1965 war veteran passes away at 99

Raj Sadosh

Abohar/Sriganganagar, June 13

Maha Vir Chakra awardee Brig Raghubir Singh passed away at his home town in Jaipur due to old age illness today. He was 99.

Brigadier Raghubir commanded 18 Rajputana Rifles (later 11 Mechanised Infantry) during the 1965 war with Pakistan.

He led from the front, displaying extreme valour during the battle of Asal Uttar. His Maha Vir Chakra citation reads: “In the Khemkaran and Asal Uttar Sector, the attack of the enemy was extremely violent. However, the soldiers of 18 Rajputana Rifles fearlessly confronted the Pakistan army’s attack and destroyed 22 Patton tanks of the enemy. On September 9, 1965, under the able leadership of Raghubir Singh, his battalion successfully accomplished the mission and kicked out the Pakistan army that had the suspicious motive of reaching Harike in Punjab.”

For this gallant act, then President of India Dr S Radhakrishnan honoured Lieut Colonel (later Brigadier) Raghubir Singh with Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest gallantry award in the country.

During the 1971 war, he effectively handled the post of Provost Marshal in the Military Police with the responsibility to look after one lakh Pakistan prisoners of war in the Bangladesh surrender camp. Brigadier Raghubir Singh, or ‘Dadosa’ as he was fondly addressed, is survived by his son Maj Sangram Singh Rajawat (retd).