Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal ka janm 14 October 1950 ko Pune Maharashtra mein hua tha. Arun ke pita ji Brigadier M. L. Khetarpal bhi Indian Army ki Corps of Engineer mein officer the. Yahan tak ki unke ke dadaji bhi British Indian Army mein apni services de chuke the. Arun Khetarpal Indian Army ke bahaduri ke kisse sunkar bade huye the, isliye unhone bachpan mein hi thaan liya tha ki vo bhi bade hokar Indian Army hi join karenge. Indian Army or apne desh ko serve karne josh or junoon unke khoon mein hi tha. Apne sapne ko poora karne ke liye Saal 1967 mein Arun Khetarpal ne NDA ko join Kiya liya. Ek din jab Arun Khetarpal NDA ki mess mein Gaye to unhe vahan par Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Tarapore ki photo dikhi, tab inhone unki photo ko salute kiya or kaha “ ek din mujhe bhi Paramveer Chakra milga”. Ardeshir Tarapore 1965 India Pakistan war ke hero the, or vo Arun Khetarpal ke inspiration bhi the. saal 1971 mein unhe Indian Army ki 17 Poona Horse regiment mein 2nd Lieutenant ke taur par commissioned kar diya gaya.
Arun Khetarpal ke Indian Army mein commissioned hone ke kuch mahino baad hi India aur Pakistan ke beech Jung chid gayi thi. 3 December ki shaam ko Pakistani fighter planes ne India ke 11 airbases par air strike kar di thi. Jiske jawaab mein India ne 4 December ki subah ko Pakistan ke sath officially war declare kar diya tha. Jiske baad Arun Khetarpal ki regiment 17 Poona Horse jo ki ek tank regiment hai, use order diye gaye ki vo Shakargarh sector ke pass Basantar nadi ke pass ek bridge head ko sthapit kare. Kyunki Basantar nadi ek esi jagah thi jo ki Pakistani base ke kaafi kareeb thi, or ye strategic point of view se dono countries ke liye bhi kaafi important thi. Kyunki isme Jammu-Kashmir se lekar Punjab tak ke sabhi road or railway links aate the, or Indian Army ko ammunition or baaki jaruri samaan ki bhi supply inhi links ke jariye ki jaa rahi thi. Or agar Pakistan in links ko cut karne mein successful ho jaata to Jammu-Kashmir, Amritsar, Pathankot or Gurdaspur jaise kai important areas khatre mein pad sakte the. Us samay Arun Khetarpal ki 17 Poona Horse regiment Indian Army ki 47th Infantry brigade ki command ke under aati thi, jise Black Arrow brigade ke naam se bhi jaana jaata hai. Lekin Basantar nadi mein kabja kar paana kaafi mushkil tha, kyunki Pakistani army ne Shakargarh sector ke pass Basantar nadi par apni position ko strongly hold Kiya hua tha. Pakistani army ne vahan par apne sabse best Patton Tanks ko deploy kiya hua tha.
Lekin Akhnoor mein ladh rahi Indian soldiers ke liye aage badh pana mushkil ho raha tha, isliye sirf ek hi rasta bacha tha ki Indian soldiers Basantar ki nadi ko paar karke enemy territory mein ghuskar unke upar attack kare. Iske baad 3 tanks ke sath 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal ko saamne se aa rahe 14 Pakistani Patton tanks ko rokne ka task diya gaya, or sirf 21 saal ka ye soldier saamne se aa rahe tanks ke sath bhid gaya. Lekin jald hi Arun Khetarpal ke baaki 2 tanks ke commander ghayal ho gaye the, jiske baad iss poore task ki jimmedari 2nd Lieutenant Arun par aa gyi thi. Or unhone iss jimmedari ko badi hi bakhoobi se nibhaya. Dushman tank ke shell se hit hone se pehle 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal ne Pakistan ke 5 Patton tanks ko akele hi destroy kar diya tha. Lekin 5 Patton tanks ko destroy karne ke baad ek shell Arun Khetarpal ke tank par bhi hit ho gaya tha, vo bhi buri tarah se ghayal ho gaye the or unka tank bhi ab kaam nhi kar raha tha. Lekin unke tank ki gun abhi bhi fire karne ki haalat mein thi. Tab Arun Khetarpal ke commander ne unhe order diye the ki vo vaapas aa jaaye. Lekin unhone apne commander se aane se mna kar diya or kaha ki “ sir mein apne tank ko nhi chodunga kyunki mere tank ki gun abhi bhi kaam kar rahi hai or jab tak ye kaam karti rahegi mein fire karta rahunga”, or itna kehne ke baad unhone apne transmitter ko switch off kar diya. Or fir iske baad Veergati ko prapt hone se pehle unhone dushman ke 2 or Patton tanks ko destroy kar diya tha. Or jab Pakistani army ne dekha ki unke 10 tanks destroy ho gaye hai to unhone aage badhna hi chod Diya or vo peeche hatne lage. 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal ki isi bahaduri ki vajah se India ne Basantar Battle ko jeetne mein safal hui. Or jabtak Pakistani apna agla kadam uthati usse pehle hi Indian Army Pakistani territories par kabja kar chuki thi, jiski vajah se unke pass surrender karne ke alava or koi option nhi bacha tha. Iss war mein Pakistani army ke total 46 Tanks destroy huye the, jisme se 7 tanks ko akele 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal ne destroy Kiya tha. Or fir is war ke khatam hone ke baad Arun Khetarpal ko India ke highest war time gallantry award Paramveer Chakra se sammanit kiya gaya.
