LUCKNOW PUBLIC SCHOOL GOMTI NAGAR NAME – FLIGHT CADET ANANT KUMAR PATEL

REGIMENTAL NO. - UP/20/JD/F/525086

UNIT – 5 UP AIR SQN. Lko

KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS Vijay Diwas is on 26th of July. On this date in 1999 successfully took command of the high outposts. The was fought for more than 60 days and ended on 26 July 1999, when the Pakistani army took advantage of the melting snow and - betraying the bilateral understanding of both the nations that the post would remain unattended during the winter season – took command of the high outposts of India. The Pakistani army denied involvement in the war, claiming that it was caused by independent Kashmiri rebel forces, however documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces, led by General Ashraf Rashid. The Kargil war resulted in loss of life on both the sides and was ended when India regained control over the post and ejected the Pakistani Army out of the territory. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26 July every year in honour of the Kargil War's Heroes. This day is celebrated in the Kargil–sector and the national capital , where the Prime Minister of India pays homage to the soldiers at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate every year. Functions are also organized all over the country to commemorate the contributions of the armed forces. THESE ARE SOME OF OUR KARGIL WAR HEROES CAPTAIN SAURABH KALIA Kalia, who then held the rank of lieutenant, was the first officer to observe and report large-scale intrusion of Pakistani Army and foreign mercenaries on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) at Kargil. He assumed guard of Bajrang Post at 13,000–14,000 feet to check infiltration in the Kaksar area. On 15 May 1999, Kalia and five other soldiers – Sepoys Arjun Ram, Bhanwar Lal Bagaria, Bhika Ram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh of the 4th Jat Regiment - were on a routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector in the mountains when they engaged in a firefight with Pakistani forces across the LOC. The patrol out of ammunition, were encircled by a platoon of Pakistani rangers, and captured before Indian reinforcements could reach them. Radio Skardu of Pakistan announced the capture. It was after this that India discovered hundreds of guerrillas had established fortified positions on the peaks of the hills deep inside the Indian side of the LoC, with sophisticated equipment and supply lines back to Pakistan administered Kashmir. Indian officials claimed that Kalia and his men were in captivity from 15 May 1999 – 7 June 1999 and were subjected to torture. They said the torture was evident from injuries to their bodies when they were handed over by the Pakistani Army on 9 June 1999. Post- mortem examinations conducted by India reported that the prisoners variously had cigarette burns, ear-drums pierced with hot rods, many broken teeth and bones, fractured skulls, eyes that had been punctured before being removed, cut lips, chipped noses, and amputated limbs and genitalia. According to the examinations, these injuries preceded the captives being shot dead in the head. However, The Guardian noted that there was no independent international observer at the post-mortem. GRENADIER Subedar Major and Honorary Lieutenant Yogendra Singh Yadav PVC is a junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army, who was awarded the highest Indian military honour decoration, the Param , for his action during the Kargil War. Aged 19 when he received the decoration, he is the youngest person to be awarded the medal. Yadav, enlisted with the 18 Grenadiers, and part of the Ghatak Force commando platoon, tasked to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill in the early morning hours of 4 July 1999. The bunkers were situated at the top of a vertical, snow-covered, 1,000 ft (300 m) cliff face. Yadav volunteered to lead the assault, climbed the cliff face and installed ropes that would allow further assaults on the feature. Halfway up, machine gun and rocket fire came from an enemy bunker, killing the platoon commander and two others. In spite of being hit by multiple bullets in his groin and shoulder, Yadav climbed the remaining 60 feet (18 m) and reached the top. Though severely injured, he crawled to the first bunker and lobbed a grenade, killing four Pakistani soldiers and neutralizing enemy fire. This gave the rest of the platoon the opportunity to climb up the cliff face. Yadav then charged the second bunker along with two of his fellow soldiers and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, killing four Pakistani soldiers. The platoon subsequently succeeded in capturing Tiger Hill. Though Yadav was hit by 12 bullets he played a major role in its capture. The was announced for Yadav posthumously, but it was soon discovered that he was recuperating in a hospital, and it was his namesake who had been slain in the mission. LIEUTENANT Manoj Kumar Pandey, PVC (25 June 1975 – 3 July 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army who was posthumously awarded India's highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, for his audacious courage and leadership during the Kargil War in 1999. An officer of the 1st battalion, 11 Gorkha Rifles (1/11 GR), he was martyred in battle on Jubar Top of the Khalubar Hills in Sector of Kargil. In early May, the intrusion in the Kargil sector was reported. The 1/11 Gorkha Rifles battalion had finished a one-and-a-half year tenure in the and was on-the-move to its peace-time location in . The battalion was asked to move to the Batalik sector in Kargil. It was among the first units to be inducted into this sector. The unit, commanded by , was assigned responsibility of the Jubar, Kukarthaam and Khalubar areas and their battalion headquarters was in Yeldor. Pandey, as part of the battalion, was involved in a series of boldly led attacks. He also took part in a series of actions which led to the capture of Jubar Top. CAPTAIN Captain Vikram Batra, PVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, awarded with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest and most prestigious award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War. He led one of the toughest operations in mountain warfare in Indian history. He was often referred to as ‘'Sher Shah'’ ("Lion King") in the intercepted messages of the Pakistan Army. The 13 JAK RIF reached on 6 June, was placed under the command of 56 Mountain Brigade, and was given orders to act as reserves to the 2nd battalion, Rajputana Rifles (2 RAJ RIF) during their attack on Tololing mountain. The 18th battalion, The Grenadiers (18 Grenadiers) first attacked Tololing on 22 May, but were unable to capture the peak. 18 Grenadiers made four attempts to capture Tololing, but could only succeed in securing the lower slopes, while suffering heavy casualties. Eventually, 2 RAJ RIF was assigned the mission of capturing Tololing and they did so on 13 June 1999. After the capture of Tololing, 13 JAK RIF marched from Dras to Tololing, reaching their destination in 12 hours. Upon reaching, A Coy, 13 JAK RIF took over Tololing and a portion of the Hump Complex from 18 Grenadiers. RIFLEMAN Subedar Sanjay Kumar, PVC (born 3 March 1976]) is a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, and recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military award. On 4 July 1999, as a member of the 13th Battalion, Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, he was the leading scout of a team tasked to capturing Area Flat Top, during the Kargil War. The area was held by Pakistani troops. Having scaled the cliff, the team was pinned down by machine gun fire from an enemy bunker, about 150 meters away. Kumar, realizing the magnitude of the problem and the detrimental effect this bunker would have in the capture of Area Flat Top, crawled alone up the ledge, along a flank, and charged towards the enemy bunker through a hail of automatic fire. Almost instantly he took two bullets in his chest and forearm that left him bleeding profusely. Though bleeding from the bullet wounds, he continued the charge towards the bunker. In hand-to- hand fighting, he killed three enemy soldiers. He then picked up an enemy machine gun and crept towards the second enemy bunker. The enemy soldiers, taken completely by surprise, were killed by him as they fled their post. Inspired by his act the rest of the platoon charged, assaulted the feature and captured Area Flat Top.