'I thought I was going to die... so I tried to kill as many as I could': Hero Gurkha receives bravery medal from the Queen

काठमाडौं-‘मेरो दरबारको सुरक्षामा पनि गोर्खाली छन्,’ बेलायतका लागि पूर्व नेपाली राजदूत सुरेन्द्रचन्द्र चालिसेले महारानी एलिजाबेथ द्वितीयालाई उद्धृत गर्दै भने, ‘राजकुमार ह्यारी पनि गोर्खालीहरुसँग काम गर्ने निकै रुचाउँछ ।’
A Gurkha soldier who single-handedly defeated more than 30 Taliban fighters has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross by the Queen. Corporal Dipprasad Pun, 31, described how he was spurred on by the belief that he was going to die and so had nothing to lose in taking on the attackers who overran his checkpoint in Afghanistan. His gallantry award is second only to the Victoria Cross - the highest honour for bravery in the face of the enemy. Cpl Pun, from the 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles, was presented with the CGC during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, during which a number of other soldiers were recognised for their bravery. Speaking after receiving the honour from the Queen, the Gurkha said: 'I'm very excited and happy to here in the Palace to receive the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. This will be a great memory for the future.' The soldier fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the Taliban assault on his checkpoint near Babaji in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, last September. At one point, after exhausting all his ammunition, he had to use the tripod of his machine gun to beat away a militant who was climbing the walls of the compound.