Meet Retd. Major General GD Bakshi, A Fearless 'Desh Bhakt', Lost Brother In 1965 Indo-Pak War

We often grow up watching heroes fighting with villains, but little do people know about real-life heroes who fight tooth and nail to protect our country. It is due to them we can sleep peacefully during the night. Now, here comes another man who was an integral part of the Indian Army. The person is none other than Major General GD Bakshi.

GD Bakshi is a well-known face in TV shows that discuss wars. He became an active speaker on anything related to India and the Indian Army. For the unversed, GD Bakshi retired back in 2008. He was also a Padma Bhushan awardee. Besides his extensive contribution to the Indian army, GD Bakshi is also an author. Let’s dive deep into the journey of the real-life superman, GD Bakshi.

Who is Major General GD Bakshi?

Gagandeep Bakshi, popularly known as GD Bakshi, was born in 1950 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. He completed his schooling at St. Aloysius Senior Secondary School in Jabalpur. GD Bakshi holds a Master's degree in Defence Science and an M. Phil. in Strategic Studies from the University of Madras. Later, he completed his PhD from the same university on ‘Limited Wars in South Asia.’ He made his way into the NDA in July 1967 and passed out in December 1970. 

According to a report by The Print, GD Bakshi was awarded a Vishisht Seva Medal for leading a battalion during the lesser-known conflict with Pakistan in Kargil, back in 1987. Later he was awarded the Sena medal for fighting in Kishtwar. He was also a part of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Gagandeep has also served two tenures at the highly prestigious Directorate General of Military Operations (during Operation Pawan and Operation Vijay). He was the first BGS (IW) at Headquarters Northern Command, where Gagandeep dealt with Information Warfare and Psychological Operations.

GD Bakshi’s father didn’t want him to join the army

The most shocking event for the Bakshi family was the death of Captain SR Bakshi, the elder brother of Gagandeep. Captain SR Bakshi was martyred during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The incident made Gagandeep decide that he wanted to join the Indian Army. In 1966, he went to Delhi to appear for the National Defense Academy (NDA) exam. But after his elder son’s death, GD Bakshi’s father strongly disapproved of the joining of his second son, Gagandeep, in the NDA. As per a recent video by CurlyTales, GD Bakshi’s father said to him, “Tu Fauj Ke Layak Nahin Hai.”

Since his childhood days, Gagandeep was a studious boy. For being a meritorious student, GD Bakshi’s father wanted him to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). In fact, his father also took the NDA exam as a dry run to join the IAS. However, when the NDA results came out, Gagandeep was declared as the All India Rank 2 holder. After initial disagreements with his father, GD Bakshi joined NDA in 1971, with the motive of avenging his brother’s death. He was commissioned into 6 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in November 1971.

GD Bakshi’s take on Operation Sindoor

When it comes to Pakistan, GD Bakshi has been fearlessly vocal. Now, in a recent conversation with Curly Tales, GD Bakshi shared his views on India’s precision strike on Operation Sindoor. For the uninitiated, on April 22, 2025, India’s ‘Mini Switzerland’ Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam came under attack. The incident took away 26 innocent lives. Following the heinous Pahalgam attack, India gave a befitting response through a precision strike, Operation Sindoor, on May 7, 2025. 

In the interview with Curly Tales, GD Bakshi was quite fearless and highly condemned the Pahalgam attack, which took away the lives of 26 innocent civilians. He also spoke about Operation Sindoor, India's precision strike. GD Bakshi stated that India’s counter-attack not only gave justice to the people lost in the Pahalgam attack but also did justice to the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

GD Bakshi as an author

Besides being a war veteran, GD Bakshi is a prolific writer. As per his official X handle (formerly Twitter), he has written 45 books and is an editor of Indian Military Review. He also wrote over 400 papers in many famous research journals. Some of his most popular books include Afghanistan: First Fault Line War, War in the 21st Century, The Indian Art Of War, The Paradox of Pakistan: Collapse or Caliphate, BOSE or GANDHI: Who Got India Her Freedom? The Rise of Indian Military Power: Evolution of an Indian Strategic Culture, and Limited Wars in South Asia.

GD Bakshi tied the knot with Sunita Datta in 1978

GD Bakshi got married to Sunita Datta in 1978. Sunita had been a dedicated wife, and later, she became a loving mother, too. The couple welcomed their two children, one son, Aditya Bakshi and one daughter, Dr. Purnima Bakshi Kanwar. While Aditya was a former Captain of the Merchant Navy, Purnima currently works as an art historian and Museum Specialist.

GD Bakshi, a fearless desh bhakt

When it comes to his country, GD Bakshi has been extremely vocal in protecting India. In the same interview, GD Bakshi was seen recalling the attacks by Pakistan, including 26/11, the Pathankot attack, the Uri attack, the Pulwama attack and the recent Pahalgam attack. He highly condemned the attacks made by Pakistan. According to a recent video by the Republic World, GD Bakshi was seen saying that India must not tolerate any further aggression shown by Pakistan. For the unversed, after the announcement of the India and Pakistan ceasefire on May 10, 2025, Pakistan violated it by executing drone attacks across the LoC. GD Bakshi was quoted as saying:

“They’ve crossed the line again after the PM’s address—we must hit back hard."

India needs a fearless hero like GD Bakshi, who, even after retiring, is doing a lot to protect the nation. A heartfelt gratitude to the soldier for being a protector and supporter of India.

Also Read: Meet Banu Mushtaq: Author Of 'Heart Lamp', Second Indian To Win Booker Prize, Women Rights Advocate

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