Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar VrC

Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar hailed from Nepal and was born on 18 Dec 1952. He joined the army after his initial school education at the age of 17 years. He was recruited into the 5/1 GR battalion of the 1 Gorkha Rifles Regiment, an infantry Regiment, famous for its valiant soldiers and numerous battle exploits.  After completing his training, very early in his service career, he got involved in the thick of operations as border tension arose with Pakistan in 1971.

Indo-Pak War: 30 November 1971

During Nov 1971, Rfn Moti Kumar Newar's unit 5/1 GR was deployed in the eastern sector. Though the war with Pakistan actually commenced on 03 Dec 1971, when Pakistani Air Force attacked Air Bases of India, the border skirmishes were going on much before that and Rfn Moti Kumar Newar’s unit was involved in one such operation on 29/30 Nov 1971.  During that period various units had been moved to the operational locations when the war with Pakistan had become imminent. On 30 Nov 1971, 5/1 GR came under attack by the enemy forces. Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar was functioning as the number one of the light machine gun detachment of the rifle company which bore the brunt of the attack. As a result his battalion was ordered to capture the enemy-held post in that sector. This was a well fortified position held in strength by the enemy.

During the assault, Rifleman Moti Kumar and his comrades came under effective small arms and artillery fire. Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar got seriously wounded in the thigh by a shell splinter but he kept firing his light machine gun from his hip and pressed on with the attack. When the assaulting troops closed in with the enemy defenses, they got held up by an enemy heavy machine gun firing from a bunker and inflicting heavy casualties on the troops. Rifleman Moti Kumar, realizing the importance of silencing this gun, discarded his light machine gun and taking two grenades in his hand charged at the enemy machine gun post single-handed. However while doing so, he got seriously wounded by a machine gun burst. But undeterred, he lunged forward and managed to lob a grenade through the loop hole and silenced the gun. He soon succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar was a fearless and committed soldier, who laid down his life at the age of 19 years in the line of his duty.

Rifleman Moti Kumar Newar was given the gallantry award, “Vir Chakra” on 15 August 1972 for his cold courage, fighting spirit, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.