The Battle of Basantar, also known as the Battle of Shakargarh or Battle of Barapind, was one of the vital battles fought as part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector of India. The Indian troops won a hard-fought battle that secured this area in the Punjab/Jammu sector. The name Battle of Basantar actually encompasses the entire gamut of battles and skirmishes fought in the Shakargarh sector.
Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal PVC was an Indian military officer and a posthumous recipient of India's highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, which he was awarded for his valour in face of the enemy. He was killed in action in the Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 where his actions earned him his honour.
The Poona Horse is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment, known before independence as The Poona Horse, was raised as a regular cavalry regiment in the Bombay Presidency army of the East India Company. It was formed from the 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry, raised in 1820, and the Poona Auxiliary Horse, raised about 1817–18. The latter unit was absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and the two regiments later became the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse.
Brigadier Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh MVC was an officer in the Indian Army and an entrepreneur.
General Arunkumar Shridhar VaidyaPVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM, ADC was an Indian Army general. He served as the 13th Chief of the Army Staff from 1983 to 1986. Following his retirement, he was assassinated by Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha in August 1986, for his role in Operation Blue Star in 1984.
45 Cavalry is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment distinguished itself in operations during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War winning one Maha Vir Chakra.
Colonel Maharajah Sir Jagatjit Singh Sahib Bahadur was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Kapurthala during the British Raj in India, from 1877 until his death, in 1949. He ascended to the throne of Kapurthala state on 16 October 1877 and assumed full ruling powers on 24 November 1890 as well indulging in traveling the world and being a Francophile.
Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri MVC, VSM was a decorated Indian Army officer. He is known for his leadership in the Battle of Longewala during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest Indian military decoration, by the Indian government. The 1997 Hindi film Border was based on the battle, with his role played by Sunny Deol. He was a councillor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation from 2006 to 2011.
Lt. Gen. Hanut Singh Rathore, PVSM, MVC was an Indian General Officer. He was a recipient of India's second highest military decoration, the Maha Vir Chakra, for his role in the Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
The Scinde Horse is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment, known before independence as the 14th Prince of Wales's Own Scinde Horse was a regular cavalry regiment of the Bombay Army, and later the British Indian Army.
Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa MVC was a military officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and later the Indian Army. Revered as the Hero of Skardu, he was a recipient of the Indian Army's second highest gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC).
Lieutenant General Khem Karan Singh, MVC was an Indian senior military officer. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. He also received the Maha Vir Chakra for his services during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965.
Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamwal, MVC, also remembered as the Saviour of Kashmir, was an officer in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces. He briefly served as the Chief of Staff of State Forces and died fighting during the First Kashmir War. Rajinder Singh and his small contingent of about 200 men successfully delayed the advance of a much larger force of Pakistani tribal raiders near Uri for several days, during which the Maharaja of Kashmir acceded to India and the Indian forces air-lifted for the defence of Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Raj Mohan Vohra, PVSM, MVC was a General Officer of the Indian Army. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
The 54th Infantry Division is an Infantry division of the Indian Army. The Division was raised as an Infantry Division, but was converted into a Reorganised Amphibious Formation (RAMFOR) in 2011. It is currently the only division of the Indian Army which carries out Amphibious warfare. The division is headquartered at Secunderabad in Telangana and is a part of XXI Corps. The Division is commanded by an Officer of the rank of Major General titled General Officer Commanding (GOC).
Lieutenant General Ved Prakash Airy, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army, who served with the 3 Grenadiers. He is best known for his participation in the Battle of Basantar, one of the major battles of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
Brigadier Amarjit Singh Bal, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army, who served with the 17 Horse. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during the Battle of Basantar in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Lieutenant General Joginder Singh Bakshi MVC, VSM was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra for his role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Brigadier Narinder Singh Sandhu MVC 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 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.
Prince, Patron and Patriarch: Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala is a book about Jagatjit Singh (1872-1949), the last ruling Maharajah of the princely state of Kapurthala during British rule in India. It is authored by his grandson Brigadier Sukhjit Singh, in collaboration with conservation architect Cynthia Meera Frederick, who conceived and seeded the idea for the book. Brig Sukhjit says Cynthia persuaded him to co-author the book to do justice to this exceptional royal. It was published by Roli Books in 2019. Pramod Kumar K G is the consulting editor. The book gives detailed account of the building of the Palace at Kapurthala by Alexandre Marcel and Paul Boyer.
India 
Indian Army 
Brigadier 
Maha Vir Chakra [1] 
