Major Ranjit Singh Dyal (MVC): The fearless Commander who redefined courage by capturing ‘Haji Pir Pass’ in 1965

In the annals of India’s military history, few names shine as brilliantly as Major Ranjit Singh Dyal of the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, whose extraordinary leadership during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 became a benchmark of valour, tactical brilliance and unyielding resolve.

The saga began on the night of August 25, 1965, when Major Dyal led a daring assault on the fortified Pakistani position at Sank. The attack was halted by intense enemy fire, yet with remarkable composure he managed to withdraw his men without a single loss. Undeterred, he launched a renewed assault the very next night, this time capturing Sank in a swift and decisive blow.

What followed was a relentless pursuit of the enemy. Marching through inhospitable terrain and hostile weather, Major Dyal’s company fought its way to Ledwali Gali, securing the strategic feature by 1100 hours on August 27. Barely pausing to regroup, the unit pressed on through the darkness, manoeuvring across difficult mountain tracks to approach the formidable Haji Pir Pass — a crucial infiltration route used by Pakistani forces.

On August 28, 1965, after a gruelling climb of nearly 4,000 feet and a daring final assault, Major Dyal and his paratroopers captured the Haji Pir Pass. The operation yielded a Pakistani officer and 11 enemy soldiers as prisoners. His leadership was further exemplified the next morning when, noticing one of his patrols pinned by heavy enemy fire, he personally led two platoons in a lightning charge that forced the adversary into disarray.

For his unmatched bravery and exceptional command, Major Ranjit Singh Dyal was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), India’s second-highest wartime gallantry award.

Major Ranjit Singh Dyal later rose to become the General-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command. His distinguished service continued long after the war. In 1984, he played a central role as Security Adviser to the Governor of Punjab during the Operation Blue Star, helping formulate the operational plans alongside senior commanders Lt Gen KS Brar and Gen K Sundarji.

He served as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and later Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Gen Dayal died on January 29, 2012, at the Command Hospital in Panchkula.

Major Ranjit Singh Dyal’s story is not just one of battlefield heroics — it is the story of a soldier whose courage, clarity of purpose and unwavering patriotism left an indelible mark on India’s military heritage.

Lt Gen Ranjit Singh Dyal: From village roots to the frontlines of India’s military history.

Born on November 15, 1928, in Burma, Ranjit Singh Dyal emerged from a proud Sikh military lineage to become one of India’s most decorated and strategic military leaders. His father, Sardar Bahadur Risaldar Ram Singh Dyal, and his brother — an Indian Distinguished Service Medal awardee — instilled in him early discipline and honour of service. Though his childhood was spent in Palkawah Majra in Haroli, Una district (Himachal Pradesh), he also maintained close ties with Teokar village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district. Dyal’s academic and military foundation was laid at Rashtriya Military School, Chail, followed by graduation from King George’s College in 1942. His journey to soldiering excellence began when he entered the Indian Military Academy in 1946. Commissioned into the Punjab Regiment (Para), he joined the elite 1st Battalion, which would go on to play a critical role in the 1948 Indo-Pak War.

Married to Barinder Kaur Dyal, who too has passed away, General Dyal is survived by his only child Parveen Dyal, a freelance makeup professional, who fondly recalls his timeless guidance. “My father would repeatedly ask me to emulate the good traits in others,” she shared with The Tribune. A firm believer that character outweighed all worldly gains, he often reminded her of the adage: “If wealth is gone — nothing is gone.” Their cherished evenings together at his favourite bar in Panchkula were filled with life lessons, note-taking and inspirational quotes he lovingly penned in letters during her boarding-school days.