Joginder Singh Gharaya: Difference between revisions

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1926|07|31}}<ref name="stories_heroism">{{cite book |last1=Chakravorty |first1=B. C. |last2= |first2= |date=1995 |title=Stories of Heroism: Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra Winners |location=New Delhi |pages=177 |publisher=Allied Publishers Ltd.|isbn=81-7023-516-2 }}</ref>

| birth_place = Montgomery, [[Montgomery District]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British Raj]]<br> (present-day [[Sahiwal]], [[Pakistan]])<ref name="stories_heroism"/>

| death_place = [[Chandigarh]], [[India]]

| servicenumber = IC-1984<ref name="lt"/>

| unit = [[Frontier Force Regiment]]<br> 1 [[Bihar Regiment]]

| battles = [[Operation Polo]]<br>[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]<br>[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]

| awards = [[File:Maha_Vir_Chakra_ribbon.svg|35px]] [[Maha Vir Chakra]]<br>[[File:Kirti Chakra ribbon.svg|35px]] [[Kirti Chakra]]<br>[[File:Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|35px]] [[Vishisht Seva Medal]]

[[Lieutenant-General]] '''Joginder Singh Gharaya''' [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]], [[Kirti Chakra|KC]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] (31 July 1926 -– 13 July 2019) was a highly decorated [[Indian Army]] general officer and the only member of the [[Indian Armed Forces]] to have won both the [[Maha Vir Chakra]] and the [[Kirti Chakra]], the second highest wartime and peacetime Indian decorations.<ref name="lion_hearted">{{cite news |last=Bajwa |first=Mandeep Singh |date=5 June 2016 |title=Sit rep: For a lion-hearted commander |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/sit-rep-for-a-lion-hearted-commander/story-rhwwfuut8Ym72skYWO5s8L.html |work=Hindustan Times |location= |access-date=26 July 2019 }}</ref>

==BiographyEarly life==

Born in Montgomery in the [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]] (now Sahiwal, Pakistan),. GharayaHe did his schooling from King George Royal Indian Military College(now [[Chail Military School|Rashtriya Military School Chail]]) and received an emergency commission as a second lieutenant in the [[Frontier Force Regiment]] on 20 January 1946, transferring to the [[Bihar Regiment]] following the independence and partition of India, when the Frontier Force Regiment was allocated to Pakistan.<ref name="sole_officer">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=14 July 2019 |title=Sole officer with second-highest war, peacetime medals dies|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/sole-officer-with-second-highest-war-peacetime-medals-dies/articleshow/70209877.cms |work=The Times of India|location= |access-date=26 July 2019 }}</ref>

''The President is pleased to approve the award of the Ashoka Chakra, Class II, to the undermentioned personnel for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the Hyderabad Police Action - 1948.''

On 24 September 1948, Capt. Gharaya while proceeding with his Company to village Puchanapet was suddenly fired upon by two truck loads of Razakars who then made away. Capt. Gharaya immediately engaged them from his jeep and, followed closely by some of his men in a truck, he gave chase. Although constantly under fire, he kept up the chase and returned fire. Eventually, he managed to shoot down two Razakars. Later, the driver too was killed and the truck halted. The Razakars, however, took up positions and continued the fight. Captain Gharaya then with one Section only, charged the Razakars, killing twelve. Six .303, six Henry Martini ''(sic)'' rifles and one pistol were captured.