Lt Ram Prakash, a brave Kunjeyan

Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

Ram Prakash, son of Sri Bhal Singh, was born at Pali village in Hisar district on June 9, 1959. After primary education from the village school, Ram Prakash joined Sainik School, Kunjpura (Karnal), where his inclination towards Army life got firmed up. After senior secondary from Kunjpura, he went on to join the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla (Poona), and was commissioned into 26th Battalion of Madras Regiment on December 19, 1981.

Operation Bluestar in early June 1984 has undoubtedly been the most difficult operation conducted by the India Army. During the most crucial phase of the operation, young Lieutenant Ram Prakash Roperia of 26 Madras went way beyond the call of duty for which he was awarded the Ashok Chakra (AC), the highest peacetime gallantry decoration in India. The summary of his gallant action is available in the War Diary of 26 Madras.

Lieutenant Ram Prakash Roperia, AC, was a Kunjeyan. The pass-outs from Sainik School, Kunjpura, blissfully address themselves as Kunjeyans. The school incidentally has the unique distinction of sending the maximum number of its pass-outs to the National Defence Academy, a feeder institution to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, from where the cream comes out as commissioned officers in the Indian Army. Since its opening in July 1961, it has also been a nursery of future brave-hearts; among six Ashok Chakra awardees from Haryana, Lieutenant Ram Prakash Roperia and Major Rajiv Kumar Joon were nurtured here.

The summary of the gallant action in War Diary of 26 Madras reads..

26 Madras battalion was stationed at Amritsar in 1984 when it was ordered to be part of Operation Bluestar to flush out the terrorists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Lieutenant Ram Prakash Roperia was the officiating Company Commander of ‘C’ company of the battalion when on the night of June 5/6, 1984, he was tasked with securing the first floor of a heavily fortified building in the Golden Temple complex. The building was held by highly motivated and well-armed terrorists. The terrorists with automatic weapons had effectively covered all the staircases leading to the first floor of the building . Lieutenant Roperia, therefore, decided to climb up to the first floor of the building with the help of ladders. But due to continuous machine gun fire by the terrorists, attempts one after another to climb up the first floor failed.

Lieutenant Roperia, then with the help of Naib Subedar Koshy and a few volunteers, made the fourth attempt and succeeded in climbing to the first floor. With his indomitable courage and inspiration, his men reached the objective. He then began clearing the bunkers while his men cleared the complete first floor of the building. Thereafter, he ordered his men to clear the staircase so that a link could be established with the ‘D’ company, which was positioned on the ground floor. The moment he opened the door of the staircase, he was fired upon by a terrorist. Lieutenant Roperia lobbed two hand grenades and entered the staircase. But he was severely wounded in the shoulder and the neck by the gun shots of a terrorist. Lieutenant Roperia fired back at the terrorist and killed him on the spot. Then, in complete disregard of his personal safety, he climbed down the staircase and established a link with the ‘D’ company. However, on reaching the ground floor, he collapsed due to exhaustion and excessive loss of blood. He was evacuated to the nearest hospital but could not be saved. The exceptional courage shown by Lieutenant Roperia inspired his men to press on the attack even after he succumbed to his injuries. 

For his act of most conspicuous gallantry, leadership and exceptional devotion to duty, Lieutenant Ram Prakash Roperia was awarded the Ashok Chakra posthumously. The award was received by his father Sri Bhal Singh from Giani Zail Singh, the President of India, on August 15, 1984.

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)