Narinder Singh Sandhu - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 06:40, 30 September 2022
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	{{Short description\|Indian Army officer (1932–2018)}}		{{Short description\|Indian Army officer (1932–2018)}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=July ~~2022~~}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=July 2018}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=November ~~2022~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2019}}
	{{Infobox military person		{{Infobox military person
	\| honorific_prefix = [[Brigadier]]		\| honorific_prefix = [[Brigadier]]
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	==Career==		==Career==
	Sandhu was [[officer (armed forces)\|commissioned]] into the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps]] on 13 December 1953.<ref name="Chakravorty"/> He served with the [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (India)\|3rd Cavalry Regiment]] and the [[65th Armoured Regiment (India)\|65th Armoured Regiment]].<ref name="Tribune"/> He served in the [[Khemkaran]] sector during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]],<ref name="Chakravorty"/> during which he participated in the [[Battle of Asal Uttar]] on 8–10 September 1965,<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite web \|title=Last rites of 1971 Indo-Pak war hero performed with full military honours \|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/last-rites-of-1971-indo-pak-war-hero-performed-with-full-military-honours-5118908/ \|website=indianexpress.com \|access-date=13 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> and his unit was responsible for destroying several Pakistani [[M47 Patton]] [[tank]]s for which he was [[mentioned in dispatches]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref>{{cite web \|title=1971 war hero cremated \|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/news-detail-566923 \|website=tribuneindia.com \|access-date=13 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> He transferred to the [[Dogra Regiment]] in 1970.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune"/>		Sandhu was [[officer (armed forces)\|commissioned]] into the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps]] on 13 December 1953.<ref name="Chakravorty"/> He served with the [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (India)\|3rd Cavalry Regiment]] and the [[65th Armoured Regiment (India)\|65th Armoured Regiment]].<ref name="Tribune"/> He served in the [[Khemkaran]] sector during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]],<ref name="Chakravorty"/> during which he participated in the [[Battle of Asal Uttar]] on 8–10 September 1965,<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite web \|title=Last rites of 1971 Indo-Pak war hero performed with full military honours \|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/last-rites-of-1971-indo-pak-war-hero-performed-with-full-military-honours-5118908/ \|website=indianexpress.com \|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref> and his unit was responsible for destroying several Pakistani [[M47 Patton]] [[tank]]s for which he was [[mentioned in dispatches]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref>{{cite web \|title=1971 war hero cremated \|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/news-detail-566923 \|website=tribuneindia.com \|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref> He transferred to the [[Dogra Regiment]] in 1970.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune"/>

	At the time of the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]], he held the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]], commanding the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune" /> As part of [[Operation Cactus-Lilly]],<ref name="WDIT"/> his battalion was tasked to capture an enemy position in the Western Sector, which was located at the eastern end of a bridge over the [[Ravi River]] at [[Dera Baba Nanak]]. Control of the bridge was considered strategically important because it enabled the [[Pakistan Army]] to launch an offensive into India, potentially threatening [[Pathankot]], [[Beas City]] and Amritsar.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>		At the time of the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]], he held the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]], commanding the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune" /> As part of [[Operation Cactus-Lilly]],<ref name="WDIT"/> his battalion was tasked to capture an enemy position in the Western Sector, which was located at the eastern end of a bridge over the [[Ravi River]] at [[Dera Baba Nanak]]. Control of the bridge was considered strategically important because it enabled the [[Pakistan Army]] to launch an offensive into India, potentially threatening [[Pathankot]], [[Beas City]] and Amritsar.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>

	The Pakistan Army had extensively fortified the position with a network of [[bunker]]s that were connected by tunnels, and contained [[machine gun]]s and [[anti-tank weapon]]s,<ref name="Indian Army">{{Cite web\|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/narinder-singh-sandhu\|title=LT COL Narinder Singh Sandhu Maha Vir Chakra\|publisher=Indian Army \|work=Gallantry Awards (Govt of India official website)\|access-date=16 July ~~2022~~}}</ref><ref name="WDIT"/> and it was strongly held. At 17:30 on 5 December 1971, Sandhu led about 420 men of his battalion in the assault, initially mounted on 21 [[tank]]s. The tanks became bogged in the marshes along the Ravi River, so they dismounted and made the remaining {{cvt\|5\|km}} to the bridge on foot. Surprising the defenders with a charge from {{cvt\|15\|m}}, the Indian troops shouted the battle cry "Durga Mata Ki Jai", invoking the Hindu goddess of war, [[Durga]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/> Sandhu led the assault with "grim determination",<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and without regard for his own safety,<ref name="WDIT"/> and the assault resulted in fierce fighting during which Sandhu fought from bunker to bunker,<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and was wounded in the leg.<ref name="WDIT"/> Once the position was captured, he then reorganised his troops despite his wound.<ref name="Indian Army"/><ref name="WDIT"/> During the assault the 10th Battalion suffered five killed and ten wounded; 22 Pakistani defenders were killed and 14 were captured. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also captured by the Indians.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>		The Pakistan Army had extensively fortified the position with a network of [[bunker]]s that were connected by tunnels, and contained [[machine gun]]s and [[anti-tank weapon]]s,<ref name="Indian Army">{{Cite web\|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/narinder-singh-sandhu\|title=LT COL Narinder Singh Sandhu Maha Vir Chakra\|publisher=Indian Army \|work=Gallantry Awards (Govt of India official website)\|access-date=16 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="WDIT"/> and it was strongly held. At 17:30 on 5 December 1971, Sandhu led about 420 men of his battalion in the assault, initially mounted on 21 [[tank]]s. The tanks became bogged in the marshes along the Ravi River, so they dismounted and made the remaining {{cvt\|5\|km}} to the bridge on foot. Surprising the defenders with a charge from {{cvt\|15\|m}}, the Indian troops shouted the battle cry "Durga Mata Ki Jai", invoking the Hindu goddess of war, [[Durga]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/> Sandhu led the assault with "grim determination",<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and without regard for his own safety,<ref name="WDIT"/> and the assault resulted in fierce fighting during which Sandhu fought from bunker to bunker,<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and was wounded in the leg.<ref name="WDIT"/> Once the position was captured, he then reorganised his troops despite his wound.<ref name="Indian Army"/><ref name="WDIT"/> During the assault the 10th Battalion suffered five killed and ten wounded; 22 Pakistani defenders were killed and 14 were captured. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also captured by the Indians.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>

	For his actions during this operation, Sandhu was commended by the Indian government for his gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty. He was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]],<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Chakravorty"/> the second-highest award for gallantry available to members of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite web \|title=Mahavir Chakra\|url=https://www.india9.com/i9show/Mahavir-Chakra-27619.htm \|website=india9.com\|access-date=13 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> The award was promulgated on [[Independence Day (India)\|Independence Day]] in 1972.<ref name="Indian Army"/>		For his actions during this operation, Sandhu was commended by the Indian government for his gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty. He was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]],<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Chakravorty"/> the second-highest award for gallantry available to members of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite web \|title=Mahavir Chakra\|url=https://www.india9.com/i9show/Mahavir-Chakra-27619.htm \|website=india9.com\|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref> The award was promulgated on [[Independence Day (India)\|Independence Day]] in 1972.<ref name="Indian Army"/>

	Sandhu later served as the Deputy Director General of the [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Chandigarh]] [[National Cadet Corps (India)\|National Cadet Corps]] Directorate.<ref name="Tribune"/> He retired from the army as a [[brigadier]], and after retirement was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters. He died of colon cancer on 30 March 2018, aged 85 in Chandigarh.<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Tribune">{{cite news \|date=31 March 2018\|title=1971 war hero passes away\|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/1971-war-hero-passes-away-566545\|newspaper=The Tribune}}</ref><ref name="Indian Express"/> A contingent from the 3rd Cavalry and Dogra Regiments formed a ceremonial guard at his funeral, which was also attended by several senior military officers.<ref name="Indian Express"/>		Sandhu later served as the Deputy Director General of the [[Punjab, India\|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Chandigarh]] [[National Cadet Corps (India)\|National Cadet Corps]] Directorate.<ref name="Tribune"/> He retired from the army as a [[brigadier]], and after retirement was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters. He died of colon cancer on 30 March 2018, aged 85 in Chandigarh.<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Tribune">{{cite news \|date=31 March 2018\|title=1971 war hero passes away\|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/1971-war-hero-passes-away-566545\|newspaper=The Tribune}}</ref><ref name="Indian Express"/> A contingent from the 3rd Cavalry and Dogra Regiments formed a ceremonial guard at his funeral, which was also attended by several senior military officers.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

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{{Short description|Indian Army officer (1932–2018)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Brigadier]]
| name = Narinder Singh Sandhu
| honorific_suffix = [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|09|01|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Narli, [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|03|30|1932|09|01|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Chandigarh]], [[Republic of India|India]]
| image = File:Narinder Singh Sandhu MVC.jpg
| caption = Narinder Singh Sandhu MVC
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flagicon|India}} [[Republic of India]]
| branch = [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
| unit = [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (India)|3rd Cavalry Regiment]]<br>[[65th Armoured Regiment (India)|65th Armoured Regiment]]<br>[[Dogra Regiment]]
| serviceyears = 1953–
| rank = [[File:Brigadier of the Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Brigadier]]
| commands = [[Dogra Regiment|10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment]]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]<br>[[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]]
| awards = [[File:Maha Vir Chakra ribbon.svg|32px]] [[Maha Vir Chakra]]<br>[[Mention in dispatches]]
| laterwork =
}}
[[Brigadier]] '''Narinder Singh Sandhu''' [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]] (1 September 1932 – 30 March 2018) was an [[Indian Army]] officer who was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]] (MVC), the second-highest Indian military decoration, for gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty during the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]]. Sandhu was [[officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps]] in 1953, and participated in the [[Battle of Asal Uttar]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]], and was [[mentioned in dispatches]]. He transferred to the [[Dogra Regiment]] in 1970, and it was for his performance as [[commanding officer]] of the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment during an assault on a fortified [[Pakistan Army]] position that he was awarded the MVC. He retired as a brigadier and was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters until his death of [[colorectal cancer]] in 2018.

==Early life and family==
Narinder Singh Sandhu was born on 1 September 1932 at Narli, [[Amritsar]], in the British province of [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], the son of Shri Hari Singh. His grandfather, Thakur Singh, was a major in the British [[Indian Army during World War I|Indian Army]] in [[World War I]] during which he was awarded the [[Military Cross]] for gallantry; he was subsequently made an [[Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire]].<ref name="Chakravorty">{{cite book |last1=Chakravorty |first1=B. |title=Stories of Heroism: PVC & MVC Winners |date=1995 |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=9788170235163 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uzizVBSb4YsC&pg=PA197&dq=Harbhajan+Singh#q=Harbhajan%20Singh}}</ref> He attended [[Khalsa College, Amritsar]]. His wife's name was Harinder, and they had two children: a son, Sandeep; and a daughter, Mandeep; both were born in 1965.<ref name="WDIT">{{Cite web|url=http://twdi.in/node/1473|title=Mahavir Chakra (MVC), Awardee: Brig Narinder Singh Sandhu, MVC|publisher=The War Decorated India & Trust}}</ref> Mandeep married [[Lieutenant general (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Alok Singh Kler]].<ref name="Indian Express"/> Sandhu's uncle and younger brother also served with distinction in the [[Indian Army]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/>

==Career==
Sandhu was [[officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the [[Indian Army Armoured Corps]] on 13 December 1953.<ref name="Chakravorty"/> He served with the [[3rd Cavalry Regiment (India)|3rd Cavalry Regiment]] and the [[65th Armoured Regiment (India)|65th Armoured Regiment]].<ref name="Tribune"/> He served in the [[Khemkaran]] sector during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]],<ref name="Chakravorty"/> during which he participated in the [[Battle of Asal Uttar]] on 8–10 September 1965,<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite web |title=Last rites of 1971 Indo-Pak war hero performed with full military honours |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/last-rites-of-1971-indo-pak-war-hero-performed-with-full-military-honours-5118908/ |website=indianexpress.com |access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref> and his unit was responsible for destroying several Pakistani [[M47 Patton]] [[tank]]s for which he was [[mentioned in dispatches]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref>{{cite web |title=1971 war hero cremated |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/news-detail-566923 |website=tribuneindia.com |access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref> He transferred to the [[Dogra Regiment]] in 1970.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune"/>

At the time of the [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971]], he held the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]], commanding the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment.<ref name="Chakravorty"/><ref name="Tribune" /> As part of [[Operation Cactus-Lilly]],<ref name="WDIT"/> his battalion was tasked to capture an enemy position in the Western Sector, which was located at the eastern end of a bridge over the [[Ravi River]] at [[Dera Baba Nanak]]. Control of the bridge was considered strategically important because it enabled the [[Pakistan Army]] to launch an offensive into India, potentially threatening [[Pathankot]], [[Beas City]] and Amritsar.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>

The Pakistan Army had extensively fortified the position with a network of [[bunker]]s that were connected by tunnels, and contained [[machine gun]]s and [[anti-tank weapon]]s,<ref name="Indian Army">{{Cite web|url=https://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/narinder-singh-sandhu|title=LT COL Narinder Singh Sandhu Maha Vir Chakra|publisher=Indian Army |work=Gallantry Awards (Govt of India official website)|access-date=16 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="WDIT"/> and it was strongly held. At 17:30 on 5 December 1971, Sandhu led about 420 men of his battalion in the assault, initially mounted on 21 [[tank]]s. The tanks became bogged in the marshes along the Ravi River, so they dismounted and made the remaining {{cvt|5|km}} to the bridge on foot. Surprising the defenders with a charge from {{cvt|15|m}}, the Indian troops shouted the battle cry "Durga Mata Ki Jai", invoking the Hindu goddess of war, [[Durga]].<ref name="Chakravorty"/> Sandhu led the assault with "grim determination",<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and without regard for his own safety,<ref name="WDIT"/> and the assault resulted in fierce fighting during which Sandhu fought from bunker to bunker,<ref name="Chakravorty"/> and was wounded in the leg.<ref name="WDIT"/> Once the position was captured, he then reorganised his troops despite his wound.<ref name="Indian Army"/><ref name="WDIT"/> During the assault the 10th Battalion suffered five killed and ten wounded; 22 Pakistani defenders were killed and 14 were captured. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also captured by the Indians.<ref name="Chakravorty"/>

For his actions during this operation, Sandhu was commended by the Indian government for his gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty. He was awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]],<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Chakravorty"/> the second-highest award for gallantry available to members of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mahavir Chakra|url=https://www.india9.com/i9show/Mahavir-Chakra-27619.htm |website=india9.com|access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref> The award was promulgated on [[Independence Day (India)|Independence Day]] in 1972.<ref name="Indian Army"/>

Sandhu later served as the Deputy Director General of the [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Haryana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Chandigarh]] [[National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps]] Directorate.<ref name="Tribune"/> He retired from the army as a [[brigadier]], and after retirement was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters. He died of colon cancer on 30 March 2018, aged 85 in Chandigarh.<ref name="WDIT"/><ref name="Tribune">{{cite news |date=31 March 2018|title=1971 war hero passes away|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/1971-war-hero-passes-away-566545|newspaper=The Tribune}}</ref><ref name="Indian Express"/> A contingent from the 3rd Cavalry and Dogra Regiments formed a ceremonial guard at his funeral, which was also attended by several senior military officers.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indo-Pakistani War of 1965}}
{{1971 Indo-Pak War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandhu, Narinder Singh}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra]]
[[Category:Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Military leaders of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]