Aw we know July 26, 1999 is the date which can never be forgotten. Before twenty one years on, on Kargil Vijay Diwas, We're celebrating the victory and sacrifice of our armed forces who fought back bravely against Pakistan to recapture its own territories. But we should never forget, this victory came with a heavy price of lives of our heroes. The defence forces fought bravely and with valour, no doubt, but the country also lost a large number of soldiers during the Kargil war. As Indians, we tend to take the service of soldiers for granted, not realising how gruelling life as a soldier can be. Their service to their country makes them relentless, in mind, body, and spirit.

On 22st Kargil Vijay Diwas, Kavishala remembers the stories of some of these brave heroes and their unparalleled service to the nation, as they battled one of the toughest war operations in the most dangerous and difficult terrain.

  1. Captain Vikram Batra: Also known as Sher Shah, (lion king) Captain Vikram Batra from Himachal Pradesh played an important role during the Kargil war, recapturing Peak 5140, located at an altitude of 17,000 ft, and Peak 4875. Since childhood, Captain Batra was an all-rounder, proficient in academics, sports, and extracurriculars. Deeply patriotic from a young age, he joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun, in June 1996. After completing his training, he served in Jammu and kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh. Excelling in his training, he rose to the rank of Captain, before joining forces in Kargil. This mission was difficult and dangerous as Indian soldiers had to climb the peak with the enemy perched at the top. Despite the risks involved, he managed to kill many enemy soldiers.
  2. Major Devender Pal Singh: India’s first blade runner, former Major Devender Pal Singh lost his leg and part of his intestines in the Kargil war. He was only 25 when he was hit by mortar fire on a Himalayan battlefield, and was injured in several parts of his body with shrapnel. He was initially declared dead by the army surgeon at the field hospital, but was later revived. However, his infected leg had to be amputated. Major Singh served in the army for 10 years, joining the 7th battalion in 1997. Upon retiring after his injury, he did not give up and started playing sports to train himself. Now he is India’s first amputee marathon runner and holds multiple Limca Records.
  3. Captain Puneet Bakshi: Captain Puneet Bakshi, now a retired Indian Air Force pilot (WgCdr), is a veteran of Kargil war. Captain Puneet Bakshi Captain Bakshi, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, is known to have flown jets and helicopters with rockets, bombs, missiles, front guns, barrel rolls, and loops for more than 5,000 hours.  During the Kargil war, he was part of the Forward Area Reconnaissance (FAC), which was instrumental in carrying out air strikes. He is said to have saved 832 lives over three days during the Kedarnath disaster relief operations in 2013. Captain Bakshi was also part of the State government’s efforts in rebuilding the Kedarnath temple. On retiring as Director of Operations from the Air Force headquarters, he became an entrepreneur and launched his venture, GoChoppers.
  4. Lt Balwan Singh: Born in Haryana, Former Lieutenant Balwan Singh, now a Colonel, was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for capturing Tiger Hill along with his ghatak platoon during the Kargil war. Colonel Balwan Singh is a second-generation soldier who was inspired by his father, Shobha Chand, a decorated soldier himself. He was asked to report to Kargil within just four months of joining the service. The operation was a challenging one as the terrain was steep and occupied by enemy forces at a height of 16,500 feet. The officer led his team for over 12 hours under heavy artillery shelling and executed the task of reaching their destination.
  5. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey: Pandey of 1st Battalion, Gorkha Rifles is yet another braveheart who sacrificed his life for the country’s pride. Entrusted with the task of clearing the enemy troops, he carried out a series of bold attacks to push back the intruders. Under intense enemy fire, the grievously injured officer continued the assault relentlessly which ultimately led to the capture of Jaubar Top and Khalubar hill in the Batalik sector. Pandey was bestowed upon the Param Vir Chakra for his gallantry, defence and leadership qualities at the war front.

Source: YourStory