Agastya Nanda In Ikkis: Who Was Arun Khetarpal? Meet The Real-Life Hero Of Sriram Raghavan’s War Drama

Director Sriram Raghavan is adapting one of the most meaningful real-life stories in India to the screen. His next movie Ikkis is dedicated to one of the heroes in the Indian Army, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. The trailer, by Maddock Films, provides an insight into the courage, honour and sacrifice of the youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient of the nation personified by an unknown Agastya Nanda in his debut blockbuster.

Agastya Nanda Ikkis Trailer

Agastya Nanda, who debuted with The Archies, is earnest in his role, which demands innocence of youth and the bloodthirstiness of a warrior.

Dharmendra, who is a veteran actor, also plays the role of Lt Col (then later on Brigadier) M L Khetarpal, the father of Arun in the film. The narrative is presented in his worldview, since he gets to know what influenced his son to disobey and risk certain death in the war between India and Pakistan in 1971.

Who Was Arun Khetarpal?

A posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra in Delhi, he was an Indian Army officer who was born in Pune, Maharashtra. The highest military award in India of daring in the presence of the foe.

On 16 December 1971 as our position on the Shakargarh Sector at Jarpal was attacked by a Pakistani armoured regiment and our troops were vastly outnumbered by the enemy, the squadron commander requested reinforcements.

Upon receiving this transmission on radio, 2 nd Lt Arun Khetarpal responded to the call and took his troop to join the counter attack. In the process, his force was fired upon by strong positions of the enemy, and recoil-less gun nests, which remained in the bridgehead that our forces had pitched across the Basantar river. Upon realising that a critical situation was unfolding and timely intervention was to be made, 2 nd lt Khetarpal attacked the enemy strong points, bringing them down physically and seizing the enemy infantry and weapon crews at the point of their pistols.

During this move the commander of one of the tanks in his company was killed but, 2nd Lt Khetarpal had to pursue with attacks till every gun was subdued and he penetrated to the position of our squadron. When enemy tanks began to withdraw following their preliminary probing attacks, he pursued them and destroyed one of them.

The enemy made another attack with an armoured squadron against the sector occupied by three of our tanks, one of them was commanded by 2nd Lt Khetarpal, and a fierce battle was the result of which 10 enemy tanks were killed and destroyed, of which 2nd Lt Khetarpal himself killed four.

In the battle, when 2nd Lt Khetarpal was hit in the tank, the tank burst into flames and the officer was seriously wounded but then realising that the enemy was still advancing the fight in this sector and in case he left his tank the enemy would overpower him, this officer went on firing at the enemy despite the agonising wounds and the tank he was in catching fire.

He killed one more enemy tank when his tank was struck one more time killing him. But the enemy had been refusal of the break he was so desperately seeking.

The most glaring gallantry in the presence of the enemy was the gallantry of 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal, undying fighting spirit and resolve.

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