Albert Ekka
Albert Ekka,(born 27 December 1942-died 3 December 1971), Zari village, Gumla district, Jharkhand State, India, was enrolled in the 14 Guards of the Indian army on 27 December 1962. He was killed in action on 3 December 1971 fighting in the eastern sector during the Battle of Hilli in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, and was posthumously awarded the highest wartime gallantry award of India, Param Vir Chakra.
Albert Ekka was the first Indian Christian to receive this gallantry award. Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese proudly acknowledges the sacrifice of Albert Ekka[1]. On the occasion of 50th anniversary of completion of the Republic of India in 2000, Government of India issued a postal stamp in the memory of Lance Naik Albert Ekka[2].
Param Vir Chakra Citation
Lance Naik Albert Ekka was in the left forward company of a battalion of the Brigade of Guards during their attack on the ememy defences at Gangasagar on the Eastern front. This was a well-fortified position held in strength by the enemy. The assaulting troops were subjected to intense shelling and heavy small-arms fire, but they charged onto the objective and were locked in bitter hand-to-hand combat. Lance Naik Albert Ekka noticed an enemy light machine-gun (LMG) inflicting heavy casualties on his company. With complete disregard fo his personal safety, he charged the enemly bunker, bayoneted two enemy soldiers and silenced the LMG. Though seriously wounded in this encounter, he continued o fight alongside his comrades through the mile deep objective, clearing bunker after bunker with undaunted courage. Towards the northern end of te objective one enemy medium machine-gun (MMG) opened up from the second storey of a well-fortified building inflicting heavy casualties and holding up the attack. Once again this gallant soldier, without a thought for his personal safety, despite his serious injury and the heavy volume of enemy fire, crawled forward till he reached the building and lobbed a grenade into the bunker killing one enemy soldier and injuring the other. The MMG however continued to fire. With outstanding courage and determination Lance Naik Albert Ekka scaled a side wall and entering the bunker, bayoneted the enemy soldier who was still firing and thus silenced the machine-gun, saving further casualties to his company and ensuring the success of the attack. In this process however, he received serious injuries and succumbed to them after the capture of the objective. In this action, Lance Naik Albert Ekka displayed the most conspicuous valour and determination and made the supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Army.