The Real Ikkis Story: How 21-Year-Old Arun Khetarpal's Supreme Sacrifice Secured India's Victory in 1971

Dec 11, 2025 08:23 pm CST

This article chronicles the extraordinary heroism of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. At just 21, this tank commander from 17 Poona Horse regiment sacrificed his life in the Battle of Basantar, preventing Pakistan from cutting off Kashmir and helping secure India's decisive victory. His bravery, immortalized in Indira Gandhi's personal letter to his family and now in the film 'Ikkis', led to him being posthumously awarded India's highest military honor, the Param Vir Chakra.