Stories of Heroes

I dont know what to call it, but today I came home and the first thing I saw was that my friend Rohan had put up a video of his trip to Kargil. As I watched it and heard the names of our heroes I was overcome with a sense of pride. As I read their stories I wept. I share them with you now.
[Full credit to those who wrote them.]


CAPTAIN VIKRAM BATRA, 24
13 J&K Rifles, PARAM VIR CHAKRA

On 01 June 1999, Capt. Batra's unit proceeded to the Kargil Sector on the eruption of a war-like situation in Kargil, Drass and Batalik sub-sectors from where he was sent along with his company on the first strategic and daring operation to recapture the first peak of utmost importance – Point 5140, which was at an altitude of 17,000 feet. Upon reaching Point 5140, leading a company of troops, he encountered the commander of the Pakistani-backed terrorists on radio. The enemy commander challenged him by saying, “Why have you come Shershah (his nick name), you will not go back.”

Captain Batra, being the last person to back away from a fight, replied, “We shall see within one hour, who remains on the top.” In a short while Captain Batra and his company of troops killed eight enemy soldiers and more importantly captured a heavy anti-aircraft machine gun, neutralising the advantageous peak. Re-capture of Point 5140 paved the way to the return of the rest of peaks and cleared the Srinagar-Leh highway which sat in motion of successes like capturing Point 5100, 4700 Junction, Three Pimples and the ultimate prize – Tiger Hill. After the capture of Point 5140, standing left to right: Captain Jamwal, Lt. Col. Y.K. Joshi, Captain Vikram Batra and Major Vikas Vohra. Sitting Left to Right: Major Gurpreet Singh and Captain Rajesh Adhau, the RMO. Soon after capturing Point 5140, he radioed his commanding officer and said jubilantly,”Yeh Dil Mange More!”

On the successful capture of the vital peak he was congratulated and graced by the Chief of Army Staff, General Ved Prakash Malik on telephone. After taking rest for 4 – 5 days he proceeded towards Point 4750, where he was challenged again by the enemy who said, “Shershah, nobody shall be left to lift your dead bodies,” to which Captain Batra curtly replied, “Don’t worry about us, Pray for your safety.” He captured Point 4750 and hoisted the national flag. He also played a commendable role in the capture of Tiger Hill. He had dedicated himself and was determined for total victory.On ‘Ledge’ overlooking the 17 Jat objective of ‘Whale Back’ and their approach. An enemy snow-hut is in the background. Captain Vikram Batra was killed here, winning the Param Vir Chakra (PVC).He volunteered himself for a third crucial operation of Point 4875 at an altitude of 17,000 feet, with a gradient of 80º. He attacked the peak along with his company and another led by Captain Anuj Nayyar, MVC. They gave the enemy a tough time, killed a number of enemy troops and re-captured the peak on 05 July 1999. The enemy counter-attacked the peak on 07 July 1999, but Captain Batra retaliated the counter-attack with vigour.In the heat of the battle, one of his junior officers (Lieutenant Naveen) was seriously injured and Captain Batra immediately went to his rescue. Destiny however had something else in store for Captain Batra and during the rescue, he was hit by a bullet in the chest. With the words Jai Mata Di on his lips, the brave Captain fell down and was hit again in the waist by an artillery splinter. Before succumbing to his grievous injuries, this brave son of the motherland and a true lion of Bharat Mata killed another five enemy soldiers. A grateful nation applauds the Batra family. He fought with exceptional bravery and magnitude, which is rarely seen.
Parents now pledge to name their newborns Vikram. Some local students have renamed their cricket team "Captain Batra XI". Youngsters now aspire to join the IMA rather than sit for an MBA. He has set an example before the youth of our nation, which shall inspire generations to come.

http://himachal.us/?p=20



GRENADIER YOGENDRA SINGH YADAV, 19
18 Grenadiers, PARAM VIR CHAKRA

Heroism, it is said, is endurance for one moment more. Grenadiers Yogendra Singh Yadav's moment came after enduring waves of fear when he saw all six comrades of his team being killed on Tiger Hill.
On the 4th of July 1999, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, a Ghatak Commando was tasked to scale a Tiger hill and win a war. Now, Ghatak translates to “lethal” in Hindi. So, obviously, some serious merit is involved to get on this unit. Their role is to act as shock troops and conduct assaults against enemy positions, usually without support from the rest of the battalion. These soldiers carry the INSAS assault rifles and stainless steel nuts.

Grenadier Yadav, offered to lead the assault up the 17,000 odd feet to the first bunker. His job was to not only take over the bunkers filled with Pakistani soldiers armed to the teeth, but also to set up the ropes to ensure the rest of his platoon could follow him up. It was -30 degrees Celsius and there was a whipping wind. Lastly this was at 11pm.

He was working his way up with his platoon commander and a squad of other commandos following him as he’d fix the ropes on the cliff face. They were most of the way up and hear the unmistakable sounds of an RPG. The Pakistani soldiers were shelling them with a few rocket-propelled grenades and followed that up with heavy machine guns. The Pakistanis were bang on. Most of his squad including his commander lost their lives. Grenadier Yadav was shot several times in his shoulder and his groin. Ordinary men would have given up at that point, but not our vsevolod here. He just gets really really upset and scales the rest of the clif in his injured condition. He gets to the top of the cliff, flips his rifle on full auto and charges the bunker, screaming bloody murder, rifle blazing while lobbing grenades. The Pakistanis to their credit tried really hard to stop him with more RPG and other heavy artillery fire. Grenadier Yadav, silences all of them, then rather than rest on his laurels, he pulls out his ice axe and charges bunker #2 of 3. He takes over bunker #2 with serious hand to hand combat.

The rest of his platoon joined him, after scaling the ropes he had set up and suggested that he be taken to safety considering the gushing blood from his groin. He looks at them like they were joking and charges at full tilt towards bunker #3. His platoon follows him and in minutes Tiger Hill was back in the control of the Indian Army. This was a divisive victory and turned the war in India’s favor.



LT. KEISHING CLIFFORD NONGRUM, 25
12 J&K Light Infantry, MAHA VIR CHAKRA

Exploit: Leading from the front as always, Nongrum charged a bunker alone, destroyed it, fought hand-to-hand with enemy soldiers and attacked another bunker before he was finally killed

There are times when a man becomes so much bigger than he apparently is that he doesn't fit in his grave. When Lieutenant Clifford Nongrum was brought to Meghalaya draped in the tricolour on June 8 the fire brigade ground in Shillong had never seen a larger crowd. But at this grave at the close by village of Madanriting, they had a problem lowering the coffin: the grave had been dug six inches short. The Clifford they remembered when he was commissioned in the army in 1997 had grown. They dug furiously that day. And there were no dearth of volunteers because everybody wanted to say, as a local put it, "I lay Clifford down."

Clifford Nongrum is part Naga, part Khasi (his father is a Tangkhul tribal from Ukhrul, Manipur), but he takes his name, Nongrum, from his Khasi mother in accordance with the traditions of Khasi matrilineal society. As in any other part of the North-east, the idea of being "Indian" is a recent one. Twenty-five Khasi satraps signed the instrument of accession with the Indian Union in 1947-48, but there are wall writings on the way to Shillong that still say: "Khasi by blood, Indian by accident". It isn't easy being an Indian Army officer in this environment, which is why there are so few officers from the region in the army, but Clifford and NeikezhakuoKenguruse will surely make a few more.

On the night of July 1, after weeks of fighting. Clifford's company found itself just 50 m short of post 4812. "It was in his nature to lead. When he was younger, he formed Maitshaphrang (march forward), a football team, in our locality. When he went to the army, they said they'd lost their captain," says Clifford's father Keishing Peter. Clifford's men would also lose their captain that night, but not the battle for Point 4812. And not before he ran towards an enemy bunker, alone, under heavy fire, lobbed a grenade inside it; fought off enemy soldiers hand to hand and charged on to destroy the next bunker.

As enemy bullets hit Clifford Nongrum on the chest that night, he knew he was never going to see his family or have a chance to lead his beloved football team again. Freezing as he was in his perforated uniform, a citation from his juniors at the National Defence Academy may have come to his mind. They gave it to him after he floored a boxer much bigger than him at an academy competition. It said: "To the killers. Winners by instinct. Kill'em, Kut'em (sic) Kneel not." Nongrum fell that night. But he didn't kneel. Don't blame the grave diggers; it is difficult to lay such a man down.

-Avirook Sen in Madanriting, Meghalaya