She Waited For Him, Even After He Became Martyr: Meet Dimple Cheema

In 2021, after Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani's film Shershaah, the entire nation was reminded of the heroics of the 1999 Kargil War hero Captain Vikram Batra.

Batra, who was killed in action by Pakistani troops in Kargil, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military decoration in India. Besides recounting his daredevil bravery at the Kargil War, the film also shared insight into Captain Batra's 'exemplary love story which is rare to find.'

Dimple Cheema, Batra's fiance never married after the officer was martyred in the Kargil war. Today, July 26, as we gear up to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, let’s take a look at their heartwarming love story and know all about Dimple Cheema.

Captain Vikram Batra Dimple Cheema Love Story

Batra and Cheema met during their university days in Chandigarh where they both were pursuing MA in English. But as fate would have it, neither of them could complete it. They were friends at first, but soon, love blossomed, and they decided to get married. Dimple's family disapproved of their relationship, but she stood by her love and promised to marry him.

The couple was looking forward to getting married post his return from the Kargil war but Batra died in the line of duty in 1999.

Sharing an incident from the Mansa Devi temple which they used to visit frequently, Cheema said in an interview, “It was a ritual with us to visit the Mansa Devi temple and on one such visit to the temple, while doing a parikrama, he was walking behind me. On completing the parikrama, he suddenly said, “Congratulations, Mrs Batra.” I swirled around to see him holding one end of my dupatta. He gave me the most beautiful smile and said, “Didn’t you realise that this is the fourth time that we are doing this parikrama?” The incident left Cheema totally speechless: “That was the level of dedication he had towards our relationship.”

In an interview, Shershaah's writer Sandeep Srivastava revealed that Captain Batra and Cheema knew each other for four years. However, the time they spent together was just about 40 days as Batra was in the army. The writer went on to say that the film captures the essence of those 40 days.

After Batra’s martyrdom, she chose to remain unmarried and live as his widow. She devoted her entire life to him. In an interview, she addressed him thus: “How do I describe a lifetime of memories, though made only in four years of association? I could go on and on, and the memories would still keep coming. Not a single day in the past 17 years have I felt detached from you. It feels as if you are away on a posting. I know in my heart that we are going to meet again, it’s just a matter of time.”

What is Cheema doing now?

She teaches in a school now. Her love for Captain Vikram Batra can be gauged by the way she can recall details of her relationship with him.

Kiara Advani who played Cheema in Shershaah said the lady represents today’s Indian woman who makes her own choices and stands by them proudly. “Her decision to remain unmarried and her faith in eternal love will always inspire me and hold a special place in my heart”, the actor said.

Suggested Reading: When He Cut His Finger To Use Blood As Sindoor: Vikram Batra’s Love Story