Col Navjot Singh Bal, Shaurya Chakra Awardee, Cremated With Full Military Honours in Bengaluru.

Colonel Navjot Singh Bal, a former Commanding Officer of 2 Para Special Forces (SF), on Monday was cremated with full military honours in Bengaluru. Col Navjot Singh Bal’s final rights were attended by his family, veterans and officers and JCOs from several units and regiments in Bengaluru. Col Bal, parents reached Bengaluru on April 12, after travelling 2,100 km by road from Gurugram as the military establishment did not receive permission by the Home Ministry on time to ferry senior Bals on Indian air Force aircraft C-17.

The Army officer’s last rights were also attended by his wife, two sons and brother.Due to coronavirus outbreak in the country, people attending the cremation wore masks. Col Navjot Singh Bal passed away in Bengaluru on Thursday morning after battling with cancer for two years. Col Bal, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, was posted at the Northern Command’s Operation section when the Indian Army conducted the surgical strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in 2016.

Tweet by Defence PRO Bengaluru:

Col NS Bal, Shaurya Chakra Awardee,member of the elite Para SF who lost his battle to a very rare high grade osteosarcoma (aggressive cancer) on Apr 9th 2020 was bid farewell today in Bluru.
He was an epitome of bravery & courage & a true SF warrior.@adgpi @SpokespersonMoD
1/3 pic.twitter.com/RL9fF3PbeN

— PRO Bengaluru, Ministry of Defence (@Prodef_blr) April 13, 2020

Col Bal was also part of United Nations mission in Congo. He belonged to a military background. His father had reired from Colonel rank. Col Bal joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1998 and was commissioned into 2 Para in 2002. The army officer took over as the Commanding Officer of the Bangalore-based 2 Para on 20 March 2018. In the same year he was diagnosed with cancer.

A lump in his right arm was first spotted in May 2018, and tests further revealed that he suffered from a rare type of cancer called ‘Telangiectactic osteosarcoma’. This did not deter the brave officer from doing his duties. Even though he was put on chemotherapy, he continued to do his job as the CO. Despite being ill, Col Bal ran a 21-km half-marathon. Unfortunately, In January 2019, his right arm had to be amputated. Later, it was found that cancer had spread to other parts of his body.

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