Col Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), the Indian national who was working with the United Nations (UN) as a security service coordinator, was killed after the vehicle he was travelling in came under attack in Gaza’s Rafah region. Col Kale’s killing marks the UN’s first international casualty since the Israel-Hamas conflict began last year. 

The UN and Israel have both called for investigations into the incident. Col Kale, who retired from the Indian Army in 2022, is survived by his wife Amruta and two teenage children, son Vedant and daughter Radhika.  

Here are some facts about Col Waibhav Anil Kale

1. Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, spent over two decades in the armed forces. He came from a family dedicated to military service, with his brother, Group Captain Vishal Kale, serving in the Indian Air Force, his cousin Colonel Amey Kale in the army, and his brother-in-law, Wing Commander Prasant Karde (Retd). 

2. Col Kale was from Nagpur and he studied at the Somalwar high school. He later got a BA degree in Humanities from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, before getting a Diploma of Education in Senior Defense Management from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore, as per his LinkedIn. 

3. In 2009, he completed a Certificate Program in International Humanitarian Law from the International Red Cross. In 2012, he finished another Certificate Program in Behavioural Science from the Indian Institute of National Integration. 

4. Col Waibhav Anil Kale joined the Indian Army in 1998. He commanded the 11 JAK Rifles in Kashmir, served as an instructor at the army’s Infantry School in Mhow, operated in the northeast and the Siachen glacier, and actively engaged in counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations. He held various positions, including Battalion Commander and Rifle Company Commander, in the Indian Army. Col Kale retired from the Army permanently in 2022.  

5. While in the Army, Col Kale served as a Contingent Chief Security Officer with the United Nations from 2009 to 2010. Just 5-6 weeks ago, he joined the UNDSS, this time as a Security Coordination Officer, officials said.