Vir Chakra (VrC)

Major Surinder Singh was tasked to approach a suspected militant hideout in an area east of Puttar in Sri Lanka. He located and identified the hideout. Thereafter, he decided to raid it. On 5 June 1989, he organised his patrol of 15 Other Ranks and went into the raid during which he personally shot two militants. The patrol observed two militants fleeing the hut. The officer, without worrying about his personal safety, decided to chase the fleeing militants. In the hut were two militants earlier shot by him: As he ran past the hut, one militant opened fire at point blank range on Major Surinder Singh and injured him seriously. Despite the injury on chest, the officer turned round, shot dead the injured militant and continued chasing the militants till he collapsed. He refused to be attended to and directed his personnel to pursue the militants. Eventually, one of the fleeing militants was shot dead. Soon after the operation, the officer was evacuated to a field hospital where he was declared dead.

Major Surinder Singh displayed conspicuous gallantry and valour in the face of very adverse circumstances.