Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh AC

Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh was born on 18th August 1935 in Bhullar village of Amritsar district, Punjab. He was the proud son of Shri Tej Singh and came from a family with a strong military tradition. Growing up in such an environment, young Nb Sub Gurnam Singh was deeply influenced by the stories and values of courage, service, and discipline that he witnessed within his family. From his early years, he nurtured the dream of donning the Army uniform and contributing to the service of the nation. After completing his basic education in his native village, he turned his focus towards fulfilling this cherished ambition. His determination bore fruit when he was selected to join the Indian Army—an achievement that brought immense pride and joy to him as well as his family.

On 26th August 1955, Nb Sub Gurnam Singh realized his childhood dream by joining the Bombay Sappers, a prestigious regiment of the Corps of Engineers, as a recruit. He underwent rigorous initial training that shaped him into a disciplined and skilled soldier, and upon its successful completion, he was appointed as a Sapper. After gaining foundational experience in his trade, he was posted to the Depot Battalion (T) on 19th July 1957, where he served for four and a half years. His dedication, sincerity, and growing expertise quickly marked him as a dependable soldier and team member. In October 1962, he was transferred to the Training Battalion, a role that required him to apply both his field knowledge and leadership qualities to groom young soldiers. His competence and professionalism during these years earned him the trust of his superiors and the respect of his peers. With further progression in his career, Nb Sub Gurnam Singh served with the 22nd and 23rd Field Companies, where he gained valuable field experience and enhanced his technical acumen in combat engineering operations. His service in these units reflected his versatility and ability to adapt to different operational environments.

On 5th January 1971, recognizing his expertise and leadership abilities, he was appointed as an Instructor at the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune. This prestigious posting highlighted his professional standing within the Corps of Engineers and allowed him to train and mentor the next generation of officers and soldiers.

Mine Explosion: 23 Sep 1973

On 23rd September 1973, the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune, organized a high-profile demonstration for the visiting staff and student officers of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington. The aim was to showcase various combat engineering innovations, including the recently introduced Charge Line Mine Clearing System, an explosive device designed to clear enemy minefields under battlefield conditions. Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh, by then a seasoned instructor and respected leader, was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting this critical demonstration. He was assisted by a party of seven sappers, all working under his direct supervision. His task was to set up and fire the explosive charge under simulated battle conditions, thereby demonstrating its effectiveness to the distinguished audience.

As Nb Sub Gurnam Singh and his team meticulously prepared the charge for firing, a sudden mishap occurred—the tail initiator of the explosive charge got prematurely actuated. He instantly recognized the gravity of the situation: the entire explosive was about to detonate within ten seconds. A split-second decision had to be made, as any delay could cost the lives of all the men present. Fully aware of the imminent danger, Nb Sub Gurnam Singh displayed extraordinary calm and presence of mind. Without losing a moment, he ordered his men to run to a safe distance, prioritizing their safety above his own. Once assured that his comrades were out of harm’s way, he turned his attention to the hazardous task of manually uncoupling the actuated initiator—a desperate attempt to prevent the catastrophic explosion. In this fateful moment, he acted with utter disregard for his personal safety, embodying the finest traditions of selfless leadership. Unfortunately, despite his determined efforts, the precious few seconds at his disposal were insufficient to avert disaster. The device exploded with massive force, and Nb Sub Gurnam Singh was blown to pieces, sacrificing his life but saving those of the men under his command.

The gallant act of Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh was not just a display of courage, but of the highest order of self-sacrifice, devotion to duty, and leadership in its purest form. By deliberately placing himself in mortal danger to protect his comrades, he upheld the noblest ideals of the Indian Army. In recognition of his supreme act of valor during peacetime, Nb Sub Gurnam Singh was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest gallantry award in peace, the “Ashok Chakra”. 

The citation for "Ashok Chakra" awarded to Nb Sub Gurnam Singh reads:

On the 23rd September 1973, a demonstration was arranged by the college of Military Engineering for the visiting staff and student officers of the Defence Services Staff  college. One item of the demonstration was the actual firing of the Charge Line Mine Clearing, an explosive device for the clearing of enemy minefields, which was recently introduced in the service. Naib  Subedar  Gurunam Singh was detailed to fire this explosive charge under simulated battle conditions. He was assisted by a party of seven sappers in this task. While Naib Saubedar Gurnam Singh was in the process of setting up and preparing the Charge Line Mine Clearing, for firing,the tail initiator of the charge got prematurely actuated.  He at once realised that the entire explosive was likely to blow up within 10 seconds. Realising the danger to the lives of the men under his command, he immediately ordered them to run ta a safe distance and he himself, in utter diregard of his personal safety , set upon the hazardous task of uncoupling the actuated tail initiator to render the Charge Line Mine Clearing completely safe and to ensure the safety of the equipment as also a avoid the upsetting of the proceedings of the demonstration. But unfortunately, inspite of his best efforts and determination he was not able to prevent the explosion within the few seconds, at his disposal. There was an explosion and Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh was blown to pieces.Thus, in order to save the lives of the men under his command, Naib subedar Gurnam Singh made the supreme self-sacrifice.

In this action, Naib Subedar Gurnam Singh displayed most conspicuous gallantry,leadership and devotion to duty in the highest traditions of the Army.