Archive · 3 Jan 2026
Ikkis Film Honors 21-Year-Old War Hero
There was a brave soldier named Arun Khetarpal who fought in a big war between India and Pakistan in 1971.
He was only 21 years old but he destroyed 10 enemy tanks before he got hurt and died.
Because of his bravery, he was given India's highest award for courage, called the Param Vir Chakra.
A movie called 'Ikkis' (which means Twenty-One) was made to tell his story.
Arun's family moved to Delhi from a place called Sargodha after India was split into two countries.
His family and friends are very proud of him, and even the enemy soldiers respected his bravery.
There is a statue of him in Delhi to remember him.
The film also shows his father, Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal, returning to Lahore, which was once his home, and how war and Partition have affected people's lives.
The movie is different because it shows the sad and difficult parts of war, not just the exciting parts.
Arun Khetarpal, a 21-year-old tank commander, destroyed 10 Pakistani tanks in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.
He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime gallantry award.
A film titled 'Ikkis' (Twenty-One) is based on his bravery and sacrifice.
Arun's family migrated to Delhi from Sargodha after the Partition in 1947.
His father, Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal, also served in the Indian Army during the 1971 war and returns to Lahore for his college's centenary celebrations in the film.
- Who
- Arun Khetarpal, a 21-year-old tank commander in the Indian Army, and his father, Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal
- What
- A film 'Ikkis' (Twenty-One) is based on Arun's bravery in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, and Brigadier Khetarpal's return to Lahore for his college's centenary celebrations
- When
- The war occurred in 1971, and the film was released recently
- Where
- The battle took place in the Jammu sector, and Arun's family is from Delhi
- Why
- To honor the bravery and sacrifice of Arun Khetarpal and to explore the personal and historical impacts of war and Partition
Anti-War Perspective
Traditional War Narrative
Depiction of War
Anti-War Perspective
The film portrays war as devastating and something to be survived, not glorified.
Traditional War Narrative
Traditional war films often glorify battle and depict soldiers yearning for the battlefield.
- Name
- Arun Khetarpal
- Age at Death
- 21
- Rank
- Second Lieutenant
- Award
- Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
- Battle
- 1971 India-Pakistan War
- Tanks Destroyed
- 10
- Film
- 'Ikkis' (Twenty-One)
- School
- St. Columba's School, Delhi
- Director
- Sriram Raghavan
- Brigadier
- Madan Lal Khetarpal
