CAPTAIN YE DIL MAANGE MORE

Captain Vikram Batra, PVC was born on 9 September 1974 in Palampur, , . He was the third child of his parents. He attended the D. A. V. public school in Palampur, where he studied up to middle standard. He was very good in studies as well as in sports. He represented his school in table tennis at All India KVS Nationals. He was also a green belt holder in karate and went on to attend a national level camp in Manali. Later, he attended DAV college, in B.Sc Medical Science. At college, he joined the Air Wing of the National Cadet Corps(NCC) while he was in the first year. During the Inter State NCC Camp, he was adjudged the best NCC Air Wing Cadet of Punjab Directorate in North Zone. He was selected and underwent a 40-day paratrooping training with his NCC Air Wing unit at Pinjore Airfeild and Flying Club. During the next two years in DAV, he remained a cadet of the Army Wing of NCC. He afterward qualified for the ‘c' certificate in the NCC and attained the rank of Senior Under Officer in his NCC unit. Subsequently, in 1994,he was selected for the Republic Day Parade as a NCC Cadet, and when he came back home, he told his parents that he wanted to join the Army.

In 1996,he passed the CDS examination and got selected at the Service Selection Board(SSB) at . He was among the top 35 candidates in the order of Merit. After completing a year (session 1995-96) toward the degree of MA in English, he left the University to join the at in June 1996 in the Manekshaw . After completing his training course, he graduated on 6 December 1997 and was commissioned as a into the 13th battalion, (13 JAK RIF).

On 5 June, because of the outbreak of , it’s deployment order to move to , Jammu and Kashmir. The 13 JAK RIF reached Dras on 6 June, was placed under the command of 56 Mountain , and was given order to act as reserves to the 2nd battalion, after 18 Grenadiers unable to capture the peak. After the capture of Tololing, 13 JAK RIF marched from Dras to Tololing. The task of capturing Point 5140 was assigned to 13 JAK RIF under the command of lt. Col. on 17 June. Joshi decided to attack point 5140 with B coy, under the command of lt. Sanjeev Singh and D coy, under the command of lt. Vikram Batra, from two sides; east and South. At the hump complex, Batra chose the words “ YEH DIL MANGE MORE! “ as his success signal for his company. At 0435 hours, Batra radioed his command post, saying the words “YEH DIL MANGE MORE”. After the capture of point 5140, Batra was promoted to the rank of captain. On 26 June 13 JAK RIF was ordered to move from Dras to Ghumri to rest, refit and recoup. The battalion then moved to the Mushkoh Valley on 30 June. After reaching mushkoh valley next assignment for the battalion was to capture 4875. On 6 July Batra attacked on point 4875 and will saving his men he was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper from very close range and a split second later, by a splinter from an RPG which hit him in the head he collapsed next to his injured soldier and gave his life for Nation.

On 15 August 1999, Vikram Batra was awarded the PARAM . His father received the honour for his deceased son from the , the late K. R. Narayanan. His last word for the nation was “EITHER I WILL COME BACK HOISTING THE TRICOLOR, OR I WILL COME BACK WRAPPED IN IT, BUT I WILL COME BACK FOR SURE”.

WRITTEN BY: CADET PINAK MISHRA 1 Armd Sqn, Mumbai.