Commander who would not leave: The battle that won Lt Col Tarapore the Param Vir Chakra
This article recounts the heroic actions of Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war. It details his leadership of the Poona Horse regiment and his posthumous receipt of the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the Sialkot sector.
Why it matters
It serves as a historical tribute to a significant military figure in Indian history, highlighting the intensity of the 1965 conflict.
On this day in 1965, Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore breathed his last on the battlefield, having led his regiment, the Poona Horse, through six days of relentless tank warfare against Pakistan in the Sialkot sector. Even after being wounded, he refused evacuation, staying with his men. By the time he fell, his regiment had destroyed roughly 60 enemy tanks while losing just nine of its own, one of the most lopsided armoured victories. For his leadership and courage, Lt Col Tarapore was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore, fondly remembered as Adi, was born in Bombay on August 18, 1923, into a family with a military lineage stretching back to an ancestor who served as a military leader under Shivaji.
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