Vikram Batra: A tribute to 'Shershah' on his birth anniversary

Tributes poured in for Captain Vikram Batra, the Kargil war hero on Thursday, his 47th birth anniversary. Known for his bravery, Captain Vikram died fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil war in 1999 at the age of 24. He was given the highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Kangra: Tributes poured in for Captain Vikram Batra, the Kargil war hero on Thursday, his 47th birth anniversary. Known for his bravery, Captain Vikram died fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil war in 1999 at the age of 24. He was given the highest wartime gallantry award Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Today on his birth anniversary, a grateful nation and especially the state of Himachal Pradesh is commemorating his sacrifice for the nation. Vikram Batra was born on 9 September 1974 in Ghuggar village of Palampur in Kangra district in Himachal.

Batra's battalion, the 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles arrived in Dras on June 6 and was assigned to the 56 Mountain Brigade as reserves for the Rajputana Rifles' 2nd battalion for their attack on Tololing Mountain. The task of capturing Point 5140, a strategically important mountain peak in the Dras sector, was assigned to 13 JAK Rif under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi on 17 June 1999.

On 18 June, the battalion carried out a detailed reconnaissance of Point 5140 which revealed the enemy had put in place seven sangars on the feature; two on the top, four towards the east and one towards the north.

Joshi decided to attack Point 5140 with Bravo Company, under the command of Lieutenant Sanjeev Singh Jamwal, and Delta Company, under the command of Lieutenant Vikram Batra, from two sides; East and South. It was during the briefing for the capture of Point 5140 that Batra used the phrase ‘Yeh Dil Mange More’ – taken from a popular Pepsi ad campaign – as his success signal.

Batra decided to approach the hill from the rear, hoping to catch the enemy off guard and cut off their escape path. Before hitting the bunkers on the east side of the feature, Batra fired three rockets at them. He and his soldiers mounted the sheer rock wall, but as they neared the top, enemy machine-gun fire trapped them to the naked cliff face. Batra and five of his men climbed up nevertheless, and when they got to the top, they threw two grenades at the machine-gun post. Batra then killed three enemy combatants.

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Despite being severely injured in the process, he persisted in gathering his soldiers and continuing the operation. He led his forces onwards, charging at the next enemy position and seizing Point 5140. His company killed at least eight Pakistani intruders and recovered a powerful anti-aircraft machine gun in all of its operations. The last of the hostile soldiers fled.

India did not suffer a single loss of life during the capture of point 5140. In fact, the Indian army recaptured Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak, and the Three Pimple Complex, kicking off a succession of successful recaptures.

"Captain Vikram Batra always leading from the front, and fully aware of the great danger of his mission, displayed unparalleled courage and determination in eliminating a Pakistani position at Ledge because he was aware of the importance of his task. His daring assault enabled the completion of the capture of Pt 4875 and this broke the will of the enemy. His courage and action were well beyond the call of duty and he continued to take risks ultimately making the supreme sacrifice in the finest traditions of the Indian Army." Major General Ian Cardozo in his book Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle states.

Later, Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father G.L. Batra received the honour for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K. R. Narayanan.

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