Major Vijay Rattan Choudhry (July 1939 – 13 December 1971), was a soldier who served in the 9 Engineers Regiment regiment of the Indian Army. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for bravery displayed in the Indo-Pak war of 1971.[1] He belonged to the Datt clan of the Muhiyal community, noted for its martial tradition.[2]
On the night of 12–13 December 1971, Maj. Choudhry was stationed in the Shakargarh sector, where the advance of Indian Army was checked by a dense and widespread deployment of land mines by the Pakistani Army. Major Choudhry and the men under him volunteered to clear those mines despite continuous heavy shelling from Pakistani Artillery. By the time that shelling claimed his life, Maj. Choudhry had cleared enough mines to enable the advance of Indian tanks that night.[3]
To honor his bravery, the Municipal Corporation of AMBALA (MCA) subsequently named one of the main crossroads at the Ambala cantt's SADAR Bazaar after him, now called 'Vijay Rattan Chowk'. At this junction three Busy roads meet namely Railway Road, Rai market and Durga Charan Road.