As the release of Ikkis, a war drama featuring Agastya Nanda, draws near, a lot of people are eager to know the real-life hero who has been the source of inspiration for the movie. Sriram Raghavan directed Ikkis, a story of the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was single-handedly one of the most heroic and admirable officers in the Indian Army and a recipient of the Param Vir Chakra after his death.
The movie, which also stars Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat in major roles, is slated to hit cinemas on January 1, 2026.
Who was Arun Khetarpal?
Arun Khetarpal was born on October 14, 1950, in Pune, Maharashtra, and was raised in a family that had a long history of serving the military. It was a family that had relocated to India after Partition, and the armed forces were no strangers to him from an early age. His father, M. L. Khetarpal, was an officer in the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, and later he was promoted to Brigadier. Among many things, Arun’s upbringing and his early acquaintance with military life were instrumental in his becoming the future leader he is known for today.
Academically as well as physically brilliant, Arun Khetarpal was enrolled in St. Columba’s School in Delhi and later to the academic as well as sports talents at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, where he proved to be an outstanding student as well as sportsman.
He joined the National Defence Academy in 1967 and later the Indian Military Academy, where he obtained distinction and the prestigious award of the President’s Colours. He was commissioned into the 17 Poona Horse, an elite armoured regiment of the Indian Army, in June 1971.
Khetarpal was serving in the Shakargarh sector during the war between India and Pakistan in 1971. His deployment was a part of the Battle of Basantar. It turned out to be his defining moment in this brief but brilliant military career. He was tasked with defending a strategic point on a bridgehead. Khetarpal led his tank troop of Centurion tanks into battle with his typical bravery despite being outnumbered by much more powerful tanks of the enemy force, named Patton.
During the course of the battle, Khetarpal was recorded to have destroyed as many as ten enemy tanks, making him one of India’s most successful tank crew chiefs. Although his own tank had been hit and he had been seriously injured, he still chose not to withdraw from the firefight and only did so after he had managed to bring the situation under control. Khetarpal laid down his life on December 16th, 1971, at a tragically young age of 21 years.
Due to his invaluable act of bravery, the Param Vir Chakra, which is the highest medal of valor in India, was given to Arun Khetarpal after the war.