Bal Bahadur Thapa, VrC

Biography

Lance Naik Bal Bahadur Thapa hailed from Bhatuke village in the Lumbini district of Nepal and was born on 24 July 1959. The son of Shri Heman Singh Thapa, he completed his schooling and joined the Army on 15 June 1979 at the age of twenty. He was enrolled in the 7/8 Gorkha Rifles battalion, an infantry unit renowned for its fearless soldiers and numerous successful campaigns. After joining his unit, he served in various operational areas and took part in several operations. During 1988-89, his unit was deployed to Sri Lanka as part of the IPKF under Operation Pawan to help control the volatile situation there. By June 1989 the Indian Army had conducted many operations against the LTTE. On 19 June 1989, Lance Naik Thapa was part of an armed patrol, acting as a scout. While patrolling along Rasa Veethi, he spotted suspicious youths crossing a fence. He gave chase, and when he closed in, a militant hurled a grenade that exploded in front of him. Undeterred, he pressed on under heavy AK-47 fire, returned fire and killed a militant on the spot; cyanide capsules, micro-cassettes and Sri Lankan currency were later recovered from the body. Grievously wounded in the exchange, he later succumbed to his injuries. For his exceptional courage, valour and supreme sacrifice, he was awarded the Vir Chakra on 26 January 1990.