Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria PVC

Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria was born on 29 November 1935 in Jamwal village near Shakargarh, which was then undivided Punjab. After the partition of India, his family relocated to Jangal village in Gurdaspur district, Punjab. He was the son of Shri Munshi Ram and Smt Dhan Devi, who instilled in him values of discipline and service to the nation from a young age. With a keen interest in joining the armed forces, Capt Gurbachan began his military education early. In 1946, he secured admission to the King George Royal Indian Military College (KGRIMC), Bangalore—now known as Rashtriya Military School, Bengaluru. Later, he continued his training at the King George Royal Military College, Jalandhar, which now stands as Rashtriya Military School, Chail (Himachal Pradesh). His early exposure to military life shaped his personality, building leadership qualities and a strong sense of patriotism.

Aspiring to serve as an officer, he joined the 9th batch of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla, Pune. After completing his training at NDA, he proceeded to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. His dedication and performance earned him a commission into the 1 Gorkha Rifles in 1957—one of the Indian Army’s most decorated infantry regiments, known for its gallantry, resilience, and legendary battle history.

UN Mission (Congo Operation): 05 Dec 1961

In December 1961, Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria’s battalion, 3/1 Gorkha Rifles, was deployed in Élisabethville, located in the conflict-affected Katanga province of Congo. Élisabethville served as the headquarters of the United Nations Command, and the region was volatile due to ongoing rebel activity and attempts to undermine UN efforts. On 5 December 1961, Capt Salaria was entrusted with a critical and high-risk task: to clear enemy roadblocks established by Katangese rebels near the Élisabethville airfield. These roadblocks were obstructing UN troop movement and communication, and their removal was essential for the continuation of peacekeeping operations. Leading a small detachment of 16 soldiers, supported by a 3-inch mortar, Capt Salaria advanced toward the designated target. His force successfully attacked and dismantled one enemy roadblock and established a UN-controlled checkpoint in its place. However, as they progressed further, they encountered stiff resistance. The opposition comprised around 90 well-armed rebels, supported by two armoured carriers, equipped with automatic weapons.

Despite facing a numerically and materially superior enemy, Capt Salaria showed no hesitation. With characteristic determination and tactical acumen, he made the bold decision to launch an offensive assault rather than retreat. Leading from the front, he charged forward with the iconic Gorkha battle cry: “Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali!” (Victory to Goddess Mahakali — The Gorkhas are here!) Capt Salaria embodied the spirit and motto of the Gorkha regiment: “Kāfir honu bhanda marnu ramro” (Better to die than live like a coward.) What followed was a fierce close-quarter combat in which Capt Salaria fought with extraordinary courage. He engaged the enemy with relentless ferocity, neutralizing several rebels and throwing the enemy lines into disarray. His daring action and thunderous leadership ignited the fighting spirit of his men, who continued the assault with unwavering resolve. During the intense engagement, Capt Salaria was struck by a burst of automatic fire, sustaining a grievous wound to the neck. Even in his final moments, he continued urging his men forward until he collapsed. He later succumbed to his injuries, attaining supreme martyrdom in the line of duty.

The momentum generated by Capt Salaria’s leadership shattered the rebel resistance. The enemy force, demoralized and disorganized, fled or surrendered, and the UN mission successfully regained control of the area. For his exceptional bravery, fearless leadership, and ultimate sacrifice, Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest wartime gallantry award. He remains the first—and so far, the only—soldier to receive the Param Vir Chakra for an action undertaken during a United Nations peacekeeping operation. 

The citation for the "Param Vir Chakra" awarded to him reads:

On 5 December 1961, 3/1 Gorkha Rifles was ordered to clear a roadblock established by the gendarmerie at a strategic roundabout at Elizabethville, Katanga. The plan was that one company with 2 Swedish armored cars would attack the position frontally and Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria with two sections of Gorkhas and two Swedish armored personnel carriers would advance towards this roadblock from the airfield to act as a cutting-off force.

Captain Salaria with his small force arrived at a distance of 1500 yards from the roadblock at approximately 1312 hours on 5 December 1961 and came under heavy automatic and small-arms fire from an undetected enemy position dug in on his right flank. The enemy also had two armored cars and about 90 men opposing Captain Salaria’s small force.

Captain Salaria appreciating that he had run into a subsidiary roadblock and ambush and that this enemy force might reinforce the strategic roundabout and thus jeopardize the main operation, decided to remove this opposition. He led a charge with bayonets, khukris, and grenades supported by a rocket launcher. In this gallant engagement, Captain Salaria killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out the two armored cars. This unexpected bold action completely demoralized the enemy who fled despite their numerical superiority and protected positions.

Captain Salaria was wounded in his neck by a burst of automatic fire but continued to fight till he collapsed due to profuse bleeding. Captain Salaria’s gallant action prevented any enemy movement of the enemy force towards the main battle scene and thus contributed very largely to the success of the main battalion’s action at the roundabout and prevented the encirclement of UN Headquarters in Elizabethville. Captain Salaria subsequently died of his wounds.

Captain Salaria’s personal example, utter disregard for personal safety, and dauntless leadership inspired his small but gallant force of 16 Gorkhas to hold on to their position, dominate the enemy and inflict heavy casualties despite the enemy’s superiority in numbers and tactical position. Captain Salaria’s leadership, courage, and unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for personal safety were in the best traditions of our Army.

• The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI) named fifteen of its Crude Oil Tankers in honour of the Param Vir Chakra recipients. The crude oil tanker named  “Capt. Gurbachan Singh Salaria, PVC” was delivered to SCI on 26-10-1984.
• The courageous story of Capt Salaria was immortalized in the 1988 television serial, “Param Vir Chakra” by Chetan Anand. His role was essayed by the actor Brando Bakshi.
• A square in NDA has been named as “Salaria Square” in his honour.
• A stadium and a park have been set up by 14 Gurkha Training Centre at Subathu in Himachal Pradesh as a tribute to Capt GS Salaria.
• The Army Postal Service issued a special cover on 05 Dec 1992 to honour Capt. Gurbachan Singh Salaria.

• Maj Gen RP Singh who was battalion adjutant during that operation recalled Capt Salaria showing him his own right hand and saying , ‘Wait and see, this star will take me to great heights’. ‘I did not know that his day of reckoning and attaining fame was just a few days away. Or that he would never know of this fame since it would come when he was in his heavenly abode’.
• His brother Shri Sukhdev who lives in Pathankot and is bedridden recounts, ‘We had no worries then; we would splash around in the stream. What beautiful days they were. Now Gurbachan is gone and I can’t walk, but whenever I think of him that is the first memory that streams into my head’.