob’s knowledge in that area was very poor, which made the officers constantly ask him questions during meal times. The pressure to answer these questions left Vivek Jacob mentally broken, as he was not able to answer most of them. The officers would then go on to tease and torture him, telling him that he was not fit for the role and should not have been selected as an officer.
During his probation period in 9 Para SF, Major Vivek Jacob faced daily punishment for not answering general knowledge questions asked by senior officers in the Officer’s Mess. As a result, he was given a 30-minute guard check punishment every day, which involved going around the entire battalion every 30 minutes before his 4:45 am PT (Physical Training) and taking signatures of all guard posts. Despite having only 10 minutes of spare time between rounds, he had to write a book review and sleep for 5 minutes, as well as participate in the morning speed march and come ahead of the soldiers, as he was an officer. He was warned that failing to come in any position other than first in the morning speed march would result in him being put out of probation. Despite facing numerous challenges during his probation period, Major Vivek Jacob continued to evolve and improve. He came up with a solution to efficiently complete his guard check duty by doing two rounds at once, allowing him to have more time to complete other tasks such as writing book reviews and getting some rest. His dedication and hard work did not go unnoticed, and even his fellow probationary soldiers began to admire him.
First Combat Experience
After completing his rigorous probation period, Major Vivek Jacob was deployed for his first combat mission. He was initially tasked with a radio set to observe the operation from behind a rock in the mountains. However, Major Jacob had a strong desire to participate in the operation and made this clear to his commanding officer. Despite the initial task assigned to him, Major Jacob voluntarily joined the combat mission. Major Vivek Jacob served in the 9 Para Special Forces battalion, where soldiers are required to complete a mission successfully without any casualties and kill at least one enemy in order to earn the prestigious Balidan Badge. This badge is a symbol of the soldier’s dedication and bravery in carrying out dangerous missions with the utmost professionalism and commitment to the cause. The standards for earning this badge are high, and only those who demonstrate exceptional skills and courage in combat are eligible to wear it. Major Vivek Jacob successfully completed his first operation with the 9 Para SF Battalion by killing an enemy and ensuring the mission was successful. Although his commanding officer forgot to wear him the Balidan badge, he himself started wearing the Balidan badge after 2 years.
Para Basic Training
After serving in combat missions for almost a year and eight months, Major Vivek Jacob returned to his base where a conference was taking place. During this conference, his commanding officer became aware of the fact that Vivek Jacob had not taken leave after completing para basic training. When asked about it, Vivek Jacob explained that he had not undergone any para basic training and was instead sent directly to Agra for it. During the training, he discovered that all the parachute systems were extremely old and in a poor state of repair, leading to many deaths and injuries. Major Vivek Jacob himself had three accidents during free fall jumps, including the first jump, fourth jump, and eleventh jump. As a result of this experience, he raised a red flag to his superiors, warning them that if they didn’t stop using these dangerous systems, they would be responsible for the loss of life and limb.
In the first 2 accidents, his main parachute had exploded and in his third i.e. 11th free fall, Major Vivek Jacob encountered a life-threatening situation as his parachute handle got stuck and he lost consciousness. After regaining consciousness, he found that his parachute was semi-deployed and he was at an altitude of less than 2000 feet. He tried to deploy his parachute but he was about to land 2 km outside the drop zone. He saw a high transmission wire in front of him and he was approaching towards it. At that time his parachute was semi deployed. If he tried to open it, he would have directly hit the transmission wire. He raised his leg and his parachute passed over the high transmission wire and he landed near a nearby well and lay there for 20 minutes in an unconscious condition. He had a severe spine injury in this incident.
after two years he couldn’t jump he spent some more time in hospitals and there was a lot of fear inside him because After this incident, he started getting scared of heights. He took five lakhs loan from Punjab National Bank and he went to Thailand and he started jumping again.
Retirement From The Army
during 14 years of continuous work in special forces, Through his extensive participation in combat missions, Major Jacob developed a level of resilience that rendered him impervious to the fear of death. He also notes that he has encountered instances where his entire life has seemingly flashed before his eyes in a second. This phenomenon typically occurs when one is in close proximity to death. Once he returned home after his operation tenure, he kept thinking for 6 months that now he does not have to go on any more missions and shed blood. One day suddenly he thought that now he should stop in life and after that he completely changed his personal life and professional life. He was like an ace to his commanding officer. After taking his decision, he met his commanding officer one day and he told his decision to him. the commanding officer not only respected Major Jacob’s choice, but also offered him a beer. When asked about his future plans, Major Jacob stated that he had no set course of action and would simply proceed with preparing his retirement papers and leaving the army. He wrote his resignation letter on his birthday.
Following his decision to retire from the military, Major Vivek Jacob composed a letter to his commanding officer wherein he expressed his desire to donate the salary he would have received post-retirement. He acknowledged that he would no longer be able to participate in combat and therefore did not deem it appropriate to accept payment for his services. Instead, he proposed that the salary be contributed towards the Martyrs Fund on a monthly basis, in order to provide support for the families and children of soldiers who had been martyred in the Special Forces.
Claw Global
In 2015, Major Vivek Jacob’s life took a dramatic turn when his parachute malfunctioned during a Combat Skydive, resulting in a spinal cord injury. However, fate had something special in store for him during his recovery at a military hospital. It was there that he formed an enduring bond of friendship with Flight Lieutenant Bhaduria, an Airforce officer who had been permanently paralysed in a freak accident. One day, Flt Lt Bhaduria, rolled up to Major Jacob’s bed and asked him if he could SCUBA Dive despite being waist down paralysed. In a moment of inspiration, Major Jacob made a promise to help his friend realise this dream, which planted the seed of what was to become his life’s calling. His experience ignited a new purpose and the birth of C.L.A.W Global and its flagship program, Operation Blue Freedom, which empowers people with disabilities to rediscover their strength and resilience through adventure sports. He founded Claw Global, which stands for Conquer Air, Land, and Water. The aim of the organization was to provide a platform for people who aspired to take on challenging adventures such as scuba diving, skydiving, and other such activities. Through Claw Global, Vivek Jacob wanted to inspire people to conquer their fears and push their limits.
Major Vivek Jacob’s determination to serve those in need did not end with his retirement from the army. Rather, he brought together a group of like-minded individuals, former members of SF Teams and MARCOS, to establish C.L.A.W (Conquer Land, Air and Water). This team of veterans united their skills and passion to empower people with disabilities, and in January 2019, C.L.A.W was born. Not content with just this, in February 2019, Team C.L.A.W launched ‘Operation Blue Freedom’, a powerful movement aimed at showcasing the extraordinary spirit and potential of individuals with disabilities. It is a testament to Major Jacob’s unwavering commitment to service and the well-being of all, that he and his team have created a platform where people with disabilities can thrive and excel.
Soul Of Steel
On January 14, 2023, the Soul of Steel – Himalayan Challenge was officially launched in Dehradun by the Hon’ble Defence Minister of India, Shri Rajnath Singh. This highly anticipated event marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the world of adventure sports, as participants from all over the country prepared to take on the rugged terrain of the Himalayas. With the support of the government and enthusiastic participants, the Soul of Steel – Himalayan Challenge promises to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience for all involved.
Family
| Father Name | Col. Mathew Jacob |
- Maj. Vivek Jacob’s father Col. Mathew Jacob(VSM) was also from 9 Para. he commanded 29 Assam rifles in the Northeast, He was one hell of an officer!
Personal Life | Wife | Son
Major Vivek Jacob was confronted with a difficult situation after his marriage when he discovered that his spouse was afflicted with a challenging autoimmune disease known as Lupus. Despite receiving an initial diagnosis and relying on steroid therapy for survival, Major Jacob resolved to explore all potential avenues for the treatment of this debilitating illness.
Through extensive online research, Major Jacob learned that rare diseases such as Lupus often have limited treatment options due to the significant financial burden associated with developing medications. Pharmaceutical companies may not invest in research and development for such conditions as the associated costs are substantial, and the potential return on investment may be uncertain. This unfortunate reality has resulted in the limited availability of medications for many rare diseases, which are often prohibitively expensive for the affected individuals and their families.
Some Interesting Facts About Major Vivek Jacob
- Major Vivek Jacob is a Malayali and grew up in North India. His childhood was spent in boarding school and he completed his schooling from Delhi.
- He harbored a desire to travel the world, yet recognized the economic constraints of his family’s circumstances. To pursue his dreams while ensuring financial stability for himself and his mother, he made the decision to earn money after completing his 12th grade studies.
- Major Vivek Jacob has served in para sf battalion continuously for 14 years.
- He initially did not want to join the Army but wanted to join Marine Engineering or Merchant Navy.
- When he took retirement from the army, only 90000 thousand rupees were left in his bank account.
- Major Vivek Jacob wrote his resignation letter on his birthday.
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