Major General Hardev Singh Kler, (3 September 1924 â 27 May 2016) was an Indian Army officer, known for leading India's first brigade which secured vital inroads to Dacca during the liberation of Bangladesh in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for which he was awarded with Maha Vir Chakra.
Kler was born on 3 September 1924 in Kakrala Kalan village near Ludhiana, Punjab, India into a military family. His father Chhajja Singh was a Honorary Captain, his elder brother Shamsher Singh also served in Indian Army, his younger brother Gurdev Singh Kler retired as a Lieutenant General, and Kler's son Devender Jeet was a decorated Indian Air Force veteran.
Kler was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1943, and in 1965 he was deployed as the General Staff Officer 1 of the 19th Infantry Division. Serving as a Brigadier, Kler played a major role in the IndiaâÂÂPakistan war of 1971. Kler led the 95 Mountain Brigade in the war.
Lt. Col. Kler did not lead the assault column at Haji Pir Pass, but as GSO-I of 19 Infantry Division, he was centrally involved in the operational planning and control of the sector, including actions linked to the capture and holding of Haji Pir Pass.
Among the architects of the 1971 victory, Brig. Kler stands out for his relentless battlefield leadership and iron resolve. Commanding 95 Mountain Brigade, he spearheaded a lightning advance through Kamalpur, Jamalpur and Mymensingh, breaking fortified Pakistani defences and reaching the outskirts of Dacca in barely ten days. His handling of the Jamalpur battle reflected both martial honour and ruthless clarity of purpose. Kler remains an unsung warlord of 1971, whose courage and vision decisively shaped the liberation of Bangladesh.
Kler was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, in 1972.
Kler died in Walnut, California on 27 May 2016, at the age of 91.