Hello, Warriors! Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was born on 29th November 1935 in Gurdaspur, Punjab. He did his schooling from Banglore Military School, Banglore and later on shifting to the King George School, Jalandhar.
In his later adult age, he joined the National Defense Academy at Khadakwasla with the cadet number 1317 and got selected in the ‘Bravo’ squadron. Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was an epitome of leadership and valor. He was the sixth recipient of the highest gallantry award- the Param Vir Chakra that was accredited to him posthumously for his unflinching devotion to his duty and dauntless actions in preventing the Katangese rebels from trapping the UN headquarters in Elizabethville, Katanga.
On 5 December 1961, 3/1 Gorkha Rifles was ordered to clear up a roadblock established by the gendarmerie at a strategic roundabout at Elizatbethville, Katanga. The plan was that one company with two Swedish armoured cars would attack the position frontally and Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria with two sections of Gorkhas and two Swedish armoured personnel carriers would advance towards this roadblock from the airfield to act as a cutting-off force.
Captain Salaria with his small force arrived at a distance of 1500 yards from the roadblock at approximately 1312 hours on 5 December and came under heavy automatic and small arms fire from an undetected enemy position dug in on his right flank. The enemy also had two armoured cars and about 90 men opposing Captain Salaria’s small force.
Captain Salaria appreciating that he had run into a subsidiary roadblock and ambush and that this enemy force might reinforce the strategic roundabout and thus jeopardise the main operation decided to remove this opposition. He led a charge with bayonets, khukris and grenades supported by a rocket launcher. In this gallant engagement, Captain Salaria killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out the two armoured cars. This unexpectedly bold action completely demoralized the enemy who fled despite his numerical superiority and protected positions.
Captain Salaria was wounded by a burst of automatic fire in his neck but continued to fight till he collapsed owing to profuse bleeding. Captain Salaria’s gallant action had prevented any movement of the enemy force towards the main battalion’s action at the roundabout. It had also, prevented the encirclement of UN Headquarters in Elizabethville. Captain Salaria subsequently died of his wounds.
Captain Salaria’s personal example, utter disregard for personal safety, and dauntless leadership inspired his small but gallant force of 26 Gorkhas to hold on to their position, dominate the enemy and inflict heavy casualties despite the enemy’s superiority in numbers and tactical position. Captain Salaria’s leadership, courage, unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for personal safety were in the best traditions of our Army for which he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
