One river, two Param Virs: The audacious crossing of Basantar in 1971 War

Key Highlights

• But the audacity of Indian commanders rewrote military history. This is the second installment in a series exploring the Battle of Basantar, a pivotal clash in the 1971 India-Pakistan War that showcased the heroism of Major Hoshiar Singh and Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal.
• Both earned India's highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra for their valour in the Shakargarh bulge.
• Their stories, immortalised in films like Ikkis for Khetarpal, reveal the raw courage that turned the tide toward India's victory. advertisementA BRIDGEHEAD ON THE BRINKBy the night of December 15, 1971, the 16th Madras and 3rd Grenadiers had achieved the unthinkable.
• They had waded through the icy waters and soft sands of the Basantar River under a murderous hail of artillery, establishing a fragile bridgehead on the Pakistani side.
• Men like Major Hoshiar Singh were now holding ground in Pakistani territory, which they had gained after brutal hand-to-hand combat as fire rained down. But their victory was precarious.