The 78-year-old hero of the historic 1971 Battle of Longewala (border post in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan), Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (retd), died today in a private hospital in Mohali, losing a fight to cancer.

He's survived by his wife and three sons.

The 1997 blockbuster 'Border', which depicted the Indo-Pak War, had Sunny Deol playing the role of Brig Chandpuri.

Here's more.