Indian Army chief hands over Rs 5 lakh to 1971 Indo-Pak war hero in Nepal

South Asia

TBS Report
07 November, 2020, 11:00 am
Last modified: 07 November, 2020, 11:22 am
The rifleman, who was with the Indian Army's Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), was awarded India's second-highest gallantry award Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery in the 1971 war

Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane on 6 November handed over the remaining Rs5 lakh to 70-year-old Lance Havildar (Retd) Dil Bahadur Chhetri, the brave rifleman who fought against the Pakistan Army in the Indo-Pakistan war that saw the independence of Bangladesh.

Earlier, in 2019, Havildar Chhetri received the first installment of the gallantry award, reports NDTV. 

The rifleman, who was with the Indian Army's Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), was awarded India's second-highest gallantry award Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery in the 1971 war.

In that war, his battalion, tasked with clearing a well-fortified Medium Machine Gun (MMG) enemy post at Atgram, was part of an advancing group in Sylhet. 

With complete disregard for his personal safety, Rifleman Chhetri fought fearlessly, charged the bunker, killed eight enemy troops with his kukri (a type of machete), and captured the MMG post.

For his gallantry and devotion to duty, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.