The Japanese offensive in Assam in March 1944, launched to counter the 14th Army's advance into Burma, was halted by the end of May. But elements of the Japanese 15th Army persisted in fanatical attempts to regain the initiative. "Now is the time to capture Imphal," began Major-General Tanaka's order to the 33rd Division, "Regard death as something lighter than a feather. It must be expected that the division will be almost annihilated."

In his memoir Defeat into Victory, Field Marshal Lord Slim acknowledged the courage and hardihood of the Japanese soldiers in this fighting, concluding, "I know of no army that could have equalled them."

In June the 17th Indian Division was still under intense pressure at Bishenpur, southwest of Imphal. Their supply route, a mere track running through the hills to Silchar, became a scene of bitter fighting. On the morning of June 25, C Company 2nd Battalion 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) was ordered to recapture an enemy position dominating the track.

The position comprised two mutually supporting outposts, "Water Piquet" and "Mortar Bluff". They had already changed hands several times but the Japanese had retaken them the previous night in an attack of overwhelming strength. Their continued occupation would cut communications to Bishenpur, rendering positions there untenable. The ground to the west of the hillside was dense jungle but elsewhere it was bare. The only approach was by a precipitous ridge to a false crest, beyond which the final assault had to be made over eighty yards of open ground.

After a preliminary artillery bombardment C Company advanced on "Mortar Bluff". On reaching the false crest, they were pinned down by heavy and accurate machine-gun fire from the enemy position and a 37mm gun concealed in the flanking jungle. Naik (corporal) Agansing Rai, seeing that any delay must inevitably lead to heavy casualties to the attacking force, led his section in a charge on the machine-gun post, firing as he went, killing three of the four-man gun crew.

Inspired by Agansing Rai's example, his section swept through and secured "Mortar Bluff", only to come under renewed fire from the 37mm gun in the jungle and automatic fire from the enemy still firmly in possession of "Water Piquet". He led his section in a charge on the gun. However, all but three of his men were killed or wounded before half the distance had been covered and, at the critical moment, his Thompson sub-machinegun jammed. Seizing the section's Bren gun he continued the charge and killed the gun crew while the survivors of his section despatched the remaining enemy in the group.

After picking up and clearing his jammed Tommy-gun he led his depleted section back to "Mortar Bluff" to join the rest of C Company preparing for an attack on the "Water Piquet" position. This went well at first, but machinegun fire and a hail of grenades from a previously undetected enemy bunker to the flank threatened the advance.

Without waiting for instructions, Naik Agansing Rai ordered his Bren gunner to give him covering fire and advanced alone up a shallow communication trench to the bunker with a grenade in one hand and his Tommy-gun in the other. First throwing in the grenade, he burst into the bunker and killed all four occupants with a single burst of fire. The "Water Piquet" position was retaken by his company a few minutes later.

The citation for award of his Victoria Cross concluded: "Naik Agansing Rai's magnificent display of initiative, outstanding bravery and gallant leadership so inspired the rest of the company that, in spite of heavy casualties, the result of this important action was never in doubt." He received his decoration from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell, in 1945.

Agansing Rai was born in Amsara in east Nepal. He enlisted in the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1941 and, after joining the 2nd battalion, soon became a section commander with the rank of naik. He saw action against the Japanese in the Chin Hills area of Burma, a hundred miles south of Imphal, during the early months of 1944.

He was promoted havildar (sergeant) in 1947 and remained with his regiment when it was transferred to the new Indian Army on Partition. He served with the Indian contingent of the United Nations force in the Congo in 1962-63 and became a subedar-major before retiring in 1971, when he was granted the honorary rank of captain.

Subsequently he lived quietly at his home some three days' walk from Kathmandu.

Agansing Rai's death reduces to 26 the number of living holders of the Victoria Cross.

His wife died in 1988. He is survived by his two sons, one of whom is a lieutenant-colonel in the Indian Army, and three daughters.

Captain Agansing Rai, VC, hero of the defence of Imphal, died on May 27 aged 80. He was born in 1920.