Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Uday Singh Gaur

Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Uday Singh Gaur was born on 1^st July, 1953 in Hardoi district in the state of Uttar Pradesh. His father was late Sri Rajendra Singh Gaur. Lt Col Gaur took his primary education in his hometown and graduated in 1972 from CM Nehru College. In September of 1973, he decided and joined the Officers Training Academy (OTA) and was placed as officer in the Bihar Regiment on 12th May 1974. After completing the training, he became part of various operational areas in different units and emergences.

Being an alumnus of prestigious Defense Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, Lt Col Gaur also worked as an Instructor in the infantry school. In 1994, he had plunk down his twenty years of army service and had transformed into a battle accustomed soldier and a fine officer. Later, he was posted as the commanding officer of 10 Bihar battalion placed at Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.

In 1994, Lt Col Gaur’s unit was placed in Baramulla district in the state of J & K and was engaged in counter insurgency operations. Lt Col Gaur trust in leading from the front and many times lead the operations himself against the terrorists. On 29^th November 1994, he received information from the intelligence sources about the presence of 10 to 12 terrorists in Bazipura village of Baramulla district. After knowing the pros & cons as per the situation, Lt Col Gaur planned a search and cordon operation in the suspected area. Keeping in mind the expected scale of operation, Lt Col Gaur decided to became the one-man army for undertaking the operation alone.  As planned the assault team cordoned off the area and launched the search and combing operation.

While the search operation was lasted for near around 7hours, the terrorists fired at the troops triggering a gun battle.  Lt Col Gaur quickly relocated his troops tactically to block all the escape routes for terrorists. Despite heavy exchange of fire, he kept moving forward from a flank and reached close to the firing position of the mercenaries. Lt Col Gaur’s bold and unexpected action were shocking for the terrorists and in the resulting in exchange of fire, he killed three terrorists. Later, he moved ahead to neutralize the Universal Machine Gun that was firing at him from behind a rock. With bullets flying all around him, he bravely crawled forward and lobbed a hand grenade at the gun position, killing yet another terrorist and silenced the gun. However, during the fierce exchange of fire Lt Col Gaur got seriously injured and later yielded to his injuries. Lt Col Gaur was an exemplary soldier and an officer who was and is inspiration for many of his troops by leading from the front.

Lt Col Harsh Uday Singh Gaur was rewarded with the nation’s highest peace time gallantry award, “Ashok Chakra” for his extraordinary courage, dedication to duty and supreme sacrifice.