Acharya graduated from the Officers Training Academy, Madras in 1993 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 2nd battalion, The Rajputana Rifles (2 Raj Rif).

[4]The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra reads as follows:[5] Gazette Notification: 17 Pres/2000,15.8.99 Operation: Op Vijay - Kargil Date of Award: 15 Aug 1999

On 28 June 1999, Major Padmapani Acharya as a Company Commander, was assigned the formidable task of capturing an enemy position which was heavily fortified, strongly held and covered with mines and sweeping machine gun and artillery fire.

However the company attack almost faltered at the very beginning when the enemy's artillery fire came down squarely on the leading platoon, inflicting large numbers of casualties.

With utter disregard to his personal safely, Major Acharya took the reserve platoon of his company and led it through raining artillery shells.