Bhairon Singh Rathore, a BSF veteran of the 1971 India-Pakistan war whose bravery at Rajasthan's Longewala post was portrayed by actor Suniel Shetty in the Bollywood movie 'Border', died in Jodhpur on Monday. He was 81. The braveheart took his last breath at AIIMS, Jodhpur, today. DG BSF and all ranks condole the passing of Naik (Retd.) Bhairon Singh, Sena Medal, the hero of the Longewala battle during the 1971 war. BSF salutes his intrepid bravery, courage, and dedication towards his duty," the force said in a tweet.
Rathore's son Sawai Singh told PTI on Saturday that his father was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Jodhpur on December 14, two days before the 51st anniversary of the war, after his health deteriorated and his limbs got affected in what seemed like a paralysis."Doctors told us that my father possibly suffered a brain stroke. He was in and out of ICU over the last few days," Singh said. The Rathore family lives in Solankiatala village, about 100 km from Jodhpur.
Rathore was deployed at the Longewala post in the Thar desert of Jaisalmer, commanding a small BSF unit of six to seven personnel that was accompanied by a 120 men company of the Army's 23 Punjab regiment. It was the bravery of these men that decimated an assaulting Pakistani brigade and tank regiment at this location on December 5, 1971.He received the Sena Medal in 1972 for his gallant action. Posted with the 14th BSF battalion during the war, Bhairon Singh Rathore retired from service as a Naik in 1987. Bhairon Singh Rathore's role was essayed by actor Suniel Shetty in the 1997 movie 'Border'.Shetty paid tribute to Rathore on Twitter. "Rest in power Naik Bhairon Singh Ji. Heartfelt condolences to the family," he tweeted.