My Kargil War Hero The Overview July 26, it was on this day 22 years ago that the Indian Army recaptured all the Indian posts in Kargil that were captured by the Pakistan Army. Since then July 26 has been observed annually, as Kargil Vijay Diwas, to honour the supreme scarifies and the exemplary courage of the Brave Hearts who laid down their lives safeguarding the frontiers of our motherland. After the Lahore Summit in 1999 the diplomatic tensions seemed to ease. But the sense of optimism seemed to be short-lived as in May 1999 Pakistan Paramilitary forces and Karshmir insurgents captured deserted but strategic posts in the Himalayan heights of Kargil. These posts were vacated by the Indian Army on the account of the inhospitable winter and were supposed to be reoccupied in spring. The Pakistani forces positioned themselves in locations that enable them to bring NH1 within its range of artillery fire. Once the scale of Pakistani incursion was realised , the Indian Army quickly moralised around 2,00,000 troops and gave a buffeting response. Backed by Indian Air Force, Indian Army launched Operation Vijay and captured the curial points of Tiger Hill and Tololing in Drass. The Army declared the mission successful on July 26, 1999; since it has been marked as the Kargil Vijay Diwas in India. Remembering the War Heroes India’s victory at the heights of the Kargil was a hard earned one. The victory came at the cost of the several supreme sacrifices by the Sons of the Soil. Captain Vikram Batra, (13 JAK RIF) Captain Vikram Batra of the 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifle immortalised himself by fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil war in 1999 at the age of 24. Captain Vikram's most difficult mission was the capture of crucial peak - Point 4875. He had led his team despite high fever and got fatally injured trying to save another officer. Due to his exemplary feat, Captain Vikram was awarded many titles; he came to be fondly called the 'Tiger of Drass', the 'Lion of Kargil', the 'Kargil Hero', and so on. Pakistanis called him Sher Shah after the ferocious warrior king of medieval India. He was given the highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra posthumously. Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav (18 Grenadiers) Yogendra Singh Yadav (now Subedar Major) was the youngest person to ever be awarded the Param Vir Chakra. During his deployment he was only 19 years old. He was a part of the Ghatak platoon that recaptured three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill on July 4, 1999. He was the sole survivor of an attack on Tiger Hill in which he took 15 bullets. Determined to achieve his objective, Yadav strapped his arm in a belt, wrapped a bandana around his leg and continued to fight the enemy. He killed four enemy soldiers in close combat and silenced the automatic fire. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar (13 JAK Rif) Rifleman Sanjay Kumar volunteered to be the leading scout of the attacking column tasked to capture area Flat Top of Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley on 4 July 1999. He took two bullets in his chest and forearm but continued the charge with valour and in subsequent hand-to-hand fighting killed three enemy soldiers. He then crept towards the second enemy bunker with a fallen enemy machine gun and the enemy soldiers, taken completely by surprise, were killed by him as they fled their post. The rest of the platoon followed with a charged, assaulted the feature and captured Area Flat Top. Today, he is the youngest of three surviving Param Vir Chakra decorated soldiers of the Indian Army. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey (1/11 Gorkha rifels) Captain Manoj Pandey was a soldier of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles. His team was tasked to clear enemy positions in order to prevent his battalion from getting exposed in the daylight. The battlefield was Khalubar.The troops under the command of Capt Manoj gained control over six bunkers and killed eleven enemy soldiers besides getting a good stock of arms and ammunition including an air defense gun. Khalubar was eventually captured and Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey with his supreme sacrifice not set an example of unparalleled bravery but changed the course of Kargil war. Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey was given the nation’s highest gallantry award, “Param Vir Chakra” for his outstanding courage, leadership and devotion to duty. Naik Digendra Kumar (2 RR) Naik Digendra Kumar was a part of Major Vivek Gupta team, of the 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles and his company were given the task of recapturing Point 4590 on Tololing Hill in the Dras sector. The objective was to capture the enemy post, located at high altitude (15,000 feet). Naik Digendra Kumar commanded the Light Machine Gun Group during his company's assault. Although Kumar was hit by a bullet in his left arm, he kept firing on the enemy with his light machine gun. His fire facilitated his men's advancemet after a hand-to-hand fight. He was responsible for killing 48 Pakistani soldiers single-handedly and received total 18 bullets on his body armour. The day marked the victory of the Indian Soldiers recapturing the mountain heights that were occupied by the Pakistan Army.On every ,26th July, the nation pays tribute to all the Heroes of the War who showcased their exemplary courage and at time of need made the sacrifice of their lives at the line of duty. Let us all take this opportunity to Salute the Soldiers who Sacrificed their lives for our Country. Jai Hind ! CDT ANKIT DHAR 1 BENGAL ARTY BTY NCC KOL – B REGIMENTAL NUMBER – WB20SDA101508 .