Captain Vikram Batra, (13 JAK RIF)

He was the bravest of the brave whose slogan “Yeh Dil Maange More” defined the spirit of some of the Indians. His most challenging task was the capture of a crucial peak, Point 4875.

Going into battle, he had said, “I will either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it.” He defeated 5 Pakistani soldiers using his gun but ultimately perished when he was targeted by a mission gun. An artillery splinter penetrated into his waist and Captain Vikram Batra collapsed. That very moment India lost one of its finest fighters.

On 26 January 2000, on the occasion of Republic day Captain Vikram was posthumously awarded India’s highest gallantry award of Param Vir Chakra.

Lieutenant Balwan Singh

A Colonel now, was known to be the Tiger of Tiger Hill. The decisive battle of the Kargil war. Singh was assigned with the recapture of Tiger Hill.

He steered soldiers of the Ghatak platoon, a 12 hour journey through a steep, treacherous path on to reach the hilltop.

Despite being seriously injured, he killed four enemy soldiers. The remaining Pakistani soldiers decided to flee rather than facing the rage of the brave Indian officer.

He fixed the Indian tricolor top the Tiger Hill and was later awarded the Mahavir Chakra for his bravery. Before setting off for the Tiger Hill, Lt Singh took a vow with his soldiers: “Tiger Hill pe Tiranga fahrake ayenge, chahe kuchh bhi ho jaye.” (“We will hoist the Tricolor top Tiger Hill, come what may.”)

Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav

Yogendra was a junior commissioner officer in the Indian army who was awarded the highest Indian military honor decoration the Param Veer Chakra for his action during the Kargil war. He was aged 19 when he received the honor. He was the youngest person to be awarded the medal. Yadav was listed with 18 grenadiers and was part of Ghatak force commando platoon tasked to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger hill in the early morning hours of 4 July 1999. Yadav guided the assault but midway through enemy lines opened fires, killing his colleagues. Yadav, was hit himself by several bullets which made his left arm.

Intended to achieve his goal, Yadav tied his arm with a belt, clothed a bandana around his leg and continued to fight the enemy. He defeated four enemy soldiers in close combat and silenced the automatic fire.

Major Rajesh Adhikari

Major Rajesh Adhikari was guiding the central arm of three 10 man teams trying to capture a bunker at 16,000 ft at the Tololing feature on May 14, 1999.

He displayed admirable valour in recapturing Tololing, where he got in direct combat with the Pakistani soldiers sustaining the bunkers.

On May 15 he suffered serious bullet injuries to which he failed beyond enemy lines He was the second army officer to be martyred in Kargil war.

His body was recovered 13 days later He was posthumously awarded Mahavir Chakra for his bravery.

Major Vivek Gupta

A man who lived and died on the same date, Major Vivek Gupta. He was commissioned in 2^nd Rajputana Rifles on 13 June 1992. During the war he was a part of the Light Machine gun team. Major Gupta and his men were tasked to restore point 4590 on the treacherous, icy slopes of tooling in the Drass sector. He died fighting exactly seven years after being commissioned in the 2nd Rajputana Rifles June 13, 1992. Major Vivek Gupta displayed inspiring leadership in the face of the enemy. Seeing his valour and such courage and taking such extraordinary steps at that time without a single thought about his death. For his gallantry actions and bravery he was awarded the Mahavir Chakra, the second highest gallantry award of India.

Naik Digendra Kumar

He was best known for his plan to recapture Tololing that is located at an altitude of 15,000 feet. His idea had amazed General VP Malik, the then army chief.

 His plan of following the same route as the enemy was too risky in the mind of the army chief. But Naik Digendra Kumar was ready and was set off on the mission.

 The gang of 10 commandos came under heavy firing from 250 Pakistani soldiers. Nine commandos died. But before that they gave their grenades and guns to Kumar, who placed them in all 11 bunkers of the enemy.

 Naik Digendra Kumar defeated Major Anwar Khan of Pakistan Army in hand-to-hand combat slitting the enemy’s throat with his dagger. He placed Indian flag on the hilltop before becoming unconscious. He woke up in an army hospital.

Major Padmapani Acharya

He was assigned the mission of recapturing an enemy position in Tololing. He was a company commander Bracing a hail of Pakistani shells and bullets, Major Acharya overran the enemy position.

He was heavily injured in the process and succumbed to his injuries soon after completing his mission. A few days before the battle, he wrote a letter to his father saying “combat is an honour of a lifetime” and he asked his father to tell “a story a day from the Mahabharata” to his daughter Charu, who was not able to see her father again but at 20, she wishes to join the army.

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar volunteered to be leading scout of the attacking column that was tasked to capture the Flat Top of Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley. In the hand to hand combat, he killed three of the intruders and was seriously injured himself. Despite his injuries, he charged on to the second bunker. Totally by surprise the bunker left behind one of the Universal Machine Guns and started running. Rifleman picked up the UMG and killed the fleeing enemies. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey

To face the real challenge at Kargil was his long awaited wish. From 4^th may to 2^nd July Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey walked with bravery. On midnight of 2^nd July the captain was set to conquer the Khalubar. While combating with the enemies, he captured 3 bunkers and was shot in his shoulders and legs. Being severely injured the captain was approaching the last bunker by throwing a grenade completing the task. He sighed his last breath on 3^rd July 1999.

Major Saurabh Kalia

A Patrol Party led by Lt Saurabh Kalia of 4 Jat Regiment had gone for a routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector in the rugged, treeless mountains. The team included 5 soldiers who went missing and lost radio contact. Radio Skardu of Pakistan declared that Captain Saurabh Kalia had been caught by Pakistani troops.

Lt Saurabh Kalia and his men were in confinement from 15 May 1999 to 7 June 1999 and were brutally tortured. On 9 June 1999 their ruined bodies were handed over by the Pakistan Army.