Captain Vikram Batra sacrificed his life fighting Pakistani troops during the Kargil war. The 24-year-old was posthumously facilitated with the highest wartime gallantry award the Param Vir Chakra.
India is celebrating the 23rd anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today. The day marks the historic victory of the Indian Armed Forces in Operation Vijay 1999 when they neutralized Pakistani invaders from high outposts in Ladakh’s Kargil.
Around 527 soldiers from the Indian Armed Forces were martyred during the 60-day Kargil war. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on July 26 across the country to remember the Indian troops who courageously fought and sacrificed their lives to make ‘Operation Vijay’ a success.
Here is a list of some of the soldiers of the Indian army who sacrificed their lives in service of mother India.
Captain Vikram Batra: Captain Vikram Batra sacrificed his life fighting Pakistani troops during the Kargil war. The 24-year-old was posthumously facilitated with the highest wartime gallantry award the Param Vir Chakra. Captain Batra has been awarded many titles for his contribution to the force. He is also called “The lion of Kargil.”
Major Saurabh Kalia: During a routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the mountainous Kaksar sector, Saurabh Kalia along with five other soldiers were encircled by a platoon of Pakistani invaders and captured alive, leaving no trace of the patrol. They were all tortured by Pakistani forces for 24 days, and their mutilated bodies were handed over by the Pakistan Army on June 9, 1999. Post-mortem reports said that the soldiers suffered cigarette burns, ear drums pierced with hot rods, many broken teeth, and bones, fractured skulls, eyes punctured before being removed, cut lips, chipped noses, and amputated limbs and genitalia.
Lieutenant Major Kumar Pandey: Captain Major Kumar Pandey was a soldier of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles who was posthumously facilitated the Param Vir Chakra for his audacious courage and leadership during the 1999 war. He lost his life in service of the nation in the battle on Jubar Top of the Khalubar Hills in the Batalik sector of Kargil.
Captain N Kenguruse: On 28 June 1999, at Lone Hill Captain N Kenguruse was the Ghatak Platoon Commander during the attack on Area Black Rock in the Drass Sector. He dared the commando mission to attack a well-sited enemy machine gun pos, on a cliff face, which was heavily interfering with all the approaches of the 2 Rajputana Rifles Battalion. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second highest gallantry award, for his exemplary valour in combat.
Lt.Keishing Clifford Nongrum: On the night of 30 June 1999, the column of d Nongrum was pinned down by the invaders with automatic fire for around two hours. Despite the heavy artillery, he threw grenades into the enemy bunker and killed six Pakistani soldiers. He then tried to snatch the universal machine gun from the enemy from the second position and received a volley of bullets.
“Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of pride and glory of Maa Bharati. On this occasion, my salute to all the brave sons of the country who have accomplished their valor in the defense of the motherland. Jai Hind!”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted with a video.
कारगिल विजय दिवस मां भारती की आन-बान और शान का प्रतीक है। इस अवसर पर मातृभूमि की रक्षा में पराक्रम की पराकाष्ठा करने वाले देश के सभी साहसी सपूतों को मेरा शत-शत नमन। जय हिंद! pic.twitter.com/wIHyTrNPMU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2022
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