Bot at 11:37, 15 December 2022

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Agansing Rai
| honorific_suffix = VC
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = VCAgansingRai.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1920|04|24}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2000|05|27|1920|04|24}}
| birth_place = Amsara, [[Okhaldhunga district]], [[Nepal]]
| death_place = [[Kathmandu]], Nepal
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = {{flag|British India|23px}}<br>{{flag|India|23px}}
| branch ={{army|British India|23px}}<br>{{army|India|23px}}
| serviceyears =
| rank = Honorary Captain
| servicenumber =
| unit = [[5th Royal Gurkha Rifles]]
| commands =
| battles = [[World War II]]
| battles_label =
| awards = {{plainlist |
* [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]
}}
| relations =
| laterwork =
| signature =
| website = 
}}
'''Agansing Rai''' {{post-nominals|size=100%|VC}} (24 April 1920 – 27 May 2000) was a [[Nepalese people|Nepalese]] [[Gurkha]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Background==
He was born in village development Diyale ward no 3 Aapashwara Toll, in the Okhaldhunga district of Nepal.<ref name="TelObit">{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/1366817/Agansing-Rai-VC.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515210217/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/1366817/Agansing-Rai-VC.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=15 May 2009 | title=Telegraph Obituary | accessdate=4 April 2013 | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | date=30 May 2000}}</ref>

==Victoria Cross==
Agansing Rai was a 24-year-old [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] in the 2nd Battalion, [[5th Royal Gurkha Rifles]], in the [[Indian Army during World War II]], when he led his section in an attack on one of two posts which had been taken by the enemy and were threatening the British forces' communications on 26 June 1944 near the town of [[Bishenpur, Manipur|Bishenpur]] in the state of [[Manipur]], [[India]].

Under withering fire Agansing Rai and his party charged a machine-gun. Agansing Rai killed three of the crew. When the first position had been taken, he then led a dash on a machine-gun firing from the jungle, where he killed three of the crew, his men accounting for the rest. He subsequently tackled an isolated bunker single-handed, killing all four occupants. The enemy became so demoralised that they fled and the second post was recaptured.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36730|supp=y|page=4569|date=3 October 1944}}</ref>

==Further information==
He later achieved the rank of [[Hon. Captain]] after serving in the [[Indian Army]] and died in [[Kathmandu]]. Agansing Rai's VC group were sold at auction in 2004 and now form part of the [[Lord Ashcroft]] VC collection in the [[Imperial War Museum]] in London.<ref>[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbrai2.htm News Item] "Agansing Rai's Victoria Cross sold at auction"</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090515210217/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/1366817/Agansing-Rai-VC.html Obituary of Agansing Rai, VC, The Daily Telegraph, 30 May 2000]
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3540858.ece ''Agansing Rai, VC''], The Times, 30 May 2000. Retrieved on 10 October 2009.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020615172459/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/vc/2ASRai.html Agansingh Rai]
*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ggnepal.htm Burial location of Agansing Rai] "Nepal"

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rai, Agansing}}
[[Category:Nepalese World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Gurkhas]]
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Okhaldhunga District]]
[[Category:Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Nepalese expatriates in India]]
[[Category:Rai people]]

Agansing Rai - Revision history

Bot at 11:37, 15 December 2022