Lesson -2 The Hero of Tiger Hill I] Word Meanings: 1. Arduous: difficult and tiring 2. Surmised: guessed without having evidence to confirm it 3. Ricocheted: moved away from a surface at an angle 4. Certitude: the state of being confident A] Answer the following with reference to context. 1. Inside me lives their memories and it will thus continue to be. a] Who said these words to whom? Ans: Yogendra Singh Yadav said these words to the reporter ClaudiArpi. b] Whose memories will live in him forever? Ans: The memories of his fellow comrades will live with him forever. c] What had happened to those people whom he remembers? Ans: The people whom he remembers have been martyred ie. They have laid their life for their country. 2. Tiger hill was the highest peak in the Drass sector. To take control of it was very difficult. a] Where was the Tiger Hill? Tiger hill was the highest peak in the Drass sector. b] What was happening at Tiger hill>? Ans: The Pakistani Army was trying to make it its base camp. c] Why was taking control of Tiger Hill difficult? Ans: To take control of Tiger Hill was very difficult because it was at a height of 16,500 feet, with sheer, precipitous sides of ice and snow. 3. It is due to that resolve and will that I am alive today . a] What resolve did the soldier have? Ans: The resolve that the soldier had was unless he got a bullet is his heart or head he would remain alive, even if they cut off his arms and legs. b] What had happened to the soldier? Ans: He had been shot in the arm and leg by the Pakistani army. c] Why did he need a firm resolve at that moment? Ans: He needed a firm resolve at that moment because if he gave up the Indian army would not be ab le to capture Tiger Hill. 4. You had the certitude that you would not die, tell us more about the vision of Devi Ma who showed you the way down to the MMG post? a] Who said these words and to whom? Ans: These words were said by ClaudiArpi to Yogendra Singh Yadav. b] Why did the person being spoken to , have the belief that he would not die? Ans: The person had the belief because of his will power and firm resolution that unless a bullet does not hit his heart or head he won’t die. c] Elaborate on the vision that the soldier saw? Ans: It was a very horrific sight. Rounds of bullets were being fired from both the sides. There were bodies of soldiers were lying around He too was wounded but somehow he descended down the hill and informed his team commander about the impending attack. B] Answer these questions: 1. Who was Yogendra Singh Yadav? Why was he awarded the Param Vir Chakra? Ans: Yogendra Singh Yadav was a member of the assault commando platoon of the 18 Grenadiers which captured three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill. He survived fifteen bullets while capturing the Tiger Hill in the Kargil war and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra , India’s highest award gallantry. 2. Why was it important to Capture Tiger Hill? Ans: It was important to capture Tiger Hill because Pakistani army was invading the border and had made it his base camp. 3. How did the platoon plan to reach Tiger Hill? What difficulties did the soldiers face in the route? Ans: The platoon under the battalion made a plan to attack him top of the Tiger Hill first. The path that was decided to take was such that the Pakistani forces could not envisage that the Indian army would be using this path to reach the top, the path to Pakistani position had sheer, vertical peaks. It was an arduous climb of two days. It was a tremendously difficult path, a very small path. The stones were sliding under their feet making the enemy surmised that the Indian army has reached this area. They opened fire on them. 4. How did Yogendra Singh Yadav get wounded? Ans: The Pakistani troops launched a counter attackon them. It was a powerful attack using several supporting weapons throwing big boulders on them. The army got still closer and launched a hand to hand battle during which his six companions were martyred and he was also seriously injured. 5. Why did he decide to go to the MMG post? How did he reach there? Ans: He decide to go to the MMG post because he wanted to warn his team commander about the impending attack so that they can be prepared for it. He tied his broken arm, he even tried to break it off with a jerk, but he could not manage. Finally he fixed it into his belt behind his back and rolled downhill towards his companions. 6. Who gave him the strength to go to the MMG post in spite of being badly wounded? Ans: Devi Shakti gave him the strength to go to the MMG post in spite of being badly wounded. 7. Why did Yadav like the film LOC Kargil? Ans: Yadav liked the film because the film highlighted the task that his companion and he performed; their sacrifice for the good. It made the general public aware oif the difficulties a soldier has to endure to do his duty successfully. Home Work Questions: 1. Write the character Sketch of Yogendra Singh Yadav? 2. According to you, what qualities should a soldier possess? .