Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar MVC

Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar hailed from the village of Alamwala in the Faridkot district of Punjab, a region known for its proud tradition of military service and patriotism. He was born on 15 August 1918 to Shri Inder Singh. Growing up in a disciplined and value-driven environment, young Malkit Singh imbibed qualities of integrity, courage, and dedication from an early age—traits that would later become the hallmark of his military career. He received his early education at Malwa Khalsa High School in Ludhiana, where he was known to be diligent and sincere in his studies. He later pursued higher education at D.M. College, Moga, graduating with distinction. During his formative years, the spirit of nationalism was sweeping across the country, and like many young men of his generation, he felt a deep calling to serve the nation.

Answering this call of duty, he joined the Indian Army and was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on 1 January 1941. The Kumaon Regiment, renowned for its valour and rich traditions, provided the perfect environment for him to grow into a fine officer. Over the next seven years of service, he distinguished himself through professional competence, exemplary discipline, and genuine concern for the welfare of his men. His leadership qualities, personal courage, and commitment to duty earned him the respect of his superiors and the unwavering loyalty of the soldiers under his command. In recognition of his abilities and service, he was promoted to the rank of Major. By February 1948, Major Malkit Singh’s unit was deployed in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where fierce fighting was underway during the Indo–Pak conflict that had begun in October 1947. The Poonch sector was of critical strategic importance, and operations there were marked by harsh terrain, extreme weather, and relentless enemy pressure. Despite these formidable challenges, his unit played a vital role in holding defensive positions, safeguarding civilian populations, and defending the territorial integrity of the nation. Major Malkit Singh led from the front, setting an inspiring example of courage, resilience, and selfless devotion to duty.

Poonch Sector Operation (Indo-Pak War-1947-48): 07 Feb 1948 

In February 1948, Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar’s unit, 1 Kumaon, was deployed in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where it was engaged in fierce operations to capture and hold strategically vital ground against determined enemy forces. 1 Kumaon, originally raised in March 1813, was one of the oldest infantry battalions of the Indian Army. In 1946, the battalion was converted to the airborne role, becoming 1 Kumaon (Para). As the Commander of B Company, Major Brar led his men with exceptional courage and professionalism. Under his inspiring leadership, the company successfully captured several critical enemy positions, significantly contributing to the unit’s operational success in the sector. On 7 February 1948, at about 10:30 hours, the enemy launched a heavy and coordinated counter-attack. An estimated force of nearly 200 enemy soldiers brought intense automatic fire from three directions against Major Brar’s company. The forward post bore the brunt of the assault and suffered severe casualties. Very soon, the situation became critical, with only two soldiers remaining capable of fighting. Sensing the gravity of the moment and displaying extraordinary presence of mind, Major Brar immediately seized a Bren gun and ran towards the embattled forward post, completely disregarding his personal safety. Exposed to heavy enemy fire, he opened up with accurate and sustained fire on the advancing attackers. His fearless and aggressive action halted the enemy’s advance and forced them to retreat and take cover behind rocks. Through this single-handed act of valour, he prevented the forward platoon from being overrun and saved the surviving soldiers from certain massacre.

After repulsing the enemy attack, Major Brar moved along the forward positions, collecting Bren guns and rifles from the fallen soldiers to ensure that the defences remained intact. Though he had sustained critical injuries during the action, his sense of duty remained undiminished. Demonstrating exceptional courage and compassion, he personally supervised and carried out the evacuation of wounded soldiers from the forward post under relentless enemy automatic fire. Even when orders were received from higher command to withdraw, Major Brar chose to remain behind to ensure that as many injured men as possible were safely evacuated. During this selfless act of leadership, a 3-inch mortar bomb landed close to him, inflicting further grievous wounds. Despite the best efforts to save him, Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom. For his most conspicuous gallantry, indomitable fighting spirit, and supreme sacrifice in the face of the enemy, Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar was posthumously awarded the "Maha Vir Chakra", the nation’s second-highest gallantry award.

The citation of "Maha Vir Chakra" awarded to him reads :

On the night 7/8 February 1948 at Poonch, Major Brar was commanding B Company of his Battalion. Owing to his extremely good leadership the coy captured an important hill feature against heavy opposition of the hostile forces who were entrenched in dug down bunkers. With the daybreak enemy directed very heavy automatic fire from three directions and then launched a determined counter-attack at about 1030 hrs with an estimated strength of about 200. The forward post had suffered heavy casualties by this time and there were only two men capable of fighting. At this junction, Major Brar ran with a Bren gun to the forward post with utter disregard for his personal safety and fired from the hip at the advancing enemy from point-blank range. This wave of fire stopped the hostile forces who ran back and took cover behind the rocks. Thus Major Brar’s most outstanding gallantry saved the forward platoon from being overrun.

Then despite the wound he had received during this action, Major Brar personally evacuated most of his casualties from the forward post under very heavy enemy automatic fire, and when ordered to withdraw, he on his own initiative went round all the forward posts and collected two Bren guns and five rifles left belonging to the dead. In spite of the orders to go down, he went on supervising the evacuated of the company’s casualties , when a 3 inch mortar bomb landed close to him and further wounded him mortally.  Major Brar succumbed to his injuries saying “ Well done B company. Get down, I am all right” , in an example of personal bravery rarely seen. Maj Brar’s devotion to duty was exemplary and his outstanding gallantry is now part of the glorious history of his Battalion.

• Before his last breath, Major Sardar Malkit Singh Brar said  “Well done B Company. Get down, I am all right.”  at the very spot where the 3 inch mrotar bomb exploded.