Kargil Vijay Diwas: Five bravehearts who sacrificed their lives for India’s victory against Pakistan in 1999

Neither India, nor Pakistan will ever forget 1999’s Kargil War. Well, India will remember victory against neighbouring country and martyrs while Pakistan will remember its huge loss. On July 26, 1999 i.e. exactly 20 years ago, India not only emerged invictus in Kargil War against Pakistan but also witnessed the sacrifice of many soldiers who selflessly fought for the dignity of the country.

It is to be noted that the Kargil War was an armed conflict that was fought between India and Pakistan and took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC). The Kargil war, which began in May 1999, lasted for more than two months before Pakistani soldiers lost to the Indian troops. The Pakistani soldiers released the mountain tops they had captured overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway. Unfortunately, in the conflict, the Indian Army lost over 500 jawans.

Today, the whole nation is saluting the brave hearts with pride to mark 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas. Army’s 500 jawans not only gave their blood but lives also in the victory against Pakistan in Kargil War. Among 500 bravehearts, News Nation brings to you the five heroes of Kargil war. Take a look:

Captain Vikram Batra

Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Vikram Batra earned a place in the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1996. Vikram was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles at Sopore. But when the tension rose between India and Pakistan, he was immediately posted there. It was the daring capture of the crucial peak point 5140 during the war that brought Batra into the public attention. As the Captain and his Delta Company neared the peak, the enemy started firing from machine guns. However, under the Captain’s command, the troop managed to topple the enemy’s post. Captain Batra sustained severe injuries during the attack. He died on duty after being shot. The nation honoured him with the Param Vir Chakra.

Manoj Kumar Pandey

It was Operation Vijay in which captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was an integral part in a series of boldly led attacks, forcing back the intruders with heavy losses in Batalik including the capture of Jubar Top. On the night of July 3, 1999 during the advance to Khalubar as his platoon approached its final objective, it came under heavy and intense enemy fire from the surrounding heights. Captain Pandey was tasked to clear the interfering enemy positions to prevent his battalion from getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. He quickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position under intense enemy fire, sent one section to clear the enemy positions from the right and he proceeded to clear the enemy positions from the left. There is an interesting and hard to believe fact about Manoj, during the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, the interviewer asked him, "Why do you want to join the Army?" He immediately replied, "I want to win the Param Vir Chakra." True to his words, Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey did win the country's highest gallantry honour but posthumously.

Captain Anuj Nayyar

It was July 7, 1999 when Capt. Anuj Nayyar was martyred while battling for the nation. The 24-years-old jawan selflessly sacrificed his life for the nation and left behind his fiancée whom he was in love with for a decade. During the war, it was the Captain’s mission to secure Point 4875, known as Pimple 2. During the initial phase of the attack, the platoon sustained major injuries. In the aftermath, it was split into two, one of which was led by Capt. Anuj Nayyar. He killed 9 Pakistani soldiers and successfully destroyed three medium machine gun bunkers. However, while clearing the fourth bunker, an enemy grenade fell directly on the Captain. Despite being injured at that time, Anuj fought bravely and lost his life at the battle ground after clearing the last bunker.

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar

Born in village Kalol Bakain in Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh, Rifleman Kumar led a team with the aim of capturing Area Flat Top on the July 4, 1999. But once the troop reached on top, the enemy started firing from just 150 meters away. Kumar went ahead on his own and managed to kill three soldiers in hand combat. His platoon, inspired by his act of bravery, captured Area Flat Top. Interestingly, his application was rejected three times before he was finally selected to join the army. Prior to joining the army, he worked as a taxi driver in Delhi and he never thought that one day he would get an opportunity to serve his country in such a bravest way.

Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Yogendra Singh Yadav, 19 is recorded as the youngest person to ever be awarded the Param Vir Chakra. He was instrumental in capturing three bunkers on Tiger Hill. It was Yadav who took on the task of fixing the rope for soldiers to reach the top of the cliff, situated at a height of 16,500 feet. Even though he was repeatedly fired upon by machine guns and sustained wounds, he kept on and arrived at the top to kill four Pakistani soldiers and neutralise fire. He was awarded the highest military award of India, Param Vir Chakra for his bravery for his July 4, 1999 action during the Kargil War.

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