LIEUTENANT ASHOK PRAHLADRAO MUTGIKAR OF 7 GRENADIERS AT VILLAGE GAJANSOO
Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu : DD, The whole country proudly reminisces the Indo-Pak War of 1971. The War was fought on our Western and Eastern Borders which led to the formation of Bangladesh. On the Western Border near Jammu, Battle of Chicken Neck is very famous, during which, on 06 December 1971, our Indian Army unit 7 GRENADIERS commanded by Lieutenant Colonel MK Menon advanced into Pakistan on their wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicles called BMPs. 22 year old Second Lieutenant Ashok Prahladrao Mutgikar was one of the Platoon Commanders in Alpha Company. They entered Pakistan at about 3 pm. Shortly thereafter, they were attacked by the Pakistani Air-Force. Lieutenant Ashok got injured but was seen engaging Pakistani air-crafts with a Machine-gun. He ultimately made the supreme sacrifice at the Altar of Duty. His Cremation site and Memorial are in village Gajansoo in Marh Tehsil of Jammu.
This gallant action of Lieutenant Ashok has been very well described in a letter dated 09 December 1971 to Sh PN Mutgikar, father of Lieutenant Ashok by his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonnel MK Menon.
Recently, the villagers contacted family of Lieutenant Ashok who reside in Karnataka and invited them to Gajansoo. 14 family members of Lieutenant Ashok including his sister, four brothers with their spouses and children are visiting Gajansoo to pay their respects at the Memorial on 17 Mar 2025.
A Commemoration Ceremony is being organised on this occasion. There will be a prayer meet, ceremonial wreath laying by senior army officers and civil dignitaries followed by interaction of the guests from Karnataka with the villagers and exchange of mementoes and gifts. A village feast is being organised as lunch.
The Commemoration Ceremony being hosted by Ch Sukhnandan, Ex Minister Govt of J&K will be attended by senior army officers, Sh Surinder Bhagat, Hon’able MLA Marh, Sh Sat Sharma, CA, Ex Minister and President BJP UT of J&K, Sh Athar Amin Zargar, KAS, SDM Marh and other dignitaries.
Post lunch, the family is being taken upto the border approximately on the same route that was undertaken by Lieutenant Ashok on the fateful day of 06 December 1971.
On 18 March 2025, the family will pay their respects at Balidan Stambh, our State War Memorial in Bahu Rakh, Jammu before departing for home.DD
