Jaipur (Rajasthan): On 26 July in 1999, Indian Army gave a befitting reply to the nefarious designs of Pakistan during Kargil war through Operation Vijay.
The operation was carried out for about two months between the months of May and July 1999. The brave son of the soil Dingendra Singh was the first to recapture the hill taken by the Pakistani troops and plant the Indian tricolour on it.
Cobra Digendra Singh, the most dangerous commando of the Indian Army, presented such an example of indomitable courage and valour during Kargil war, of which India is still proud of and many generations to come will be inspired by his bravery.
ETV Bharat held a special conversation with Mahaveer Chakra awardee Digendra Singh aka Commando Cobra, who destroyed 11 Pakistani bunkers and slayed 48 soldiers of the enemy’s army despite being hit by 5 bullets.
Digendra Singh is a resident of Dayal ki Nangal, a small village near Neemkathana of Sikar in Rajasthan. Recalling the Kargil war, he says that in May 1999, thousands of Pak soldiers had infiltrated and captured the hills of Tololing just in front of the Kargil war memorial.
Three units of the Indian Army failed to liberate Tololing which was captured by the Pakistani troopers. 18 soldiers of one unit, 22 of the other and 28 of the third unit of the Indian Army were already martyred.
Hence conquering Tololing became a major challenge for the Indian Army. Then the best battalion of the Indian Army was entrusted with the task of liberating Tololing.
Two Rajput Rifle Battalions were called from Kupwara, which was 300 km away from Tololing and were given the responsibility to carry forward this operation.
Digendra was also a part of one of the Rajput Rifles. When his troops reached Tololing, their Army Chief Commander Ravindra Nath was asked if there was a soldier in his battalion who could go up to the hill of Tololing and do the Reiki of the enemy’s position.
Digendra says that he was sitting right at the back among the army men, and on hearing the question, he raised his hand.
Digendra was known as Commando Cobra even before that and had already been a recipient of an army medal.
When he raised his hand, his senior praised the courage and bravery presented by the braveheart during one of the incidents in Sri Lanka.
Digendra was then entrusted with the responsibility of performing Reiki on the Tololing hill.
Later, after 14 hours of hard work, through the inaccessible route, he climbed the hill of Tololing. During this, he was attacked by the soldiers of the enemy army. During this engagement, 9 Commandos and a Major were killed in the firing. Digendra was left alone and had 3 bullets in his chest.
Father's words of wisdom strengthened his will to fight
Digendra says that before he could get frustrated, he remembered what his father had said to him once. He had said that 'Bhagyo Vasundhara' means that only those who attain victory are called brave. This filled the ‘Cobra Commando’ with rejuvenated strength. He, then demolished 11 Pakistani bunkers one after the other and caused such devastation that 48 soldiers of the enemy’s army were killed.
5 bullet injuries did not deter the strength
During the night long combat, several enemy’s soldiers were killed and with the break of dawn Cobra was encountered with the Major of the Pakistani army. He too was killed by the brave commando despite having 5 bullet injuries. This was India's first victory in the Kargil war. After this, other peaks including Tiger Hill were liberated and the war eventually ended on 26 July.
Three sons of a mother were fighting together in the Kargil war
Digendra Singh says that his passion to serve the motherland runs in his veins. Digendra has 6 brothers out of which four brothers were serving in the army at that time. When the Kargil war broke out, two of his brothers were also fighting the enemy, but with the different company.
When his mother was only three days old, his maternal grandfather was also martyred while serving the motherland. Later on, his father also suffered 11 bullet injuries during the 1948 war, but he too gave a befitting reply to the enemy.
How 'Cobra' got his name
Digendra joined the Indian Army on 3 September 1985. During this time, he was also selected for the commando course. After completing the training, he got an opportunity to go to Sri Lanka, where he was posted for the protection of a general.
One day while going to Malaideepu, a militant threw a grenade on his car. Digendra Singh caught the grenade in his hands and threw it back on to the same militant. The militant died in the explosion. The general then praised his valour by saying that he was a cobra, not a commando. Since then Digendra has been named Commando 'Cobra'.
