EAP-4 Sugan Chand Chauhan

EAP-4 Sugan Chand Chauhan hailed from Ajmer in Rajasthan and was born on 16 August 1948. Son of Shri Gowardhan Lal Chauhan and Smt Chand Devi, EAP-4 Sugan Chand joined Ajmer Polytechnique College after his initial school education. He studied Civil Engineering at the Polytechnique College and subsequently got selected to join the Indian Navy in the year 1968 at the age of 20 years. 

He got trained at the INS Valsura base in Jamnagar in Gujarat and joined the operational ship of Indian Navy. Barely few years into service, EAP-4 Sugan Chand got involved into thick of operations as his ship got deployed on active duty, when the war with Pakistan became imminent. 

Indo-Pak War (Naval Operations: INS Khukri) : 09 Dec 1971

During Dec 1971 EAP-4 Sugan Chand Chauhan was serving aboard INS Khukri. When the Indo-Pak War of 1971 broke out, the anti-submarine frigates of the Navy, INS Khukri and INS Kirpan were given the responsibility of hunting and neutralizing enemy submarines in the North Arabian Sea. The Indian Naval radio detection equipment identified a submarine in the vicinity of Diu harbour on 03rd Dec 1971.  Following this, INS Khukri along with two other ships INS Kirpan and INS Kuthar were dispatched to take on the threat of the enemy submarine.

In the late evening of 9^th December, INS Khukri was attacked by the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangoor which fired torpedoes at it, causing devastating damage. The Captain of the ship, Capt Mulla evaluated the situation within minutes and issued orders for its abandonment. There were two massive explosions inside the Khukri and the ship went dark. It lost all power and began to tilt steeply to its right (Starboard) as chaos followed the order of ‘abandon ship’. Within a short span of time,  the ship was hit by another torpedo. As the damage to the ship was extensive, a large number of officers and sailors did not get adequate time to follow the orders of their captain. Eventually, the ship went down along with 18 officers and 176 sailors. EAP-4 SC Chauhan was one of the brave hearts who laid down his life at the age of 23 years in the line of his duty. EAP-4 Sugan Chand Chauhan was a valiant soldier and committed sailor, who made the supreme sacrifice following the highest traditions of the Indian Navy.

EAP-4 Sugan Chand Chauhan is survived by his father Shri Gowardhan Lal Chauhan.