Major Adhikari was born in Almora and grew up in Nainital. He completed his schooling at St. Joseph's College in 1987, his Intermediate education at Government Inter College, Nainital, and earned his B.Sc. degree from Kumaon University in 1992. He then attended the Indian Military Academy, one of India's top military institutions. Major Rajesh Singh was commissioned into the Indian Army on 11 December 1993 after graduating from the Academy. Upon completion of his training, he was assigned to the 2 Mech. Infantry. During the Kargil War, he was serving with the 18 Grenadiers. Major was martyred in the Kargil War 1999 & When Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari’s body was returned to his family, his parents were devastated and in tears. However, his wife stood silently, gazing at his body. As she touched him one final time, she found the letter she had sent him. Overcome with emotion, she broke down in loud sobs. Reporters nearby, noticing her sudden collapse, asked why she was crying after standing so strong up until that point. In response, she shared that her husband had written to her a week earlier, explaining that he was being deployed to the heights of Kargil and was uncertain if he would return. In the letter, he had asked her that if he didn’t make it back, she should take their unborn child to Kargil and show them where their father had fought.
His wife was carrying their child when she lost her husband. In her reply to his letter, she had written, “It doesn’t matter whether we have a baby girl or boy. If you return, I will be overjoyed; if you don’t, I will be proud to be a martyr’s wife. But I promise you, through this letter, that I will not only show them Kargil, but I will also make sure they grow up to be a soldier like you.” She broke down again, saying, “I wish he had read my reply before going to the battlefield. He would have felt comforted by it.”