Tika Bahadur Thapa, MVC

Biography

Subedar Tika Bahadur Thapa was born on 29th November 1924 in Thapak village of Gulmi district in Nepal. On the same date in 1942, he was enrolled into the 4/8 Gorkha Rifles battalion of the 8 Gorkha Rifles Regiment, an infantry regiment renowned for its fearless soldiers. After completing his training, he served in various operational areas and matured into a battle-hardened soldier. By 1965 he had completed over twenty years of service and had risen to the rank of Subedar, becoming a dependable junior commissioned officer capable of handling a wide range of operational tasks. Although the 1965 Indo-Pak war officially ended on 22 September 1965, border tension and skirmishes continued along the cease-fire line, where Subedar Thapa's unit was deployed in Jammu & Kashmir. When it came to light that enemy forces had encroached upon positions in the area of operation of 4/8 GR in violation of the ceasefire, Subedar Thapa and his men were assigned to clear the objectives. They successfully cleared and secured the ground, but the enemy soon launched a determined counter-attack on his company. With two of his men, Subedar Thapa charged the enemy and halted their advance. When communications with the artillery failed, he personally brought a mortar from another position and fired it single-handedly. In the midst of this action he was struck by a bullet, yet despite the severe wound he continued to direct fire and foiled further enemy attempts to regain the area, before succumbing to his injuries on 30 September 1965. For his exceptional courage, unfaltering leadership and supreme sacrifice, Subedar Tika Bahadur Thapa was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the nation's second highest gallantry award.