Today in History | July 26, 1999
Kargil Vijay Diwas
Kargil is not just a story of wins, smiling faces and smiling eyes. It’s a story of Pain with Pride, a story when you will have tears of grief with a joyful smile, a story where death is not THE END. Salute to the Indian Armed Forces! We are indebted to you…forever!"
Every year, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26 July. On this day in 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts which was lost to Pakistani intruders.
Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days and was ended on 26 July which resulted in loss of many valiant lives.
The Prime Minister of India pays homage to the soldiers at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on this day.
Some of our Heroes from Kargil War
Indian army won the war but we lost many brave souls. 500 soldiers lost their lives during the Kargil war along with over 1,500 soldiers injured.
Captain Vikram Batra
Known as Sher Shah, recaptured Peak 5140 at 17,000 ft and thus played a key role in India's win. It was a dangerous mission where soldiers were supposed to climb the mountain peak in order to remove the Pakistani troops atop. Captain Vikram Batra risked his life and killed many enemy soldiers before becoming a martyr. He once said that “Either I will come back after hoisting the Tricolour, or I will come back wrapped in it but I will be back for sure.”
Captain Puneet Bakshi
An pilot with 5000 hrs of experience in flying jets and helicopters carrying bombs, missiles & front guns was part of the Forward Area Reconnaissance (FAC) active in airstrikes during the Kargil war. He even saved 832 lives in the Kedarnath disaster of 2013.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar
When Sanjay went ahead for attack, the enemy started firing from an automated gun making it difficult for Indian troops to move forward. Sanjay decided to control the situation with a sudden crackdown, killed three enemy soldiers in a face-to-face encounter. Startled by this sudden attack, the enemy ran away leaving the machine gun behind. Seeing Sanjay gunning down the enemies, other soldiers quickly rushed to cover more sides and defeat the enemy. Soaked in blood, Sanjay was not ready to leave the battle and fought until the top was clear and secured by the Indian troops.
Major Devender Pal Singh
Devender Pal Singh was only 25 when he lost his leg and part of his intestines in the Kargil war. He became India’s first blade runner. Initially declared dead by the surgeon, he was revived but his left leg was amputated to stop the spread of infection. Major Singh joined the 7th battalion in 1997 and went on to serve for 10 long years. Post his retirement due to his leg injury, he started to play sports and trained to become India’s first amputee marathon runner. He even holds several Limca Book Records.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey
Lieutenant Pandey was asked to clear the interfering enemy positions on the night of July 3,1999. Despite injuries on his legs and shoulders, he continued fighting and destroyed the enemy with a grenade. He got a fatal burst on his forehead but still his last words were “Na chhodnu” in Nepali which means “don’t spare them".
Colonel Balwan Singh
Former Lieutenant Singh, along with his ghatak platoon, captured Tiger Hill and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery. He got the opportunity to fight for his country within just four months of joining the service. Tiger Hill was a steep and challenging terrain occupied by the enemy forces. Balwan Singh led his team for over 12 hours under heavy artillery shelling and executed the task of capturing the top.
Captain Anuj Nayyar
Captain Nayyar was asked to capture Point 4875 on the western side of Tiger Hill and the team was divided into two troops. One was led by Captain Anuj Nayyar and the other one by Captain Vikram Batra. Captain Nayyar along with his team of seven soldiers shot the entire enemy troops atop. Captain Nayyar killed nine Pakistani soldiers alone. A rocket-mounted grenade fell directly on the Indian troop while attacking the 4th enemy bunker. Despite his severe injuries, he lead the remaining soldiers and managed to destroy the last bunker before dying. The peak was again attacked by the Pakistani troops, two days later, but Captain Vikram Batra’s team gave them a befitting response.
Naseem Ahmad
This tea seller from Dehradun was no less than a soldier as he chose to stay behind in the Battle and serve tea to the soldiers. He told India Today in an interview, “I got many chances to leave Drass but my heart didn’t allow me to leave. Even helpers at my shops fled. There were only a few tea shops in the area. All had closed during the Kargil war. Normal life had come to a halt. I decided to stay in Drass to serve the Indian Army.”
Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja
Ahuja’s MIG-21 fighter was within the Indian side of the Line of Control when it was hit by a shoulder-fired FIM-92 Stinger. Ahuja ejected safely and landed on ground but was later killed by the Pakistani soldiers as they shot him twice through the ear and chest. The post-mortem also revealed multiple puncture wounds over the left and right thighs, right lung, neck vessels, small intestine, and the left liver confirming that it was a called a cold-blooded murder by the Pakistani soldiers who captured him.
Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav
Grenadier Yadav was given the task to take control of the three upper top bunkers that required crossing a 16,500 feet high peak. Halfway through he was faced with the machine gun firing from the enemy bunker. Yogendra kept moving upwards when he was hit with a bullet on his shoulder and two near his thigh and stomach. Despite that, he kept going to complete the climb which he did. He crawled towards the enemy bunker, threw a grenade, and killed four enemy soldiers. He then charged another bunker and killed the enemy in a hand to hand combat. At age 19, he became the youngest person to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra medal.
Havaldar Major Yash Veer Singh Tomar
Tomar launched a grenade attack on Pakistani bunkers. He launched 18 grenades on the bunkers and killed the enemies. His bravery helped Indian troops to conquer Tololling. He was majorly injured and broke his feet. He was found dead with a rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other. He was awarded Veer Chakra for his bravery.
Captain Saurabh Kalia
Captain Kalia of the 4 jat regiment, along with five other soldiers of his patrolling team were held as a prisoner of war by the Pakistan Army when they were captured alive. He was brutally tortured, and then killed by the Pakistan Army.
Major Vivek Gupta
Major Gupta kept leading from the front and urged his men forward despite his severe injuries. He engaged with the enemy in a fire and hand-to-hand combat killing three enemy soldiers. Major Gupta was martyrd after capturing two difficult posts the same day when he was hit by a shower of bullets by the enemy.
Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari
The officer displayed presence of mind under heavy enemy fire and ordered his Medium Machine Gun (MMG) detachment to fix position behind a rock to engage the enemy. He was badly injured when the Pakistani army shot him. For his supreme sacrifice, Major Adhikari was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for his bravery in the battle.
Indian army won the war but we lost many brave souls. 500 soldiers lost their lives during the Kargil war along with over 1,500 soldiers injured.
Captain Vikram Batra
Known as Sher Shah, recaptured Peak 5140 at 17,000 ft and thus played a key role in India's win. It was a dangerous mission where soldiers were supposed to climb the mountain peak in order to remove the Pakistani troops atop. Captain Vikram Batra risked his life and killed many enemy soldiers before becoming a martyr. He once said that “Either I will come back after hoisting the Tricolour, or I will come back wrapped in it but I will be back for sure.”
Captain Puneet Bakshi
An pilot with 5000 hrs of experience in flying jets and helicopters carrying bombs, missiles & front guns was part of the Forward Area Reconnaissance (FAC) active in airstrikes during the Kargil war. He even saved 832 lives in the Kedarnath disaster of 2013.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar
When Sanjay went ahead for attack, the enemy started firing from an automated gun making it difficult for Indian troops to move forward. Sanjay decided to control the situation with a sudden crackdown, killed three enemy soldiers in a face-to-face encounter. Startled by this sudden attack, the enemy ran away leaving the machine gun behind. Seeing Sanjay gunning down the enemies, other soldiers quickly rushed to cover more sides and defeat the enemy. Soaked in blood, Sanjay was not ready to leave the battle and fought until the top was clear and secured by the Indian troops.
Major Devender Pal Singh
Devender Pal Singh was only 25 when he lost his leg and part of his intestines in the Kargil war. He became India’s first blade runner. Initially declared dead by the surgeon, he was revived but his left leg was amputated to stop the spread of infection. Major Singh joined the 7th battalion in 1997 and went on to serve for 10 long years. Post his retirement due to his leg injury, he started to play sports and trained to become India’s first amputee marathon runner. He even holds several Limca Book Records.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey
Lieutenant Pandey was asked to clear the interfering enemy positions on the night of July 3,1999. Despite injuries on his legs and shoulders, he continued fighting and destroyed the enemy with a grenade. He got a fatal burst on his forehead but still his last words were “Na chhodnu” in Nepali which means “don’t spare them".
Colonel Balwan Singh
Former Lieutenant Singh, along with his ghatak platoon, captured Tiger Hill and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery. He got the opportunity to fight for his country within just four months of joining the service. Tiger Hill was a steep and challenging terrain occupied by the enemy forces. Balwan Singh led his team for over 12 hours under heavy artillery shelling and executed the task of capturing the top.
Captain Anuj Nayyar
Captain Nayyar was asked to capture Point 4875 on the western side of Tiger Hill and the team was divided into two troops. One was led by Captain Anuj Nayyar and the other one by Captain Vikram Batra. Captain Nayyar along with his team of seven soldiers shot the entire enemy troops atop. Captain Nayyar killed nine Pakistani soldiers alone. A rocket-mounted grenade fell directly on the Indian troop while attacking the 4th enemy bunker. Despite his severe injuries, he lead the remaining soldiers and managed to destroy the last bunker before dying. The peak was again attacked by the Pakistani troops, two days later, but Captain Vikram Batra’s team gave them a befitting response.
Naseem Ahmad
This tea seller from Dehradun was no less than a soldier as he chose to stay behind in the Battle and serve tea to the soldiers. He told India Today in an interview, “I got many chances to leave Drass but my heart didn’t allow me to leave. Even helpers at my shops fled. There were only a few tea shops in the area. All had closed during the Kargil war. Normal life had come to a halt. I decided to stay in Drass to serve the Indian Army.”
Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja
Ahuja’s MIG-21 fighter was within the Indian side of the Line of Control when it was hit by a shoulder-fired FIM-92 Stinger. Ahuja ejected safely and landed on ground but was later killed by the Pakistani soldiers as they shot him twice through the ear and chest. The post-mortem also revealed multiple puncture wounds over the left and right thighs, right lung, neck vessels, small intestine, and the left liver confirming that it was a called a cold-blooded murder by the Pakistani soldiers who captured him.
Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav
Grenadier Yadav was given the task to take control of the three upper top bunkers that required crossing a 16,500 feet high peak. Halfway through he was faced with the machine gun firing from the enemy bunker. Yogendra kept moving upwards when he was hit with a bullet on his shoulder and two near his thigh and stomach. Despite that, he kept going to complete the climb which he did. He crawled towards the enemy bunker, threw a grenade, and killed four enemy soldiers. He then charged another bunker and killed the enemy in a hand to hand combat. At age 19, he became the youngest person to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra medal.
Havaldar Major Yash Veer Singh Tomar
Tomar launched a grenade attack on Pakistani bunkers. He launched 18 grenades on the bunkers and killed the enemies. His bravery helped Indian troops to conquer Tololling. He was majorly injured and broke his feet. He was found dead with a rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other. He was awarded Veer Chakra for his bravery.
Captain Saurabh Kalia
Captain Kalia of the 4 jat regiment, along with five other soldiers of his patrolling team were held as a prisoner of war by the Pakistan Army when they were captured alive. He was brutally tortured, and then killed by the Pakistan Army.
Major Vivek Gupta
Major Gupta kept leading from the front and urged his men forward despite his severe injuries. He engaged with the enemy in a fire and hand-to-hand combat killing three enemy soldiers. Major Gupta was martyrd after capturing two difficult posts the same day when he was hit by a shower of bullets by the enemy.
Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari
The officer displayed presence of mind under heavy enemy fire and ordered his Medium Machine Gun (MMG) detachment to fix position behind a rock to engage the enemy. He was badly injured when the Pakistani army shot him. For his supreme sacrifice, Major Adhikari was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for his bravery in the battle.
A big salute to the undying spirit of our war heroes!
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