Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria: India's UN Hero in Congo, Param Vir Chakra Recipient

• Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, serving with 3/1 Gorkha Rifles in the UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC) in 1961, became a legend for his extraordinary gallantry.
• During a mission to clear a roadblock in Elisabethville (now Lubumbashi), Salaria's small force encountered a heavily armed ambush.
• Despite being outnumbered and under heavy fire, Salaria led a decisive bayonet, khukri, and grenade charge, collapsing the enemy position and preventing reinforcement of the main battle.
• He continued to lead even after being gravely wounded in the neck, fighting until he collapsed from blood loss, stabilizing his force and completing the task.
• Salaria was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor, for his actions, making him the only recipient for gallantry during an overseas UN mission.

Why It Matters: Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria's heroic charge in Congo earned him the Param Vir Chakra, defining India's UN peacekeeping legacy.