What made Shivaji a great warrior and an excellent strategist?

August 09, 2026

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's biggest strength was his fearless attitude in front of a much more powerful enemy. So were his brave military commanders. This story explains the courage of Maratha warriors in 20th century battles.

The year was 1965 India-Pakistan war. The place was Pakistan's Sialkot sector. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and the rumble of tank wheels. This was the world's largest and most ferocious tank battle since World War II. India and Pakistan were facing each other on the Phillora and Chawinda battlefields in Pakistan. The enemy was advancing with its modern USA made cutting edge technology superior Patton tanks to crush the Indian army. But they did not know that an outstanding warrior was standing in front of them like a wall.

Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burjoji Tarapore.

The blood of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's commander flowed in the veins of this commander of the Poona Horse Regiment. That heroic legacy erupted like a volcano on the battlefield of 1965. The day was 11 September 1965. Lieutenant Colonel Tarapore advanced with his squadron of 'Centurion' tanks to capture Phillaura. Suddenly, the Pakistan army launched a surprise attack from Wazirwali. Mortar shells were coming from all sides. The death warrant was whistling past the ears.

A bloody battle began. Tarapore was seriously injured at the beginning of the battle. His body was deeply wounded, his uniform was soaked in blood. His superiors ordered him to leave the battlefield and return for treatment. But is he an ordinary man of flesh and blood? He is a warrior as tough as steel! He made it clear, "I will not go anywhere without putting my sons to death."

The deadly battle continued for six days. On September 14, the Indian army, under his leadership, captured Wazirwali. Jasoran and Butur-Dograndi were captured on September 16. He was a true messenger to the Pakistani army.

With his outstanding tactics and bravery, the Indian army reduced about 60 Pakistani tanks to dust. The Patton tank force, the pride of Pakistan, turned into ruins. In return, India lost only 9 tanks. That cursed afternoon of September 16. The battlefield was somewhat quiet. Lieutenant Colonel Tarapore was standing on his favorite tank 'Khushab'. A cup of tea in his hand, his injured arm hanging from a sling. A strange calmness in his eyes, as if the satisfaction of completing some epic task.

He was talking to an intelligence officer, perhaps about the next strategy. At that very moment, an enemy shell came flying through the sky. A direct hit hit his tank. In the blink of an eye, the light of a bright star in India went out. This hero sacrificed his life for the country with a cup of tea in his hand. While serving in the Nizam Shahi Force in Hyderabad, he retorted to a British officer, ‘You are insulting my country and my king’. At the age of 19, during training, he picked up a live grenade and threw it away to save his fellow soldiers. A piece of the grenade pierced his chest, but his courage did not diminish. When Hyderabad became a part of India after Operation Polo, he joined the Indian Army with a smile. He left the ultimate sign of that patriotism on Pakistani soil.

After his death, he was awarded India's highest military honor, the 'Param Vir Chakra'. It is said that during his funeral, the Pakistan Army itself, forgetting the rules of war, stopped firing. Even the enemy was forced to acknowledge the bravery of this Indian hero that day. Ardesir Tarapoor is not just a name, he is a burning history of the Indian Army, one of the best in the world. They can win battles and the wars even without the best of technologies. Following the end of hostilities on 23 September 1965, India claimed to have held about 200 sq mi (Pakistan said 180 sq mi) of Pakistani territory in the Sialkot sector. The area returned to Pakistan after the signing of the Tashkent Declaration in January 1966.