India observes Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, marking the 27th anniversary of the 1999 Kargil War victory. The day is dedicated to honouring the heroes of Kargil and all martyrs who sacrificed their lives defending the nation.
Satish Chander Dhawan (SCD) Government College, Ludhiana, known for producing distinguished officers, judges, Olympians, and academicians, also has a proud legacy of alumni who laid down their lives in service to the country. Their courage and sacrifice have been documented by freedom fighter and writer Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir.
Honouring the Martyrs
The college remembers five brave alumni who made the supreme sacrifice in different wars:
Captain Jagdev Singh (1961 batch)
Captain Jagdev Singh, alumnus of the 1961 batch, joined the Army in 1962. He was martyred on September 6, 1965, during the Indo-Pak war in the Lahore sector.
Major Gurjinder Singh Grewal (1966 batch)
Major Gurjinder Singh Grewal, alumnus of the 1966 batch, joined the Army the same year. He rose quickly through the ranks and was martyred on November 22, 1971, during the Indo-Pak war, after being hit by seven bullets while leading his troops.
Major Bhupinder Singh (1947 batch)
Major Bhupinder Singh, alumnus of the 1947 batch, was commissioned in 1950. During the 1965 war in the Sialkot sector, his squadron destroyed 29 enemy tanks. He succumbed to burn injuries on September 20, 1965, after rescuing comrades from a burning tank. A captured Pakistani Patton tank and his statue stand at Bharat Nagar Chowk, Ludhiana, in his memory.
Major Shivdev Singh Sidhu (1942 batch)
Major Shivdev Singh Sidhu, alumnus of the 1942 batch, played a key role in Operation Vijay during the liberation of Goa in December 1961. He was martyred on December 19, 1961, after sustaining injuries while saving fellow officer Captain Vijay Sehgal.
Captain Vijay Kumar Sehgal
Captain Vijay Kumar Sehgal, alumnus of SCD College, also fought in Operation Vijay and made the supreme sacrifice during the assault on Portuguese forces on December 18-19, 1961.
The sacrifices of these five martyrs remain a source of immense pride for SCD Government College and stand as a lasting reminder of its contribution to India’s military history.
