Every thought how courage looks like?
How the cost of freedom looks like?
Well, today, let’s know the definition of both! Today marks the Balidan Diwas of the courageous hero, Paratrooper Sachin Laur, a young boy who dreamt big, who dreamt India and who lived for India.
To start with… his birthdate was itself a sign…
Born on 15th August 2000, Mr. Sachin Laur made an entry on the Independence Day as if destiny paved the way!
Even as a child, he had the fire within that indicated the true heroic spirit. He hailed from a village near Jattari where he cycled everyday to attend school. Sachin was deeply inspired by Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Interestingly, the little boy often dressed up like him, donning a pagri and performing patriotic roles in school functions and dramas. His love for the armed forces was clearly evident right from the beginning.
The journey towards Special Forces
Jumping off the mountains, swimming across the seas, surviving in extreme temperatures is what he dreamt, a life of a Para SF!
Sachin worked when the world slept, he would wake up at 3 AM and start his 15-10 KM run that wasn’t a normal one, but the one that would bring the challenge of tying bike and car tires to his waist to build strength and endurance.
He champed the Under-19 Sports Meet in 2018 in Himachal Pradesh by winning Gold in the 1600 meters race and Silver in long jump.
His rigorous training yield fruits on 20 March 2019, when he cleared the recruitment process in his very first attempt just at the age of 18 and joined the Indian Army.
The challenge wasn’t over yet, because it just started…
His first posting was the toughest one, it was at the Siachen Glacier, one of the world’s most inhospitable battlefields.
Finally, he won it!
The glaciers of Siachen had bigger plans for him just like the mountains, the plan of joining the elite Special Forces.
In 2022, post the rigorous selection and training process, Sachin was selected for 2 PARA (Special Forces).
The SF journey finally commenced where his first posting was in Kalakot, Rajouri (Jammu & Kashmir), an area commonly known for frequent militant activity.
And he was a part of 4 successful operations where he displayed his courage and wit.
The year couldn’t get any better because Sachin found the love of his life and got engaged to Ms. Rinky Chaudhary from Tehsil Mant, District Mathura. The wedding was around the corner as it was scheduled for 8 December 2023. The preparations were on, it was clearly love in the air and he finally made his plan to return home on 27th November for the celebrations.
But this time destiny had other plans…
On 22nd November 2023, an intel alerted about militant presence in the Solki village forests of Kalakot. And 63 Rashtriya Rifles began the operation where Captain M.V. Pranjal was martyred in action.
Soon, reinforcements arrived from 9 PARA (SF) and unfortunately, the sad news of Captain Shubham Gupta, Havaldar Abdul Majid, and Lance Naik Sanjay Bisht being martyred arrived.
It was time to call in 2 Para (SF), when finally Paratrooper Sachin Laur also joined the operation.
On the morning of 23 November 2023, destiny came to pass.
Sachin managed to spot a senior militant commander who was attempting to flee under cover. Sachin raised his weapon with unwavering determination and fired with perfect accuracy, injuring the militant. But in the exchange that followed, Paratrooper Sachin Laur was grievously wounded. He continued to fight until his very last breath, even though when he was bleeding. He succumbed to his injuries on the battlefield, attaining Veergati, sacrificing his life in the line of duty just days before his wedding.
Let’s not forget the sacrifice, let’s not forget the name. Heroes like Sachin are rare, so rare that it feels like a personal loss when we read his story, even when we never met him. A man who did everything possible to be a part of a journey to do everything for the country! Let’s salute the bravery, let’s salute our hero.
In honor of his extraordinary bravery and supreme sacrifice, Paratrooper Sachin Laur was posthumously awarded the Sena Medal Gallantry on 26 January 2024. The medal was presented to his proud and grieving parents, Smt. Bhagwati Devi and Shri Ramesh Chand and Elder brother Vivek Laur who is also serving in the Indian Navy, on 15 Jan 2025 (Army day).
“He was not just a soldier, but a son of the soil, who lived and died for the Tricolour. In his sacrifice, we see the spirit of India, undaunted, fearless, and eternal.”