Lieutenant Colonel Harbans Lal Mehta was born on 15th September 1922 to Shri DC Mehta. He belonged to Delhi. He joined the Army on 15th December 1946 at the age of 24 years. He was commissioned into 4 Madras of the Madras Regiment. During 1965, Lt Col Harbans Lal Mehta was serving as ‘Commanding Officer’ of the 4 Madras battalion.
| Service Number | IC-4282 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 4 Madras |
| Regiment | Madras Regiment |
| Award | Maha Vir Chakra |
| Date of Martyrdom | 8th September 1965 |
On 8th September 1965, Lt Col Mehta’s unit was tasked to capture Maharajke in Sialkot Sector as part of ongoing operations. The troops under the leadership of Lt Col Mehta crossed the cease-fire line (CFL) on 08 Sep 1965. Analyzing the situation, Lt Col Mehta then ordered his officers to clear the objective trench by trench. In the fierce fight that followed, many enemy trenches were cleared, guns were destroyed and heavy causalities were inflicted on the enemy. However, the enemy refused to surrender. As the time was running out, Lt Col Mehta disregarding his safety went forward and personally led the assault. Inspired by his presence in the forefront of the assault, Lt Col Mehta’s men pressed on the attack, which resulted in the collapse of the enemy’s stronghold. However, during the heavy exchange of fire, Lt Col Mehta got hit by bullets and was seriously injured. He later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred.
Lt Col Harbans Lal Mehta was given the nation’s second-highest gallantry award, ‘Maha Vir Chakra’ for his outstanding bravery, leadership, camaraderie, and supreme sacrifice.
