Capt Gurjinder Singh Suri, MVC

The Township bears the name of Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, an officer of the Indian Army awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second-highest wartime gallantry decoration, posthumously for the action at Faulad Post on 9 November 1999.

Biography

Gurjinder Singh Suri was born on 4 July 1974 in Ambala district, Haryana, into a family with a tradition of Army service: his father, Lt Col Tej Prakash Singh Suri, and his grandfather, Subedar Gurbaksh Singh, both served. He passed out of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Army Ordnance Corps on 7 June 1997. In 1999 he was attached to the 12th Battalion, the Bihar Regiment, then deployed on the Line of Control in the Gulmarg–Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where he commanded the battalion's Ghatak (commando) platoon.

The Faulad Post action, 9 November 1999

Faulad Post stands at about 11,200 feet. Before dawn on 9 November 1999 the enemy launched an attack on the post under cover of heavy fire. The attack was repulsed, and as the raiders fell back the Ghatak platoon was ordered to pursue and clear them from the bunkers they had occupied. Capt Suri deployed his support group to block any reinforcement and led the assault himself, clearing the bunkers one after another at close quarters. He was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and critically wounded. He refused to be evacuated and continued to direct and encourage his men until he died of his wounds. Three other soldiers of the post also fell that day. The position was held.

The citation

Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri (IC-56980), AOC, 12 Bihar (Posthumous). Effective date of the award 09-11-1999. Transcribed from the Ministry of Defence gallantry awards portal; the scanned original is shown below.

Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri was the Ghatak Platoon commander and was located at Forward Defended Locality in Jammu and Kashmir. On 09 November 1999, enemy launched an attack on own post which was successfully repulsed. The enemy retreated, seizing the opportunity the Ghatak Platoon was launched to pursue the fleeing enemy. Captain Suri immediately deployed his support group to take care of any reinforcement/interference and set out to clear the bunkers one by one. When he saw that one comrade was grievously injured in the process, he quickly moved on with his buddy, to clear the bunker. He killed two enemy soldiers with his AK rifle and silenced the MACHINE GUN. However, he got a burst in his left arm in the process. Unmindful of his injury, Captain Suri continued to inspire his men to accomplish the task. He then lobbed two hand grenades into a bunker and entered inside spraying bullets with his AK rifle killing one enemy soldier instantly. At this point the officer was hit by an enemy Rocket Propelled Grenade and was critically wounded. He refused to be evacuated and continued to exhort his men till he breathed his last. The officer displayed extraordinary junior leadership, inspired by which the ghataks fell upon the enemy with vengeance and annihilated them.

Captain Gurjinder Singh Suri, thus, displayed conspicuous bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice.

The Maha Vir Chakra

Capt Suri was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (posthumous) on Independence Day 2000, the only MVC of that year's list. Instituted in 1950 with effect from 15 August 1947, the Maha Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air.

His bust stands in the memorial pavilion in the central park of the Township. Residents gather there on his birth anniversary, 4 July, and on 9 November each year.

Sources: Ministry of Defence gallantry awards portal (citation, portrait, particulars); The Tribune, "Capt Suri — the Sikh warrior from Ambala"; Wikipedia.