On the 16 July 1988, a mobile patrol consisting of one Junior Commissioned Officer and 15 Other Ranks was sent out to area Pannakam and Tolpurarn/Chulipuram in Sril Lanka to kill and apprehend a group of armed militants reported to have been seen in that area. When the patrol reached near Victor College Tolpuram, it came under heavy fire from the militants and almost half of the patrol party, including the patrol leader, was seriously injured. Havlldar A. Shanmuga Sundaram immediately assumed the duties of the patrol leader and ordered his colleagues to jump out of the vehicles and start firing at the militants. The Non Commtssioned Officer himself took up appropriate fire position in the varandah of a shop and started engaging the militants effectively. Despite serious injuries and in total disregard for his life, he charged single handedly at the advancing militants while continuing to fire from the hip In this most daring act and against overwhelming odds he lulled one of the militants who was later identified as the Area Commander of Tolpuram. Motivated and inspired by his personal example, the other members of the patrol also got up and charged at the militants. The rest of militants then fled from the scene.

Havildar Shanmuga Sundaram, thus, displayed conspicuous courage and valour in action against the militants.