Honouring a hero: Painting of Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria presented to Defence Minister at UNTCC Conclave

A tribute to valour marked the opening day of the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries (UNTCC) Chiefs’ Conclave in the national capital, as a painting portraying Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria’s heroic action in the Congo was presented to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The artwork was gifted by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi following the Defence Minister’s keynote address at the conclave. Captain Salaria, who made the supreme sacrifice during a UN peacekeeping mission in 1961, remains the only Indian UN peacekeeper to be honoured with the Param Vir Chakra posthumously, making the moment an emotional reminder of India’s legacy in global peace operations.

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In December 1961, amid mounting conflict in the Katanga province of the Congo, the 3/1 Gorkha Rifles battalion of the Indian Army was deployed to Elizabethville, the headquarters of the United Nations Command.

On 5 December, Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was allocated a mission to clear roadblocks set up by secessionist rebels near the airfield, deemed to be a pivotal route for undertaking the UN operations.

Leading a small team of 16 soldiers, with support from a 3-inch mortar, Captain Salaria launched an attack on the position held by rebels and successfully set up a UN roadblock. However, his platoon quickly came under heavy fire from nearly 90 armed rebels backed by two armored carriers.

Even though outnumbered, Captain Salaria chose to stay and fight the enemy. Rallying his troops with the famous Gorkha battle cry “Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali” (“Victory to Mahakali, the Gorkhas are here”), the brave officer launched a close-quarter assault on the enemy.

Showing remarkable bravery, he took down several rebels in hand-to-hand combat. During the intense exchange, he was critically injured by automatic fire to the neck. Despite his wounds, his actions broke the morale of the rebel force. The officer later died from his injuries and was martyred on the battlefield.

The UNTCC Chiefs’ Conclave, hosted by the Indian Army, brings together senior military leadership from 32 nations that play a pivotal role in UN peacekeeping operations. The conclave is witnessing the participation from Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Ghana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Uruguay and Vietnam. It also features defence exhibitions for shared capacity building.