The Indian Army’s Eastern Command on Saturday paid solemn tribute to Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya on his death anniversary, recalling his extraordinary courage and leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Senior officers, troops and veterans joined in remembering the legendary officer, whose actions in the Battle of Basantar have become part of the Army’s finest traditions of valour.
In a message of remembrance, Eastern Command hailed Major Hoshiar Singh as a “gallant officer” who showed exceptional courage, determination and conspicuous gallantry despite being seriously wounded in battle. The Command noted that his inspiring leadership motivated his men to hold ground against repeated enemy counter-attacks, embodying “true devotion to duty” under the most hostile conditions.
“On this day, we salute and pay homage to a gallant officer who displayed exceptional courage, determination, conspicuous gallantry and motivated his men by his inspiring leadership and true devotion to duty to rise to the occasion despite being seriously wounded.
For his grit, determination, raw courage and unparalleled leadership he was awarded the Nation’s highest gallantry award – ‘PARAM VIR CHAKRA’, in the epic Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.
Major Hoshiar Singh, then a company commander in 3 Grenadiers, was tasked with capturing the heavily fortified enemy position at Jarpal during the Battle of Basantar in the Shakargarh sector in December 1971. Under intense shelling and crossfire from enemy machine guns, he led a bayonet charge that seized the objective, and subsequently repulsed multiple counter-attacks, including those supported by tanks, while moving from trench to trench to rally his men.
Even after being seriously wounded on December 17, he manned a medium machine gun himself when its crew was injured, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing the enemy to retreat, leaving dozens of soldiers, including their commanding officer, dead on the battlefield. For this raw courage, indomitable fighting spirit and steadfast leadership, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest wartime gallantry decoration, on Republic Day 1972.
Born on May 5, 1936, in Sisana village of present-day Haryana, Hoshiar Singh went on to retire from the Army with the honorary rank of colonel before his death on December 6, 1998, at Jaipur. Marking his 27th death anniversary, Eastern Command personnel offered prayers for eternal peace to his soul, vowing to uphold the ideals of duty, courage and sacrifice that defined his service to the nation.
