Celina Jaitly Says Her Late Colonel Dad Was ‘Critically Wounded' In 1971

News18

12-05-2025

Reported By : Titas Chowdhury
News18.com
Last Updated: May 12, 2025, 09:09 IST
Celina Jaitly was born to Colonel Vikram Kumar Jaitly, who fought in the Battle of Bhaduria.
Celina Jaitly is an army kid and a proud one at that. She's the daughter of late Colonel Vikram Kumar Jaitly and granddaughter of late Colonel Eric Francis of the Rajputana Rifles. As India-Pakistan tensions have and continue to grow, Celina has been taking to social media, voicing her stance on the current situation. Speaking to News18 Showsha exclusively from Austria, she says that she has been having sleepless nights.
'Hearing that Army Public School in Udhampur, a place full of my childhood memories, was attacked this weekend moved me to tears. For us, this isn't just news. It's personal, and the pain runs deep," she tells us. A few days ago, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi confirmed that Pakistan attacked schools and medical facilities in Srinagar, Avantipura and Udhampur. And the sacrifices of our brave soldiers stationed in border areas is reminding Celina of her father, who fought the Battle of Bhaduria in 1971.
Recalling his physical injuries, she says, 'He was just 21 when he fought in the 1971 war. He was critically wounded during the Battle of Bhaduria, sustaining severe bullet and shrapnel injuries. Despite lifelong wounds, he continued to serve the nation with unmatched pride and honour, eventually commanding the prestigious 16 Kumaon Regiment. He was awarded two Wound Medals and the Sena Medal for his bravery."
Celine further adds, 'I was born in the 1980s, but as the daughter and granddaughter of frontline infantrymen, I grew up knowing that every goodbye could be the last. I saw the toll that life in uniform took on my father and grandfather – physically, emotionally, and mentally. My father lost complete hearing in one ear after an IED explosion at the age of 41, yet his loyalty to the nation never faltered. Despite hardships, we were raised with the strength and resilience of a soldier's family."
Recently, Celina took to social media and shared an old photograph featuring her grandfather and General Ayub Khan, the second President of Pakistan. He referred to them as 'brothers in arms' but that the latter's Operation Gibraltar against India turned them into 'adversaries'. 'My grandfather was a highly decorated officer, who fought valiantly in the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1965 Indo-Pak War. In my family, respect for the armed forces was not something taught through words; it was lived every single day," she remarks.
As for herself, she always harboured the dream of joining the forces but adds that her 'desire to wear the uniform and serve' remains one of her 'greatest unfulfilled dreams'. 'I was preparing for the Combined Defence Services Examination and AFMC even while pursuing modelling. When I won Miss India, my father and I still hoped I would eventually join the armed forces. Many women in my family have proudly served, including my aunt, who was a Navy doctor," Celina shares. News movies Celina Jaitly Says Her Late Colonel Dad Was 'Critically Wounded' In 1971: 'He Lost Hearing At 41' | Exclusive