Chiman Singh

Petty Officer Chiman Singh, MVC (1 Jun 1945) was a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Indian Navy. He took part in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and for his actions which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award and the Friends of Liberation War award by Bangladesh. He was the first Indian Navy enlisted personnel who got the Maha Vir Chakra.
Early life
Petty Officer Chiman Singh was born in Gokal Garh village, Gurgaon district, Haryana on 1 Jun 1945, and his father's name was Shri Rao Nand Kishore Yadav.
Military career
Petty Officer Chiman Singh joined the Indian Navy on 8 June 1961 as a sailor. He was promoted as Leading Seaman, and as a Clearance Diver class II and underwater bomb disposal specialist, and also specialised in use of limpet mines against warships and submarines at Naval Diving School, Cochin. Before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was also associated with training Mukti Bahini revolutionaries in East Pakistan.
During the 1971 War, Petty Officer Chiman Singh held the rank of Leading Seaman.
Leading Seaman Chiman Singh was crew member of a ship tasked to attack Pakistani targets in Mongla and Khulna from 8 to 11 December 1971. During operations off Khulna, his boat was hit by Pakistani fire and was sunk and he was very badly injured. Pakistani shore defences also opened fire at the survivors in the water. Leading Seaman Chiman Singh noticed that two survivors were finding it difficult to keep afloat. In spite of his injuries and unmindful of his personal safety he went to their rescue and helped them to the shore through heavy enemy fire. On reaching the shore, he rushed at the enemy exposing himself to enemy fire, thereby enabling his colleagues to escape capture. However, he himself was eventually taken prisoner. On the liberation of Bangladesh, he was released and returned to India.
For displaying gallantry and leadership, Leading Seaman Chiman Singh was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award.
Legacy
Petty Officer Chiman Singh was also awarded the Friends of Liberation War Honour by the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in 2013.
A newly constructed modern dive-training facility at the Diving School, of the Southern Naval Command (SNC) christened as the “Chiman Singh” Block.

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