New Delhi: At just 21, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal showed the world what true courage means. During the 1971 Battle of Basantar, he refused to leave his burning tank despite orders to do so. His last words were, “No, sir, I won’t abandon my tank. My gun is still working.”
Before falling in action, he destroyed several enemy tanks — a gallant act that earned him the Param Vir Chakra and a permanent place in India’s heart. This account explores the acts of exceptional bravery displayed by Arun Khetrapal, narrated through the firsthand testimony of his own brother, offering a deeply personal and authentic perspective on his courage and sacrifice.
Mukesh Khetrapal shares major events from Arun Khetrapal’s life
Recalling his late brother, Arun Khetrapal, Mukesh Khetrapal talked to News9 and said, “Our father was a Brigadier in the Corps of Engineers. He had decided that Arun would become an engineer, and I would join the NDA. But fate turned the other way round — Arun’s heart was always set on the Armed Forces.”
Arun qualified for both IIT and NDA, but when the NDA results arrived, he chose his dream. “He didn’t dare to tell our father directly, so he told our mother, who finally convinced him,” Mukesh remembered. During his early training, Arun joined the renowned Poona Horse Regiment. Mukesh shared a touching story from his brother’s dining-in ceremony: “He raised a toast to Colonel Tarapore, Poona Horse’s first Param Vir Chakra winner from 1965 — and then raised a second toast to himself, saying, ‘To the second Param Vir Chakra — Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal.’
Everyone laughed, but destiny made it come true.”Mukesh also remembered the humane side of his brother. “Arun once gave away his new sweater to the school peon’s son, who didn’t have warm clothes. He never even told our mother,” he said. Remembering the fateful day, Mukesh’s voice turns heavy: “We got a telegram three days after the ceasefire. My mother screamed and fainted. Even today, it pains me to recall.”
Years later, their father visited Pakistan and met Major Naseer, the enemy tank commander who had fired the shell that killed Arun. “He told my father, ‘Your son stopped us from advancing. He fought bravely. It was my shot that killed him,” Mukesh revealed softly.“Arun wasn’t seeking glory,” he added. “He just did his duty. And I believe there’s an Arun in every youngster who dares to follow his dream, no matter the cost.”