In the recent India Chinese standoff 20 Indian soilders were martyred by the Chinese troops among them a young 23-year old Punjabi soilder also lost his life. Sepoy Gurtej Singh from Budhhada bravely fought his enemies against all the odds and despite losing his own life for it, he took down 12 Chinese soldiers. On the evening of 15 June 2020, the 16th Bihar regiment was posted in the valley and came under immense fire. Sources from the military state that four Chinese soldiers attacked Singh. He swung around two of them, and as two others tried to pin him down, he dragged all four of them towards the cliff and flung them over.
He lost his balance though and slipped. But he got stuck in a boulder that stopped his free fall. Though he was injured severely in the neck and head, he rewrapped his turban and pulled himself back to the fight. He used his kirpan to fight more soldiers until he could snatch a sharp weapon from a Chinese soldier. He further took down seven Chinese soldiers making the tally to 11 before one stabbed him from behind. But before going down, he killed his final 12th enemy with his kirpan too. His mortal remains reached home on 19 June 2020 where the final rites were conducted amidst full military honours. He was supposed to attend his brother's wedding a week prior but decided to stay back at his post as the situation in Galwan valley was tense.