Soldiers who changed the course of war

While their stories of attaining martyrdom of India's bravehearts during the 1999 Kargil War are unique in their own way, ETV Bharat brings to the stories of the people who changed the course of the war in Kargil.

Hyderabad:A number of India's bravehearts attained martyrdom during the 1999 Kargil War- one of India's most prominent wars against its neighbour Pakistan. While their stories of attaining martyrdom are unique in their own way, ETV Bharat brings to the stories of the people who changed the course of the war in Kargil.

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar: Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of the 13 Jammu And Kashmir rifles was the leading scout of the team entrusted with capturing Area Flat Top, which was being held by the enemy. He was shot in the chest and forearm but sustained the attack despite bleeding profusely. Charged by his act of daredevilry, the rest of the platoon attacked the enemy bunkers and captured Area Flat Top. Rifleman Kumar was awarded Param Vir Chakra.

Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav: Part of the Commando 'Ghatak' Platoon given the task to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav of the 18 Grenadiers, was leading the assault and climbing the cliff face. He was fixing ropes for the rest of the platoon. He was awarded the highest military honour in India, Param Vir Chakra, for his July 4, 1999 action during the Kargil War.

Captain Vikram Batra:Captain Vikram Batra of the 13th Jammu And Kashmir Rifles, was ordered to recapture the highest point on Tololing Ridge, peak 5140, where Pakistani invaders had taken positions in bunkers. He was martyred on July 26, 1999, while trying to rescue an injured soldier. The peak he died on, Point 4875, is now called 'Batra Top'. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest military honour.

Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey: Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey of the 1st Battalion of Gorkha Rifles, participated in a series of boldly led attacks during 'Operation Vijay' and forced back the intruders from the Batalik sector on June 11, 1999. His leadership led to the capture of Jaubar Top and Khalubar on early hours of July 3, 1999. Pandey succumbed to his injuries on the hilltop and was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra.

Captain Anuj Nayyar: Captain Anuj Nayyar was only 24 when he attained martyrdom. An officer of the 17th Battalion of Jat Regiment, Nayyar was given the task of recapturing Pt. 4875, also known as Pimple-II, from the Pakistani army. With the steep slopes, it became almost impossible to capture the peak without the support of the Air Force. Despite rough terrains and unfavourable conditions, Nayyar went ahead and destroyed three out of four bunkers. While capturing the fourth, an enemy grenade fell directly on him and he succumbed to his injuries.

Captain N Kenguruse: An officer of 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles Capt. Neikezhakuo Kenguruse single-handedly neutralised crucial enemy positions before breathing his last. At a height of 16,000 feet and in a freezing temperature of -10 degrees Celsius, Capt. Kenguruse kicked off his boots to get a grip of the slippery icy slopes. He somehow climbed up the freezing cliff while carrying an RPG rocket launcher with him and fired the rocket launcher at the seven Pakistani bunkers. Despite receiving bullet injuries, he tackled two infiltrators in hand-to-hand combat with his commando knife.

A spray of bullets hit him and he was martyred at the Lone Hill, Drass Sector on June 28, 1999, in the Kargil War. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery at the battlefield.

Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum: Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum's unit (12th Battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) was given the responsibility of securing Peak 4812 which was strategically very crucial for the Indian Army. While climbing the vertical peak was nearly impossible, he along with his platoon took up the difficult task. As they reached the enemy bunkers at the top, with the interconnected bunkers they came directly under heavy enemy fire. Despite the heavy fire, he charged through the fire zone lobbing grenades, thereby, killing six enemy soldiers. He continued to fight after being hit by bullets and succumbed to his injuries. He was honoured with Maha Vir Chakra for his chivalry in the combat operations.

Major Padmapani Acharya:Major Padmapani Acharya (2nd Battalion, Rajputana Rifles) and his troops were tasked with the responsibility of capturing Lone Hill and recapturing the Tololing peak in Kargil, both of which were of utmost strategic importance. During the assault, Major Acharya crawled up to the enemy bunker and lobbed grenades. He was injured and was unable to move. Despite his injuries, he continued to fire at the enemy and eventually succumbed to his injuries.

Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari: Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari of 18 Grenadiers, led a 10-member team to capture a bunker in Tololing. Maj Adhikari led the central charge, three metres ahead of his men. He was fired at from two mutually supporting bunkers with universal machine guns. The officer immediately directed the rocket launcher detachment to engage the bunker and without waiting, rushed into the bunker and killed two intruders in close-quarter combat. The officer was injured in the crossfire. Despite injuries, the officer charged at the second bunker and killed one more occupant, thus capturing the second bunker at Tololing which later facilitated capture of Point 4590. He was awarded Maha Vir Chakra.

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk: Then Major Sonam Wangchuk was leading a column of The Indus Wing, Ladakh Scouts as a part of operations in Operation Vijay in the Batalik Sector on May 30, 1999. They were tasked to occupy Ridge-Line on the Line of Control in a glaciated area at a height of about 5,500 metres. This was essential so as to pre-empt its occupation by the enemy and any subsequent infiltration.

While moving towards the Line of Control, the enemy ambushed the team. In the process, one army man of The Ladakh Scouts was killed. Major Sonam Wangchuk held his team together and in a daring counter-ambush, led a raid on the enemy position from a flank, killing two enemy soldiers.

He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his exceptional bravery and gallantry of the highest order.

Major Vivek Gupta: Major Gupta and his men of the 2nd Battalion, Rajputana Rifles were tasked with the recapture of point 4590 of Tololing in the Drass sector. He was part of a light machine gun commando team who was asked to recapture Pakistani bunkers along the mountain top of Tololing.

He and his fellow soldiers came under enemy fire during the task. Eventually, Major Gupta succumbed to his injuries.

Incidentally, Major Gupta died in action on the same day that he was commissioned into the Indian Army -June 13.

Naik Digendra Kumar: A commando of the Indian Army's 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles, who dispatched 48 Pakistanis single-handedly at the Kargil War in 1999. Naik Kumar commanded the Light Machine Gun Group during his company’s assault on Tololing feature in Dras Sector. The objective was to capture the enemy post located in a high altitude terrain at over 15000 feet.

On 13 June 1999, his group came under heavy firing and Kumar was hit in his left arm. Naik Digendra Kumar kept firing on the enemy with his Light Machine Gun. His fire facilitated his men’s advancement. Digendra hurled the grenades in the other bunker successfully destroying all bunkers. He threw 18 grenades into 11 bunkers.