Lieutenant D. S. Basera made the supreme sacrifice on 27 October 1987 while serving with 18 Kumaon during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. His final operation came during an advance towards Jaffna, when Indian troops encountered fierce resistance from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Basera was born on 10 August 1943 in Pithoragarh, then part of Uttar Pradesh and now in Uttarakhand. He was the son of Kishan Singh Basera and Hira Devi. He took part in the Boys Sports Company at Ranikhet before pursuing a career in the Army.
He initially served with 4 Kumaon and later became a Junior Commissioned Officer. He was selected for the Regimental Commission scheme and commissioned as an officer on 12 August 1985 into 18 Kumaon.
In 1987, 18 Kumaon was deployed to Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. As operations intensified, Indian troops faced attacks in and around Jaffna.
On 26 October, the battalion was tasked with moving from Palali towards Jaffna to link up with 41 Infantry Brigade. Bravo Company led the advance, with Major H. S. Hanspal as company commander and Lieutenant Basera serving as second-in-command.
As the column moved through Kokovil, it came under fire. Basera and a group of soldiers moved forward to investigate the source of the attack. The advancing party encountered intense automatic fire from fighters concealed in the area. A fierce gun battle followed, and Basera sustained serious wounds.
Lieutenant D. S. Basera succumbed to his injuries on 27 October 1987. His sacrifice took place during a difficult phase of Operation Pawan, when Indian soldiers were operating in unfamiliar terrain against a determined adversary.
He left behind his wife, Basanti Basera, and their children. His son Jagdish Singh Basera later served in the Army and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Lieutenant Basera's story reflects the responsibilities of an infantry officer during a demanding deployment. He made the supreme sacrifice while serving with his men during the advance towards Jaffna.
