Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (retd), who is known as the hero of the historic 1971 battle of Longewala, Major during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, he had held his post through the night in the famous battle of Longewala in Rajasthan with just 120 men against a full-fledged attack by advancing Pakistani Patton tanks and over 2,000 soldiers.

 

 

He was born into a Sikh family on 22 November 1940 at Montgomery in Punjab region of undivided India. His family then moved to their native village , Chandpur Rurki in Balachur. Commissioned into the Indian Army in 1963 after completing his training course at the Officers' Training Academy-Madras (now Chennai), Brig. Chandpuri was assigned to the 23rd battalion of the Punjab Regiment.

 

 

The battle of Longewala (1971) was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, fought between Indian and Pakistani Forces at the Indian border post of Longewala in the Thar desert of Rajasthan.

 

 

 

 

A company of the Indian Army's 23rd battalion, Punjab Regiment, commanded by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, was left with the choice of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from Pakistani force.

 

 

Chandpuri chose the former and ensured that all his assets were correctly deployed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics.

 

 

Decorated with Maha Vir Chakra for heroic stand-off against tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat, his MVC citation read: "Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was commanding a company of the Punjab Regiment occupying a defended locality in the Rajasthan Sector. On the 5th December 1971, in the early hours of the morning the enemy launched a massive attack on this locality with infantry and tanks. Major Chandpuri exhibited dynamic leadership in holding his command intact and steadfast."

 

 

"Showing exceptional courage and determination, he inspired his men moving from bunker to bunker, encouraging them in beating back the enemy till reinforcements arrived. In this heroic defence, he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and forced them to retreat leaving behind twelve tanks.”

 

 

"In this action, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri displayed conspicuous gallantry, inspiring leadership and exceptional devotion to duty in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian Army," the citation said.

 

This brave war hero took his last breath on November 17 at the age of 78 in Mohali.