diff --git a/charts/opensearch/CHANGELOG.md b/charts/opensearch/CHANGELOG.md
index 8c9f0f55..560556e4 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/charts/opensearch/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Fixed
 ### Security
 ---
+## [2.7.0]
+### Added
+- Add option to enable the use of `sysctlInit` to set sysctl vm.max_map_count through privileged `initContainer`. See: [Issue #87](https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/issues/87)
+### Changed
+### Deprecated
+### Removed
+### Fixed
+### Security
+---
 ## [2.6.2]
 ### Added
 - Liveness probe for statefulset
@@ -122,7 +131,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Security
 
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.6.2...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.7.0...HEAD
+[2.7.0]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.6.1...opensearch-2.7.0
 [2.6.2]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.6.1...opensearch-2.6.2
 [2.6.1]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.6.0...opensearch-2.6.1
 [2.6.0]: https://github.com/opensearch-project/helm-charts/compare/opensearch-2.5.0...opensearch-2.6.0
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/Chart.yaml b/charts/opensearch/Chart.yaml
index 5f2c0bc4..fad2ea74 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/Chart.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/Chart.yaml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type: application
 # This is the chart version. This version number should be incremented each time you make changes
 # to the chart and its templates, including the app version.
 # Versions are expected to follow Semantic Versioning (https://semver.org/)
-version: 2.6.2
+version: 2.7.0
 
 # This is the version number of the application being deployed. This version number should be
 # incremented each time you make changes to the application. Versions are not expected to
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/README.md b/charts/opensearch/README.md
index 8b89ba6e..2bfe7100 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/README.md
+++ b/charts/opensearch/README.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ helm uninstall my-release
 | `service.transportPortName`        | The name of the transport port within the service                                                                                                                                                                                                         | `transport`                                     |
 | `service.type`                     | OpenSearch [Service Types][]                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | `ClusterIP`                                     |
 | `sidecarResources`                 | Allows you to set the [resources][] for the sidecar containers in the StatefulSet                                                                                                                                                                         | {}                                              |
-| `sysctlInitContainer`              | Allows you to disable the `sysctlInitContainer` if you are setting sysctl vm.max_map_count` with another method                                                                                                                                        | `enabled: true`                                 |
+| `sysctlInit`              | Allows you to enable the `sysctlInit` to set sysctl vm.max_map_count through privileged `initContainer`.                                                                                                                                        | `enabled: false`                                 |
 | `sysctlVmMaxMapCount`              | Sets the [vm.max_map_count][] needed for OpenSearch                                                                                                                                                                                            | `262144`                                        |
 | `terminationGracePeriod`           | The [terminationGracePeriod][] in seconds used when trying to stop the pod                                                                                                                                                                                | `120`                                           |
 | `tolerations`                      | Configurable [tolerations][]                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | `[]`                                            |
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-ingress-class-name-values.yaml b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-ingress-class-name-values.yaml
index fc41b812..2223f5bf 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-ingress-class-name-values.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-ingress-class-name-values.yaml
@@ -407,11 +407,20 @@ networkPolicy:
 # please use the above podSecurityContext.fsGroup instead
 fsGroup: ""
 
-## Set optimal sysctl's. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
+## Set optimal sysctl's through securityContext. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
 ## the system has already been preconfigured. (Ex: https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/vm-max-map-count.html)
 ## Also see: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/sysctl-cluster/
 sysctl:
   enabled: false
+
+## Set optimal sysctl's through privileged initContainer.
+sysctlInit:
+  enabled: true
+  # override image, which is busybox by default
+  # image: busybox
+  # override image tag, which is latest by default
+  # imageTag:
+
 ## Enable to add 3rd Party / Custom plugins not offered in the default OpenSearch image.
 plugins:
   enabled: false
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-rbac-enabled-values.yaml b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-rbac-enabled-values.yaml
index 57b1acd9..42ec6231 100755
--- a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-rbac-enabled-values.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-rbac-enabled-values.yaml
@@ -407,12 +407,20 @@ networkPolicy:
 # please use the above podSecurityContext.fsGroup instead
 fsGroup: ""
 
-## Set optimal sysctl's. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
+## Set optimal sysctl's through securityContext. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
 ## the system has already been preconfigured. (Ex: https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/vm-max-map-count.html)
 ## Also see: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/sysctl-cluster/
 sysctl:
   enabled: false
 
+## Set optimal sysctl's through privileged initContainer.
+sysctlInit:
+  enabled: false
+  # override image, which is busybox by default
+  # image: busybox
+  # override image tag, which is latest by default
+  # imageTag:
+
 ## Enable to add 3rd Party / Custom plugins not offered in the default OpenSearch image.
 plugins:
   enabled: false
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-values.yaml b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-values.yaml
index 86758b0c..c63eab66 100755
--- a/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-values.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/ci/ci-values.yaml
@@ -394,12 +394,20 @@ networkPolicy:
 # please use the above podSecurityContext.fsGroup instead
 fsGroup: ""
 
-## Set optimal sysctl's. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
+## Set optimal sysctl's through securityContext. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
 ## the system has already been preconfigured. (Ex: https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/vm-max-map-count.html)
 ## Also see: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/sysctl-cluster/
 sysctl:
   enabled: false
 
+## Set optimal sysctl's through privileged initContainer.
+sysctlInit:
+  enabled: false
+  # override image, which is busybox by default
+  # image: busybox
+  # override image tag, which is latest by default
+  # imageTag:
+
 ## Enable to add 3rd Party / Custom plugins not offered in the default OpenSearch image.
 plugins:
   enabled: false
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/templates/statefulset.yaml b/charts/opensearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
index 91e17329..83b0c86c 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/templates/statefulset.yaml
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ spec:
       {{- if .Values.hostAliases }}
       hostAliases: {{ toYaml .Values.hostAliases | nindent 8 }}
       {{- end }}
-      {{- if or (.Values.extraInitContainers) (.Values.keystore) (.Values.persistence.enabled) }}
+      {{- if or (.Values.extraInitContainers) (.Values.keystore) (.Values.persistence.enabled) (.Values.sysctlInit.enabled)  }}
       initContainers:
 {{- if and .Values.persistence.enabled .Values.persistence.enableInitChown }}
       - name: fsgroup-volume
@@ -236,6 +236,26 @@ spec:
           - name: "{{ template "opensearch.uname" . }}"
             mountPath: {{ .Values.opensearchHome }}/data
 {{- end }}
+{{- if .Values.sysctlInit.enabled }}
+      - name: sysctl
+        image: "{{ template "opensearch.dockerRegistry" . }}{{ .Values.sysctlInit.image | default "busybox" }}:{{ .Values.sysctlInit.imageTag | default "latest" }}"
+        imagePullPolicy: "{{ .Values.image.pullPolicy }}"
+        command:
+        - sh
+        - -c
+        - |
+          set -xe
+          DESIRED="{{ .Values.sysctlVmMaxMapCount }}"
+          CURRENT=$(sysctl -n vm.max_map_count)
+          if [ "$DESIRED" -gt "$CURRENT" ]; then
+            sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=$DESIRED
+          fi
+        securityContext:
+          runAsUser: 0
+          privileged: true
+        resources:
+           {{ toYaml .Values.initResources | nindent 10 }}
+{{- end }}
 {{ if .Values.keystore }}
       - name: keystore
         image: "{{ template "opensearch.dockerRegistry" . }}{{ .Values.image.repository }}:{{ .Values.image.tag | default .Chart.AppVersion }}"
diff --git a/charts/opensearch/values.yaml b/charts/opensearch/values.yaml
index eb5a7ea9..4534d1c6 100644
--- a/charts/opensearch/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/opensearch/values.yaml
@@ -427,12 +427,20 @@ networkPolicy:
 # please use the above podSecurityContext.fsGroup instead
 fsGroup: ""
 
-## Set optimal sysctl's. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
+## Set optimal sysctl's through securityContext. This requires privilege. Can be disabled if
 ## the system has already been preconfigured. (Ex: https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/vm-max-map-count.html)
 ## Also see: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/sysctl-cluster/
 sysctl:
   enabled: false
 
+## Set optimal sysctl's through privileged initContainer.
+sysctlInit:
+  enabled: false
+  # override image, which is busybox by default
+  # image: busybox
+  # override image tag, which is latest by default
+  # imageTag:
+
 ## Enable to add 3rd Party / Custom plugins not offered in the default OpenSearch image.
 plugins:
   enabled: false