Hero of 1971 Longewala battle, made famous in 'Border', dies
What's the story
The 78-year-old hero of the historic 1971 Battle of Longewala (border post in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan), Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (retd), died today in a private hospital in Mohali, losing a fight to cancer. He's survived by his wife and three sons. The 1997 blockbuster 'Border', which depicted the Indo-Pak War, had Sunny Deol playing the role of Brig Chandpuri. Here's more.
Information
Brig Chandpuri was a Maha Vir Chakra awardee
Brig Chandpuri was a Maha Vir Chakra awardee. 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 Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala (Rajasthan).
His role
Chandpuri led his side with utter bravery and diligence
A company of the Indian Army's 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, commanded by Maj Chandpuri, was left with the choice of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing from Pakistani force during the battle. Choosing the former, Chandpuri ensured all his assets were correctly deployed and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics.