Gajpal Singh Agre, MiD

Biography

Sepoy Gajpal Singh Agre hailed from Nagla Choudhary village in the Sadabad tehsil of Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, where he was born on 10 October 1977. He was the son of an Army veteran, Subedar Ramkishan Choudhary (Retd), and Smt. Phoolmati Devi. Growing up in a family with a strong military background, he was deeply inspired by his father's dedication and discipline, and from an early age developed a desire to serve the nation in uniform. After completing his schooling, he joined the Indian Army on 15 August 1996 at the age of nineteen and was inducted into the 17 Jat Battalion of the Jat Regiment, an infantry unit renowned for its rich legacy of bravery. During the Kargil War of 1999, Pakistani forces had occupied several strategic heights in the Kargil sector, including Point 4875 in the Mashkoh Valley, which overlooked the vital Srinagar–Kargil–Leh highway. The 17 Jat Battalion, under Colonel Umesh Singh Bawa, was inducted into the Mashkoh Valley on 26 May 1999 and tasked with first capturing Point 4540 to pave the way for the final objective. Sepoy Gajpal Singh, serving in No. 2 Section of 'B' Company, advanced towards the objective with a party led by Subedar Harphool Singh under difficult and hostile conditions. By around 4:00 AM the soldiers had closed to within nearly 100 metres of the enemy bunkers when the entrenched enemy launched a sudden and intense attack. Under heavy automatic fire and shelling, Sepoy Gajpal Singh kept advancing towards the enemy positions. Though struck by enemy bullets, he refused to retreat and charged on, personally killing two enemy soldiers in hand-to-hand combat before succumbing to his injuries. His comrades went on to capture Point 4540. For his exemplary courage and devotion to duty, Sepoy Gajpal Singh was posthumously honoured with a Mention in Despatches.