### ‘I Killed Your Son’: Pakistani Brigadier’s Emotional Confession to Hero Lt. Arun Khetarpal’s Father Shakes Hearts 54 Years Later
On the blood-soaked fields of Basantar in 1971, a 21-year-old Indian lieutenant turned the tide of battle, destroying enemy tanks in a blaze of defiance before falling to a fatal shot. Decades later, in a quiet Lahore garden, the man who fired that shot confessed to the hero’s father—not with malice, but with profound respect. This poignant tale of duty, loss, and unlikely reconciliation has resurfaced amid buzz around the upcoming film *Ikkis*, spotlighting Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal’s unbreakable spirit. As of October 31, 2025, it’s trending on X, evoking tears and tributes for a soldier whose final words—“No Sir, I will not abandon my tank”—echo across generations.
#### The Fury of Basantar: Arun Khetarpal’s Last Stand
The Indo-Pak War of 1971, sparked by Pakistan’s brutal crackdown on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India’s support for the Mukti Bahini, raged on two fronts. While the east fell swiftly with Dhaka’s surrender on December 16, the western Shakargarh Bulge became a tank graveyard—the second-largest armored clash since World War II. Pakistan’s 16th Infantry Division, backed by U.S.-supplied M-48 Patton tanks from the 13th Lancers and 22nd Cavalry, launched ferocious counterattacks against Indian defenses.
Enter 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal, fresh from the Indian Military Academy and commissioned just six months earlier into the 17th Poona Horse. On December 16, as Pakistani spearheads—led by then-Major Khwaja Mohammad Naser—forded a rivulet toward Indian lines, Arun’s Centurion tank (armed with a 20-pounder gun) spotted the threat on the left flank. Maneuvering into exposed sugarcane fields, he unleashed hell: Four Pattons confirmed destroyed, a fifth abandoned and burning. His actions shattered the enemy formation, buying precious time for reinforcements and turning a potential rout into an Indian victory. Pakistan lost 46 tanks (38 Pattons); India, 14 Centurions.
But Arun’s tank took a 90mm hit, flames erupting from the engine. Ordered to bail out, he radioed back: “No Sir, I will not abandon my tank. My main gun is still working and I will get these bastards.” One final shot crippled another foe—then silence. Arun, the eldest son of Brigadier M.L. Khetarpal (Retd), was 21. Posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra—India’s highest wartime gallantry honor—he became its youngest recipient. As Naser later reflected, Arun “stood like an insurmountable rock” between victory and defeat.
#### The 2001 Reunion: A Confession Over Iftar
Thirty years on, in 2001, 81-year-old Brigadier M.L. Khetarpal—born in pre-Partition Sargodha—returned to Pakistan for “one last look” at his ancestral home. Welcomed at Lahore’s airport by then-retired Brigadier Khwaja Mohammad Naser (now 82), an alumnus connection via military academies, Khetarpal was insisted upon as a houseguest. Naser, who’d commanded that doomed 13th Lancers squadron in ’71, escorted him to Sargodha and back.
The bombshell dropped on the third evening, during Ramzan Iftar in Naser’s Lahore garden. As they bonded over shared soldierly tales, Naser leaned in: “Main kuchh qubool karna chahta hun, Brigadier Sahib” (I have a confession to make). Khetarpal, calm as ever: “Kahiye, beta, main sun raha hun” (Tell me, son, I am listening). Naser, voice steady but eyes heavy: “Your son was on the opposite side... He destroyed many of our tanks, and finally, it was just the two of us left facing each other with our tanks just a few hundred metres apart. We both fired simultaneously, and both our tanks were hit. It was, however, destined that I was to live, and Arun was to die.” He paused, then: “Your son was a very brave man, Sir. He was singularly responsible for our defeat.”
Stunned, Khetarpal probed: How did you know it was Arun? Naser recounted post-ceasefire inquiries to Indian troops recovering bodies: “Bahut bahaduri se lade aapke Sahab. Chot toh nahi aayi unhe?” (He fought with great bravery. Was he injured?). The reply: “Sahab shaheed ho gaye” (Sir, he was martyred). Learning later of the PVC and Arun’s youth, Naser added: “I didn’t know he was only 21, Sir. We were both soldiers doing our duty for our nations.” In battle, he said, “you don’t see faces or people. You only see the tank.”
Khetarpal, an old warrior himself, harbored no grudge: “I’m an old soldier, I know the feeling. It’s a will to dominate on the field.” Yet the weight lingered—he couldn’t bring himself to tell his wife. They parted with photos and mutual admiration, Naser hailing Arun as the architect of his squadron’s downfall.
#### Echoes of Honor: Legacy and the Silver Screen
This encounter, a rare bridge over war’s scars, underscores the chivalry amid enmity. Arun’s mother, Maheshwari Khetarpal, had urged him pre-war: “Sher ki tarah ladna, Arun, qayar ki tarah wapis mat aana” (Fight like a lion, don’t come back like a coward). His brother Mukesh recalls: “I have aged, but Arun never will.”
Today, *Ikkis* (meaning “21”) immortalizes it all. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film stars Agastya Nanda (Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson) as Arun, with the trailer capturing his raw courage—from IMA drills to that defiant radio crackle. Releasing soon, it ties directly to this confession, blending heroism with human frailty.
On X, the story’s exploding: Posts like one sharing Naser’s words with “A legend. A hero. Forever immortal” rack up views, while others link articles, stirring #ArunKhetarpal trends and calls for more such untold tales.
In a world quick to divide, Arun’s story reminds us: True bravery isn’t just in the fight, but in facing its ghosts with grace. Jai Hind. What’s your favorite war hero moment? Share below.
It was 2001, and Brigadier Khetarpal, who was born in Pakistan's Sargodha and came to India during the 1947 Partition, was visiting his ancestral home. But the trip that was supposed to be one of nostalgia turned into one of shock, and later, reconciliation.
Naser, a Major commanding a Patton tank squadron in Pakistan's 13 Lancers armoured regiment, was leading the attack against Indian positions at Basantar on December 16, 1971.
Naser came to know about Brigadier Khetarpal's 2001 visit to Pakistan, and connected with him through mutual military academy alumni networks. He volunteered to be his host and guide.
The Pakistani officer revealed that 2nd Lieutenant Arun was on the opposing side and had destroyed several of their tanks. Eventually, only the two of them remained, their tanks positioned just a few hundred metres apart, facing each other. They fired at the same time, and both tanks were hit. But as fate would have it, Arun was killed in action.
"Your son was a very brave man, Sir. He was singularly responsible for our defeat," said Naser.
Arun Khetarpal was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime military honour. Making the ultimate sacrifice at 21, Arun Khetarpal remains one of the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardees.
2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal's acts of valour have echoed through the decades. Now, his story is being retold on screen by filmmaker Sriram Raghavan in the upcoming war film Ikkis. Amitabh Bachchan's grandson, Agastya Nanda, is playing Arun Khetarpal in the film.
The film's title, Ikkis, meaning 21, is inspired by Arun's age when he laid down his life on the line of duty. His brother, Mukesh Khetarpal, once said in an interview, "I have aged, but Arun never will."
