Exemplary patriotism (1974-1999)
Captain Gurjinder Suri was born on 4 July 1974. His grandfather, a Second World War veteran, had retired as Subedar and his father Colonel T.P. Singh had also chosen a career in the army. Gurjinder decided to follow the family tradition and was commissioned into the Ordnance Corps. All officers commissioned into the Ordnance Corps have to serve with an infantry battalion for a year and Gurjinder was attached to 12 Bihar which was then deployed in Kashmir, and Gurjinder was assigned to command Faulad post in Gulmarg sector. After the defeat in Kargil conflict, the Pakistan Army had started using mercenaries to launch suicide attacks and had intensified artillery attacks in the 60 km stretch from Yusmarg to Tangdhar. The militants and soldiers would try to infiltrate under cover of artillery fire. Faulad post at a height of 11200 feet provided a commanding position in the Gulmarg Sector. Pakistan Army’s plan was not merely to capture Indian Army post, but to also carve a passage for infiltration into Gulmarg region, which would allow them to reach Pattan and Baramula.
The Pakistan Army launched an attack on the Faulad post on 9 November 1999. The attack was preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment. One of the shells fell close to the ropeway station but no major damage occurred. It was perhaps not a deliberate attack on the ropeway system. The Pakistan attack was repulsed. Gurjinder deployed his men to deal with any reinforcements or interference by the enemy. He started to clear the enemy bunkers one by one. One of his soldiers was hit badly. He dashed forward to kill two enemies with his AK 47 rifle and silence the machine gun. He received a burst of gunfire in his arm. Unmindful of his injury, he continued to lead his men and lobbed two hand-grenades into a bunker. He then entered the bunker spraying bullets, and killed one enemy soldier. At this point, he was hit by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade and was critically wounded. He declined to be evacuated and continued to exhort his men till he breathed his last. Captain Suri displayed extraordinary leadership, inspired by which his men fell upon the enemy with vengeance and annihilated them. He displayed extraordinary courage and outstanding leadership in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. He was awarded MVC in recognition of the gallantry. He had achieved a first in that it was the first MVC awarded to the Ordnance Corps. Captain Suri and three soldiers had sacrificed their lives. Seventeen enemy soldiers were killed and fourteen bunkers destroyed. It is a difficult terrain and it took four days to bring back Gurjinder’s body. In this operation which lasted about an hour and a half, one MVC, one VrC and two SMs were awarded. A soldier from 12 Bihar came to the residence of Colonel T.P. Singh to hand over the belongings of Gurjinder. Colonel Singh burst into tears on seeing the belongings. The soldier said to him, “You have lost a son, but the unit has lost a father figure.”
Tributes were paid to him on the anniversary of his sacrifice. His grandfather Subedar Gurbaksh Singh said in an emotion choked voice, “Gurjinder has performed his duty as a soldier to his motherland.” Colonel Singh was the solitary recipient of the MVC on Independence Day in 2001. The medal was stolen from his residence in Mohali, Chandigarh, in 2006, much to the distress of the family. Squadron Leader T.P.S. Chinna (Retired) came across this medal in an antique shop in Delhi. It had the number and name of Captain Suri on it. He obtained the details of the family from the Army HQ and sent it to Colonel Singh. The joy of the family knew no bounds on receiving it on Independence Day in 2012.
Colonel Singh said, “Honour has been restored. I am the happiest person in the world as the most precious thing of my life, my son’s medal is back with me”.