Colonel Anurag Upadhyay, a former Indian Army officer and Para Special Forces veteran, is seeking specialised medical and rehabilitation support after a severe stroke left him with locked-in syndrome.
Upadhyay, who scored in the 99th percentile in the Common Admission Test (CAT), could have pursued a career in the corporate sector but instead chose to join the Indian Army. He later volunteered for the elite Special Forces and completed his probation with 3 PARA (SF). He was also part of the raising team of 12 PARA (SF), according to a report by The Times of India.
His military career was marked by resilience. After suffering a heart attack in 2008, he continued his service and eventually returned to active duty.
Severe stroke causes locked-in syndrome
In August 2025, Upadhyay suffered a severe posterior circulation stroke that caused extensive neurological damage. The condition resulted in locked-in syndrome, in which a person remains conscious and cognitively aware but has extremely limited voluntary movement and ability to speak.
Despite the severity of his condition, Upadhyay continues to communicate. According to the public appeal, he conveys complete thoughts through eye movements using an alphabet-based scanning system.
His medical complications later resulted in both legs being amputated below the knee.
Family seeks specialised rehabilitation support
Now, his family is seeking access to specialists and rehabilitation programmes that could help him achieve greater independence and explore further avenues of recovery. Entrepreneur Shradha Sharma has also shared an appeal seeking connections with neurologists, neuro-rehabilitation experts familiar with locked-in syndrome and similar neurological conditions, as well as specialised rehabilitation centres in India and abroad.
The family is also looking for experts working on assistive technologies, including brain-computer interfaces, eye-tracking systems and alternative communication devices that could improve Upadhyay’s ability to interact with the world around him.
Appeal focuses on independence
The appeal stresses that the family is not seeking sympathy, but is determined to explore credible options that could help Upadhyay regain as much independence and functionality as possible.
Public reports about his current condition and service history are based largely on the family’s appeal and related social media posts, and some details have not been independently verified by The Free Press Journal.
