Arun Kumar Rai

Biography

Rifleman Arun Kumar Rai hailed from Ramite village in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. After completing his school education, he joined the Army and was recruited into the 1/11 GR battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles, an infantry regiment renowned for the bravery of its soldiers. During June-July 1999, his unit was deployed in the Batalik sector of Ladakh as part of Operation Vijay during the Kargil War. The 1/11 GR, along with 22 Grenadiers, was tasked to capture the formidable enemy defences on the Khalubar-Padma Go Ridgeline. The assault on Khalubar was assigned to the battalion's 'B' Company, in which Rifleman Rai served in Platoon No. 5 under Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey. On the night of 2/3 July 1999, the assault team advanced towards Khalubar and came under heavy enemy fire from all surrounding heights. After a gruelling seven-hour climb, Rifleman Rai and his comrades fought their way forward and gained control of six enemy bunkers. He was seriously injured during the intense exchange of fire and later succumbed to his wounds, laying down his life on 4 July 1999. For his conspicuous gallantry, he was Mentioned-in-Dispatches.