View source for Bhandari Ram

{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Subedar Major and Honorary Captain
| name          = Bhandari Ram
| honorific_suffix = VC
| native_name   = 
| native_name_lang = 
| image         = Bhandari Ram VC.jpg
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1919|07|24|df=y}}
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2002|05|19|1919|07|24|df=y}}
| birth_place   = Pargna Gugeda, [[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh]], India
| death_place   = Auhar, [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| placeofburial = 
| placeofburial_label = 
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname      = 
| birth_name    = 
| allegiance    = British India<br>India
| branch        = {{army|British India|23px}}<br>{{army|India|23px}}
| serviceyears  = 1941–1969
| rank          = Subedar Major and Honorary Captain
| servicenumber = <!--Do not use data from primary sources such as service records.-->
| unit          = 16th Battalion, [[10th Baluch Regiment]]<br>[[Dogra Regiment]]
| commands      = 
| battles       = 
{{tree list}}
* [[World War II]]
** [[Burma campaign]]
{{tree list/end}}
| battles_label = 
| awards        = [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|30px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] (India)
| spouse        = <!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced -->
| relations     = 
| laterwork     = 
| signature     = 
| website       = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}
'''Bhandari Ram,''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]], (24 July 1919{{snd}}19 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 [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

== Details ==
Ram was born on 24 July 1919, in a  [[Brahmin]] [[family]] at the village of Auhar, which was part of [[Kahlur|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 [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese Army]] in the [[Burma Campaign|Burmese Campaign]] during [[World War II]], when he performed deeds during the [[Third Arakan Offensive]] for which he was awarded the VC.<ref>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}}</ref><ref>Thatcher, WS. (1980). ''The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War''. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre. pp. 499–501.</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Best|first=Brian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9hgDwAAQBAJ&dq=bhandari+ram+vc+%22brahmin%22&pg=PT155|title=The Forgotten VCs: The Victoria Crosses of the War in the Far East During WW2|date=2017-10-30|publisher=Casemate Publishers|isbn=978-1-5267-1799-3|language=en}}</ref>

The citation reads:

{{blockquote|
The [[George VI|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.

[[File:Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, VC.jpg|thumb|right|Action by Sepoy Bhandari Ram, 22 November 1944, Arakan, Burma|300px]]

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.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=36928 |page=792 |supp=y| date=8 February 1945 }}</ref>}}

He continued to serve in the post-independence [[Indian Army]], receiving promotion to ''[[subedar]]'' on 13 May 1958,<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=209  |date=13 September 1958 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> and to ''[[subedar major]]'' on 30 March 1967.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=445  |date=3 June 1967 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> Bhandari Ram retired from the army in August 1969 with the honorary rank of captain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=92  |date=15 August 1969 |publisher=The Gazette of India - Extraordinary}}</ref> He died in 2002.

==Awards==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|[[File:India_General_Service_Medal_1947.svg|x30px]][[File:IND Samanya Seva medal.svg|x30px]][[File:IND_Samar_Seva_Star_Ribbon.svg|x30px]]
|-
|[[File:IND Raksha Medal Ribbon.svg|x30px]][[File:Indian Independence medal 1947.svg|x30px]][[File:IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|x30px]][[File:IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|x30px]]
|-
|[[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|x30px]][[File:Ribbon_-_1939-45_Star.png|x30px]][[File:Ribbon_-_Burma_Star.png|x30px]][[File:Ribbon_-_War_Medal.png|x30px]]
|-
|[[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]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-

|[[General Service Medal 1947]]
|[[Samanya Seva Medal]]
|Samar Seva Star
|-
|Raksha Medal
|[[Indian Independence Medal]]
|20 Years Long Service Medal
|9 Years Long Service Medal
|-
|[[Victoria Cross]]
|[[1939–45 Star]]
|[[Burma Star]]
|[[War Medal 1939-1945]]
|-
|[[India Service Medal]]
|[[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]]
|[[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]]
|[[Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal]]
|-
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020618045032/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/VC/2BRam.html Bhandari Ram]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Bhandari}}
[[Category:1919 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]
[[Category:People from Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Himachal Pradesh]]