Kapil Singh Thapa, MVC

Biography

Captain Kapil Singh Thapa was a brave officer of the Indian Army who made the supreme sacrifice during the Battle of Dograi in the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War. Born on 2 November 1937 in Panditwari village of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, he served with the 3 Jat Regiment. During Operation Riddle on the night of 21–22 September 1965, his unit was tasked with capturing the heavily fortified village of Dograi near Lahore. Captain Thapa personally spearheaded the assault, leading his men through an active enemy minefield and engaging enemy positions with grenades and bayonets. Despite intense enemy fire, he and his platoon successfully overran and secured their objectives. He sustained critical injuries during the final stages of the battle and succumbed to his wounds on the battlefield. For his conspicuous gallantry and determination, Captain Kapil Singh Thapa was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.