Famagusta & its unsung heroes—story of fierce tank battle that turned the tide in 1971 India-Pakistan war

The Print

4 days ago

'He was a simple and stoic soldier from Nagaur district of Rajasthan; kind, soft-spoken and deeply affectionate,' Brigadier Karan Singh Rathore (Retd), an officer who served alongside Jodha, said to ThePrint.
A native of Husenpura village in Rajasthan's Nagaur district, his passing marks the end of a living chapter from the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. The battle is remembered for the bravery of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
New Delhi: Risaldar Major (Honorary Captain) Nathu Singh Jodha (Retd), the last surviving crew member of the Indian Army's legendary Centurion tank Famagusta, died Saturday at the age of 79 due to age-related medical complications.
'I had the privilege of serving alongside him in the regiment. Never once did he complain about not being adequately recognised, nor did he ever boast about his considerable achievements.'
The story of the Famagusta, though, is not his alone. It was manned by a four-member crew: Second Lieutenant Khetarpal as tank commander, Sowar Nathu Singh Jodha as gunner, Sowar Nand Singh as loader and Sowar Prag Singh Rathore as driver.
Cramped inside the Famagusta's 6-foot turret, the four young men, all under the age of 24 then, held their ground against repeated Pakistani armoured assaults, fighting through smoke, fire and relentless shelling in one of the defining tank battles of the 1971 war.
Famagusta, a Centurion Mk 7 tank of the Poona Horse regiment, was at the centre of one of the fiercest engagements of the 1971 war, the Battle of Basantar.
Weighing around 50 tonnes and equipped with a 17-pounder main gun, the Centurion was, at that time, one of the most capable tanks in the Indian Army's arsenal.
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Holding the line at Basantar
The capture of the Shakargarh region in the western sector was critical during the war, as it could have allowed Pakistan's forces to sever the vital connection between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India.
Subsequently, the Battle of Basantar, fought from 4 to 16 December, emerged as one of the most significant engagements during the war.
Despite facing heavily fortified Pakistani defences and extensive minefields, the Indian troops executed a coordinated offensive that secured key territory and pushed the frontline westward.
Engineers from the Indian Army's 9 Engineer Regiment breached minefields as deep as 1.6 km while under direct enemy fire.
Between 15 and 16 December, troops of the 47th Infantry Brigade secured a bridgehead across the Basantar River, clearing the path for the 17th Poona Horse's Centurion tanks to advance. What followed were fierce duels between Indian Centurions and AMX-13s and Pakistani Pattons.
As the enemy surged forward, 21-year-old Khetarpal, with less than 6 months of service, was ordered up to reinforce the line.
Inside the Famagusta tank, Khetarpal gave the command to his crew to fight from position. Gunner Sowar Nathu Singh opened fire with pinpoint accuracy, while loader Sowar Nand Singh worked relentlessly to feed the 20-pounder gun amid thick smoke and deafening blasts.
Together, they knocked out 10 enemy tanks, halting the Pakistani advance.
But as the last of the turret ammunition was spent, the crew began traversing the gun to access rounds stored in the hull.
At that moment, a Pakistani anti-tank missile pierced the tank's side pistol port, killing Sowar Nand Singh instantly and grievously wounding both Khetarpal and Sowar Nathu Singh.
Driver Rathore, the fourth crew member, climbed out under fire and pulled the wounded out of the disabled tank. He was hit by machine-gun fire while attempting to save his comrades.
Khetarpal later succumbed to his injuries and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, while the two other crew members survived.
By the end of the battle, Indian forces had reportedly destroyed over 48 Pakistani tanks, decimating one infantry brigade and one armoured brigade.
The tank, Famagusta, was later recovered and now stands preserved at the Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S) in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.
The man behind the gun
While Khetarpal was honoured with India's highest wartime gallantry award, the story of his crew remained largely untold.
All three crew members—Jodha, Rathore and Sowar Nand Singh—were reportedly recommended for the Vir Chakra by their commanding officer. Lieutenant Colonel Hanut Singh received the Mahavir Chakra for his role in the battle.
Further, sources said that Jodha and Rathore were awarded a Mention in Dispatches, meanwhile, Sowar Nand Singh, who died inside the tank, was not officially recognised.
Despite his life-altering leg injuries post the battle, Jodha continued to serve with his regiment. He went on to become a Master Gunner and gunnery instructor, dedicating himself to training young tank crews.
According to those who served with him, he remained deeply committed to Poona Horse.
Survived by his wife and two sons, Hony Capt Nathu Singh Jodha's funeral in Husenpura saw a large turnout of residents and ex-servicemen.
With the passing of Hony Capt Nathu Singh Jodha, the last living link to the Centurion tank Famagusta is gone. The tank now stands quietly in Ahmednagar, its scars still visible, a reminder of December 1971, when four young men, one officer and three sowars, fought fiercely from within its steel walls and helped change the course of the war.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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