| 1. A significant moment in his career was during a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone where he led his unit through a challenging 75-day standoff against rebels. |
| 2. Punia made headlines for controlling a large agitation in 2017 related to a controversial figure. |
| 3. He achieved recognition for leading the Republic Day Parade in 2018, a noteworthy turn in his earlier experiences in school where he was rejected for the same role. |
| 4. He co-authored a book titled 'Operation Khukri' with his daughter, released in 2021, and followed it up with another publication, 'A Soldier Speaks: Dil Se', in 2022. |
| 5. Randeep Hooda acquired the film rights to his book in May 2025, indicating potential film adaptations. |
| 6. He is a pet lover and owns a dog named Noddy. |
| 7. During a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone, he led Operation Khukri where rebels surrounded him and 233 soldiers for 75 days. Despite the standoff, his unit attacked the rebels and walked out of the jungle with only 1 casualty. |
| 8. He co-authored a book titled 'Operation Khukri: The True Story Behind Indian Army's Most Successful Mission as Part of the United Nations' with his daughter Damini Punia, and followed it up with another publication, 'A Soldier Speaks: Dil Se', in 2022. |
| 9. His daughter Damini Punia is the official commentator at Rajpath for India's Republic Day Parade and is married to an engineer group officer. |
| 10. He attended the National Defence College course in Thailand and the United Nations Senior Mission Leaders course in Japan. |
| 11. He was only 10 years old when he decided to join the Indian Army. |
