Veterans pay tributes to Arun Khetarpal of Poona Horse during the Vijay Diwas celebrations in Chandimandir on Friday. Tribune Photo: S Chandan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 16

Course mates of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal of the Poona Horse, who was decorated with the country’s highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, in the battle of Basantar during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, paid tributes to him at Chandimandir Military Station today.Arun Khetarpal was from the 47th Regular Course of the Indian Military Academy that had passed out in June 1971. Course members go by the sobriquet “Born to Battle” as the war erupted a few months after they became officers.Among those who paid floral tributes to his statue were his brother, Mukesh Khetarpal, senior retired officers, including Lt Gen RS Sujlana, Lt Gen BS Takkar, Lt Gen JP Singh, Lt Gen DS Sidhu, Maj Gen TPS Bakshi, representatives from his regiment, officers from the Western Command Headquarters and the Air Force as well as a teacher and students from Lawrence School Sanawar, where he had studied.Arun Khetarpal had etched a tale of valour in blood, blunting a Pakistani armoured assault in the Shakargarh sector on the western frontier. Despite being severely wounded, he had refused to abandon his tank and his actions prevented the Pakistani formations from breaking through.Meanwhile, as part of the Vijay Diwas commemorations to mark the Indian victory in the 1971 War, a solemn wreath laying ceremony was held at the Veer Smriti War Memorial in Chandimandir, where Lt Gen IS Ghuman, Chief of Staff Western Command, laid a wreath to pay homage to martyrs.A large number of officers, other ranks as well as veterans attended the function. It was on this day 45 years ago that over 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered before the Indian Armed Forces, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.