Bhandari Ram

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title: "Bhandari Ram" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1919-births", "2002-deaths", "indian-world-war-ii-recipients-of-the-victoria-cross", "british-indian-army-soldiers", "people-from-bilaspur,-himachal-pradesh", "indian-army-officers", "military-personnel-from-himachal-pradesh"] topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhandari_Ram" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox military person"]

Field	Value
honorific_prefix	Subedar Major and Honorary Captain
name	Bhandari Ram
honorific_suffix	VC
image	Bhandari Ram VC.jpg
birth_date
death_date
birth_place	Pargna Gugeda, Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, India
death_place	Auhar, Himachal Pradesh
placeofburial_coordinates
allegiance	British India
India
branch

World War II
- Burma campaign | battles_label = | awards = [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] Victoria Cross [[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|30px]] Param Vishisht Seva Medal (India) | spouse = | relations = | laterwork = | signature = | website = Bhandari Ram, VC, (24 July 191919 May 2002) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

Ram was born on 24 July 1919, in a Brahmin family at the village of Serva Geharwin, which was part of Bilaspur State (now Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh). He was Sepoy in the 16th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment, British Indian Army (now the Baloch Regiment, Pakistan Army), fighting against the Japanese Army in the Burmese Campaign during World War II, when he performed deeds during the Third Arakan Offensive for which he was awarded the VC.

The citation reads:

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to:-

No. 24782 Sepoy Bhandari Ram, 10th Baluch Regiment, Indian Army.

On the 22nd November, 1944, in East Mayu, Arakan, during a Company attack on a strongly held Japanese bunker position, Sepoy Bhandari Ram was in the leading section of one of the platoons. In order to reach its objective, his platoon had to climb a precipitous slope, by way of a narrow ridge with sheer sides.

When fifty yards from the top, the platoon came under heavy and accurate light machine gun fire. Three men were wounded, amongst them Sepoy Bhandari Ram, who received a burst of light machine gun fire in his left shoulder and a wound in his leg. The platoon was pinned down by the intense enemy fire.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Action_by_Sepoy_Bhandari_Ram,_VC.jpg" caption="Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, 22 November 1944, Arakan, Burma"] ::

This Sepoy then crawled up to the Japanese light machine gun, whilst in full view of the enemy, and approached to within fifteen yards of the enemy position. The enemy then hurled grenades at him, seriously wounding him in the face and chest. Undeterred, severely wounded by bullets and grenade splinters and bespattered with blood, this Sepoy, with superhuman courage and determination, crawled up to within five yards of his objective. He then threw a grenade into the position, killing the enemy gunner and two other men, and continued his crawl to the post. Inspired by his example, the Platoon rushed up and captured the position. It was only after the position had been taken that he lay down and allowed his wounds to be dressed.

By his cool courage, determination to destroy the enemy at all cost, and entire disregard for his personal safety, this young Sepoy enabled his Platoon to capture what he knew to be the key to the whole enemy position. |London Gazette, 8 February 1945.}}

He continued to serve in the post-independence Indian Army, receiving promotion to subedar on 13 May 1958, and to subedar major on 30 March 1967. Bhandari Ram retired from the army in August 1969 with the honorary rank of captain. He died in 2002.

Awards

::data[format=table] | [[File:Ribbon India Service Medal.png|x30px]][[File:UK Queen EII Coronation Medal ribbon.svg|x30px]][[File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg|x30px]][[File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg|x30px]] | |---| ::

References

Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1939-1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. pp. 138–39. {{ISBN. 1-84574-094-7
Thatcher, WS. (1980). ''The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War''. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre. pp. 499–501.
Best, Brian. (2017-10-30). "The Forgotten VCs: The Victoria Crosses of the War in the Far East During WW2". Casemate Publishers.
{{London Gazette. (8 February 1945)
(13 September 1958). "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India.
(3 June 1967). "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India.
(15 August 1969). "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India - Extraordinary.

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