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The real-life hero who inspired 'Border'

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Interview with Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri , a True Braveheart of the nation and famous for leading Indian troops in Battle of Longewala.

The real-life hero who inspired 'Border'


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Gaurav Negi, in his quest to meet the brave men who put their lives on the line to defend India, tracked down Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. Chandpuri is the real-life inspiration for Sunny Deol's character in the acclaimed film Border. The second in an ongoing series

The film Border was based on the real battle that was fought in Laungewala on the night of December 4-5, 1971, by 124 soldiers of the 'A' Company of the Indian Army's 23 Punjab Regiment.

The regiment was commanded by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri against the Pakistani assaulting formation, which comprised two infantry battalions, a regiment and a squadron of armour with 59 tanks. Actor Sunny Deol had played Major Chandpuri in the film.

Portraits of Valour by S S Gandhi once again proved to be of immense help. The book contains information on all gallantry awards given out before and after independence, with details of the brave individuals who have been honoured with the prestigious awards post independence. According to the book, Chandpuri, a winner of the Maha Vir Chakra, retired as a brigadier and is currently settled in Chandigarh.

I was able to get his address and contact number, and when I called him up a female voice on the other side confirmed that it was the residence of the hero of Laungewala.

I then spoke to Brigadier Chandpuri. I have to admit that I could not hold back my tears. This was the first time that I was speaking to a 'God in Uniform'. I just could not say anything worthwhile to him except "Thank You for what you did for us" and "I would like to meet you some time".

Brigadier Chandpuri replied, "Kabhi bhi aaiye beta (Come home anytime, son)".

We were scheduled to drive from Hyderabad to Kargil via Leh in August, and we had planned to visit Brigadier Chandpuri on our way back from the Drass war memorial in Kargil. Unfortunately, we could not reach Leh and Kargil. A day before we were supposed to leave, Leh was hit by a massive cloudburst, which caused large-scale destruction in the area.

On August 20, 2010, I drove from Delhi to Chandigarh to meet Brigadier Chandpuri.

Though he no longer wears his olive green uniform, Brigadier Chandpuri has not hung up his boots, literally. He told me, "Every morning I put on my boots and take them off only at night".

This septuagenarian is still as energetic as a young officer. He is a councilor in the municipal corporation of Chandigarh and had served as an advisor to the recently held Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The day I met him, he had been invited as a speaker in a seminar at Chandigarh.

I asked him what he felt when he faced his enemies in 1971. "Josh (vigour)," he said. "No army in the world can win without josh."

In the film Border, Sunny Deol, playing Brigadier Chandpuri, walks up to the last pillar on the India-Pakistan border, in spite of everyone warning him against the move as Pakistani snipers could shoot him. When I asked if Brigadier Chandpuri had actually done that, he said that he done that many times. "The enemy should know that I am there and not afraid of him. What does it mean to dominate? I cannot dominate the enemy by just sitting inside a bunker near him."

"We have the third biggest army in the world, bravest of brave soldiers and still our neighbours have the guts to trouble us," because, says Brigadier Chandpuri, "We do not retaliate."

He narrated an incident to emphasise his point. When he was a colonel, he was posted in Kashmir and only the Line of Control separated him from the enemy. The enemy once fired at his post and killed two of his men. Colonel Chandpuri retaliated and his men killed 14 personnel on the other side. After that day, Colonel Chandpuri continued to be deployed there for two years, but nobody dared to fire at him.I would remember the few hours that I spent with him all my life.

Not being able to visit the Drass war memorial was a big disappointment. But I could meet my 'God in Uniform', the Hero of Laungewala, Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, Maha Vir Chakra, Vishisht Seva (Distinguished Service) Medal.

An excerpt from Portraits of Valour.

Major K S Chandpuri was commanding a company of a battalion of Punjab Regiment occupying a defended locality in Laungnewala in the Rajasthan Sector. On December 5, 1971, in the early hours of the morning, the enemy launched a massive attack on his locality with infantry and tanks. Major Chandpuri exhibited dynamic leadership in holding his command intact and steadfast.

Showing exceptional courage and determination, he inspired his men; moving from bunker to bunker, encouraging them in beating back the enemy till reinforcements arrived. In his heroic defence, he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and forced them to retreat leaving behind twelve tanks. In this action, Major Chandpuri displayed conspicuous gallantry and leadership
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The enemy once fired at his post and killed two of his men. Colonel Chandpuri retaliated and his men killed 14 personnel on the other side. After that day, Colonel Chandpuri continued to be deployed there for two years, but nobody dared to fire at him.I would remember the few hours that I spent with him all my life.

This is what needs to done and we are not doing.

An excellent example of unprovoked cross border shelling was shown in the movie Vertical Limit where Roshan Seth playing an Pakistani general says Time to wake up the Indian. The part which i enjoy i where general is buttering the American.


Time to wake up the Indians
 
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India's biggest let down are Netas and bureaucracy they are sucking blood but do nothing.

We need retaliation and punishing actions against whosoever harm our people or interest.

It doesn't means we have to go to war but we should do it covertly through RAW and overtly through diplomacy, media etc
 
Someday may be even i can meet him...Kulpdip singh chandpuri, sam manekshaw
Arun Khetarpal are real inspiration for every jawan in indian armed forces....
 
India's biggest let down are Netas and bureaucracy they are sucking blood but do nothing.

We need retaliation and punishing actions against whosoever harm our people or interest.

It doesn't means we have to go to war but we should do it covertly through RAW and overtly through diplomacy, media etc

why is it that we keep baming our netas? hell they are doing the best they can, which considering the state the world is in is not at all that bad..
and a lot happens which is never published in the papers , so i would not critize without having the full picture. for all we know RAW is doing a good job. if people in this forum are to be belived Raw is doing a great job against our enemies.
 
This is one of the TOLD Stories of War. I have viewed the a TV interview of Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. I have seen Indian Movie Borde as well and liked one song - Sandaisay aatay hain....

But still, it is one sided story.

Story is only complete once one hear both sides.

War is not good thing but once imposed one must fight it with everything one possesses.
 
This is one of the TOLD Stories of War. I have viewed the a TV interview of Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. I have seen Indian Movie Borde as well and liked one song - Sandaisay aatay hain....

But still, it is one sided story.

Story is only complete once one hear both sides.

War is not good thing but once imposed one must fight it with everything one possesses.
 
This is one of the TOLD Stories of War. I have viewed the a TV interview of Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. I have seen Indian Movie Borde as well and liked one song - Sandaisay aatay hain....

But still, it is one sided story.

Story is only complete once one hear both sides.

War is not good thing but once imposed one must fight it with everything one possesses.

Can you please post some of the link where the other side of the story told (not made up) :woot:
 
I have no knowledge of this side of story.

I promise to carryout research and inform you people about your quest.

Soon you will get the reply.
 
For the time being I would like to seek you comments of following video:-


YouTube - Zaid Hamid vs bajrangdal's girl ( Must watch new 2010)

Mate, Please do not post post this kind of stuff and derail the thread. I assure you that neither that girl from bajrangdal or zaid hamid has any credibility whatsoever. They are just non-social elements of both society. I bet more than 80% of indians haven't even heard about that girl? And that actually wasn't reply zamid stated that before that girl's video but someone has just put them together to make it look like a response.

Please please please I urge to you do not post stuff like this. Because no1 from any side can tolerate such things being said about their respected countries??!!
:pakistan: and VANDE MATARAM!! :)
 
Mate, Please do not post post this kind of stuff and derail the thread. I assure you that neither that girl from bajrangdal or zaid hamid has any credibility whatsoever. They are just non-social elements of both society. I bet more than 80% of indians haven't even heard about that girl? And that actually wasn't reply zamid stated that before that girl's video but someone has just put them together to make it look like a response.

Please please please I urge to you do not post stuff like this. Because no1 from any side can tolerate such things being said about their respected countries??!!
:pakistan: and VANDE MATARAM!! :)


Okay and Thanks.

I wanted this kind of response and I liked that.
 


This is what needs to done and we are not doing.

An excellent example of unprovoked cross border shelling was shown in the movie Vertical Limit where Roshan Seth playing an Pakistani general says Time to wake up the Indian. The part which i enjoy i where general is buttering the American.


Time to wake up the Indians

You do understand that the movie is fiction and not real life, don't you ?
If you DO what according to you needs to be DONE, i.e: Unprovoked shelling. Then do expect an appropriate counter-strike. We also have a couple of toys that go boom when you pull the chains and push the buttons........thought you might want to know, since your post reeks of inexperience in military diplomacy and affairs......I personally expect better from our honourable Indian members. Such childish posts clearly reflect of a jingoistic and unrealistic mindset which is absent in most of our Indian guests.
 
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Ah ! Now here's an officer I would have liked to see facing me across the LoC in 2002.......The guys against us were pushovers(MLI), the IA had to send in a Sikh Rifle Company and then an attachment from a Gorkha regiment to consolidate their position...........Still the body count(military) was Pakistan 1 to 357 Indians(Official Tally also confirmed by IA), most of our(Pakistani) casualties were civvies......Our single most damaging attack was one on an Indian arms depot, 84 men died in 3 days that the depot remained ablaze.
 

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