Stories of the brave Indian Soldiers

[vivINDIAN]

i wanted to create this thread for his acts of bind blowing & daring bravery...
i know there are lakhs of soldiers in our armed forces who are and were brave...
This thread is dedicated to honor our Indian soldiers...
IN RESPECT....

Digendra Kumar

Digendra Kumar (born 3 July, 1969) is a former member of the 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles regiment of the Indian army. He was awarded the Mahavir Chakra on 15 August, 1999, for his acts of bravery in the Kargil War. He retired from the army on 31 July, 2005

Operation Pawan
Operation Pawan was the code name assigned to operations by the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control of Jaffna from the LTTE in late 1987, enforcing the disarmament of the LTTE as a part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. After fighting that lasted for about three weeks, the IPKF took control of the Jaffna Peninsula from the LTTE, something that the Sri Lankan army had attempted and failed to achieve for several years. Supported by Indian army tanks, helicopter gunships, and heavy artillery, the IPKF routed the LTTE, although they lost 214 soldiers in the process.

Kumar and his group were assigned to patrol dominant areas in Tamil. Five Tamil militants fired and killed five soldiers from Kumar's squad. In return, Kumar and the remaining soldiers of his squad followed the militants into the house of an MLA. However, the MLA opposed the action, and in the ensuing firefight the MLA, along with the five Tamil militants, was killed. This caused some controversy, and Kumar was penalised and remanded.[1]

Meanwhile, 36 soldiers of the 10th Parachute Regiment were captured and held by the LTTE. Lt. Gen. A.S. Kalkat assigned the task of freeing them to Kumar. Kumar took with him 50 kg ammunition and some biscuits and sailed up the river. Kumar saved the soldiers (who had been held in the forest for 72 hours), destroyed an important ammunition depot, and killed 39 militants.

Role in the Kargil war


Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir
Major Vivek Gupta, of the 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles and his company were given the task of recapturing Point 4590 on Tololing Hill in theDras sector.[1] The objective was to capture the enemy post, located at high altitude (15,000 feet).

Kumar commanded the Light Machine Gun Group during his company's assault. Besides Kumar, the commando team included Major Vivek Gupta, Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Subedar Surendra Singh Rathor, Lance Naik Jasvir Singh, Naik Surendra, Naik Chaman Singh Tewatia, Lans Naik Bachchan Singh, CMH Jashvir Singh, and Havaldar Sultan Singh Narwar.[1]

The Pakistani army had made 11 bunkers on the Tololing hilltop. Kumar was to target the first and the last bunkers. The other commandos were to target the remaining 9 bunkers.[1]

On 13 June, 1999, while nearing its objective, the Assault Group came under enemy fire and took casualties. Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Lance Naik Jasvir Singh, Naik Surendra, and Naik Chaman Singh were all killed. Major Vivek Gupta himself was killed by a bullet wound to the head.[1] Although Kumar was hit by a bullet in his left arm, he kept firing on the enemy with his light machine gun. His fire facilitated his men's advancement, allowing them to physically assault the enemy position and clear the area after a hand-to-hand fight.

Medals and awards
Mahavir Chakra
The nation's second-highest wartime gallantry award, the Mahavir Chakra, was awarded to Kumar on 15 August, 1999, for daring actions and service to his country during the Kargil War, specifically by occupying Tololing Hill.[1]

Other awards
Kumar was awarded the Sena Medal in 1993 for his anti-terrorist operations in the Kupwara area of Jammu-Kashmir.[1] In 1994 his services were appreciated for recapturing the Hazratbal Shrine from terrorists.

Movie
The 2003 Bollywood war film LOC Kargil is based on the Kargil War. It was written and directed by J. P. Dutta. Actor Avtar Gill played the role of Digendra Kumar.
Digendra Kumar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



this is from the Facebook [marine commando page]

Must Read - Cobra Of Kargil War ! The Hero Of Tololing !!!!

MVC Digendra Kumar commanded the Light Machine Gun Group during his company's assault on Tololing feature in Dras Sector. The objective was to capture the enemy post located in a high altitude terrain at over 15000 feet. Major Vivek Gupta, of the Rajputana Rifles - 2nd Battalion, and his company were given the task of recapturing Point 4590.

On 13 June 1999, on nearing its objective, the Assault Group came under enemy fire leading to casualties in the Assault Group. Naik Digendra Kumar was hit by a bullet in his left arm. Naik Digendra Kumar kept firing on the enemy with his Light Machine Gun. His fire facilitated his men's advancement. Finally his troops physically assaulted the enemy position and cleared it after a hand to hand fight.

This victory was very important. It meant that the Pakistanis could be beaten. Retaking Tololing was perhaps the turning point of the war.

The role of Digendra in the Kargil conflict was crucial. In the Kargil war the most important task was to recapture the top of Tololing. This task was entrusted to the Rajputana Rifles - 2nd Battalion. General Malik called a meeting of the Rajputana Rifles at Gumri to make plans to free the Tololing hill. Digendra introduced himself as Digendra Kumar, known as cobra, soldier of the 2 Rajputana Rifles and a commando of the Indian Army. He chalked out a plan through which victory was certain.

Digendra indicated that he needed 100 meters of Russian rope that should weigh 6 kg with bearing capacity of 10 tonnes along with Russian nails which could be easily put in the rocks. He also demanded injections of high power that could remove fatigue and provide courage. With this material they would climb the hill during the night and put the rope up to hill top with the help of nails. The path was formidable and inaccessible but he had examined and tested the area well with field binoculars.

The day before the execution of the plan, at about 11 a.m., General Malik, encouraging Digendra, said, "Son! Accept congratulations of V. P. Malik 48 hours in advance of our success. Son! If we win the Kargil, Malik himself will bring breakfast for you tomorrow morning. " The plan was executed on the evening of 10 June 1999. There was deadly silence in the hills except for the blasts. There was snow all around. Slowly and slowly with cautious steps Digendra and his companions moved ahead with military goods. They put nails in the rocks and tied the rope. When they got tired halfway up they took the injections. When Digendra's hands stopped working, he gripped the rope with his teeth. There was a 5000 feet deep chasm below. After 14 hours they reached the top of Tololing. After all, the entire journey was with a rope. They reached back the battalion with the hanging rope.

The commando team included Major Vivek Gupta, Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Subedar Surendra Singh Rathor, Lance Naik Jasvir Singh, Naik Surendra, Naik Chaman Singh Tewatia, Lans Naik Bachchan Singh, CMH Jashvir Singh, Havaldar Sultan Singh Narwar and Digendra Kumar. The Pakistani army had made 11 bunkers on the Tololing hill top. Digendra was to target the first and the last (11th) bunkers. The rest were to target the remaining 9 bunkers. They ascended the hill with ammunition.

The wind blew very cold at Kargil. The darkness was dense and the paths very inaccessible. There were frequent, sudden blasts. All that could be seen was blackness. They started climbing hill along the rope fixed to nails in the rock. Crawling Digendra unknowingly reached a machine gun nest. Digendra’s hands touched the hot barrel of a machine gun from which the enemy was blasting the balls. Perceiving the presence of enemy, he removed the barrel and within moments threw a grenade in the bunker where there was explosion and a loud voice came from inside - "Allah ho Akbar, the attacks of infidels !!!".

Digendra hit the target accurately. The first bunker began to fire and was reduced to ashes. From behind there was firing by Artillery tanks and 250 commandos. The Pak Army also played an equal role. Cobra’s colleagues fired intensely but were unable to move. Cannons were fired from a meter above. Digendra was badly wounded. Three bullets had hit him in the chest, one leg was badly wounded and his upper body faced 18 bullets, his pitthu was badly torn, one of his shoes was missing, his pants and shirt were reduced to pieces. His LMG was also missing from his hands. He bandaged himself to prevent blood loss.

Subedar Bhanwar Lal Bhakar, Lance Naik Jasvir Singh, Naik Surendra, and Naik Chaman Singh were killed. Digendra was given a pistol from Lans Naik Bachhan Singh, and a grenade from Sultan Singh. Major Vivek Gupta was killed with a bullet in the head. Digendra hurled the grenades in the other bunker successfully destroying all bunkers. He threw 18 grenades into 11 bunkers. Major Anwar Khan, from the enemy camp, appeared over Digendra, who had only one bullet remaining. He shot Khan and dislodged his pistol from his hands. Not realizing he was out of bullets, Digendra tried to shoot with the pistol but in vain. He quickly jumped on Anwar Khan, eventually beheading him and hailed Mother India.

Coincidentally a U.S. satellite passed over the top of Tololing at that moment a captured a file photo of the him binding a scarf around the decapitated head of Major Anwar Khan and trying to plant an Indian flag.

Thus Digendra recaptured the top of the hill and planted the Indian tri-colour flag on 13 June 1999 at four O’clock in the morning."

[Indian members here on PDF,please contribute to the thread.]

let me know if you people want me to continue with the thread or not
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[vivINDIAN]

Jaswant Singh Rawat

Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously at the Battle of Nuranang.

Rifleman (RFN) Jaswant Singh, number 4039009, was serving with the 4th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles. On 17 November the battalion was subjected to repeated Chinese assaults. A Chinese medium machine gun (MMG) located at a vantage point close to the A company lines was proving to be a dangerous menace. Jaswant, Lance Naik Trilok Singh Negi and RFN Gopal Singh Gusain went after the Chinese MMG and after approaching within 12 metres threw grenades at the bunker and charged it, killing a number of Chinese and capturing the MMG. Jaswant took the MMG and began crawling back towards the Indian lines but he and Trilok were fatally hit by Chinese automatic fire when nearing safety. Gopal Gusain was wounded but managed to drag the MMG into the Indian post. This turned the course of the battle and the Chinese retreated, leaving some 300 dead behind. Jaswant was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (posthumous) and Trilok and Gopal the Vir Chakra.

A popular and widely-disseminated local story goes as follows : It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for three days assisted by two local Monpa girls named Sela and Nura (in some versions one or the other girl is mentioned). They set up weapons at separated spots and maintained a volume of fire that made the Chinese think they were opposed by a body of troops. Finally the Chinese captured the man who was supplying rations to Jaswant and he revealed to them that they were opposed by only one man.They attacked in force, Sela died in a grenade burst, Nura was captured and Jaswant supposedly shot himself with his last cartridge when he realized that he was about to be captured. It is alleged that the Chinese cut off Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China. However, after the ceasefire, the Chinese commander, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh. The bust, created in China to honor the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle.

Jaswant Singh's saga of valor and sacrifice continues to serve as an inspiration to all army personnel posted in this sector. He has become a 'Baba', a saint. At the spot where he fought,a small temple has come up with a bust of his and many of his personal effects. A marble plaque commemorates him and 161 other men of his battalion who died in the battle of Nuranang, which was awarded to Garhwal Rifles as a battle honour. This shrine known as Jaswant Garh is between Se La and Jang. Indian Army personnel passing by this route traditionally pay their respects here, irrespective of rank. Jaswant is treated as if he is alive, his boots shined and his uniform and accoutrements cared for by Army personnel posted at the shrine. He has received all his promotions in time, and has reached the rank of Honorary Captain. He is a source of inspiration to people of Uttarakhand.

Jaswant Singh Rawat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Major Shaitan Singh was an Indian soldier, who was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for his leadership and courage during the Sino-Indian War of 1962.

Military action
The 'C' Company of the battalion, led by Singh, held this crucial position at Rezang La, at a height of 5,000 metres (16,404 feet). The company area was defended by three platoon positions and the surrounding terrain isolated it from the rest of the battalion. The expected Chinese attack on Rezang La came on November 18 in the morning. It was the end of a very cold winter night, with light snow falling. The icy winds howling through Rezang La were biting and benumbing. More than the thin air and cold, the location of Rezang La had a more serious drawback. It was crested to Indian artillery because of an intervening feature, which meant that they had to make without the protective comfort of the big guns. In the dim light of the morning, the Chinese were seen advancing through nullahs to attack No.7 and No.8 platoon positions.

The Indian Army troops fell on their prepared positions to face the Chinese offensive. At 05:00 when the visibility improved, both platoons opened up on the advancing Chinese with rifles, light machine guns, grenades and mortars. Indian artillery could, however, not be used. The nullahs were littered with dead bodies. The survivors took position behind boulders and the dead bodies. The Chinese, though they failed the first frontal attack, were not discouraged. They subjected the Indian positions to intense artillery and mortar fire at about 05:40. Soon, about 350 Chinese troops commenced advance through the nullahs. This time, No.9 Platoon, which held fire till the enemy was within 90 metres opened up with all weapons in their possession. Within minutes, the nullahs were again full of dead bodies, mainly of the Chinese.

Unsuccessful in frontal attack, the enemy, approximately 400 strong, then attacked from the rear of the company position. They simultaneously opened intense medium machine gun fire on No.8 Platoon. This attack was contained at the barbed wire fencing of the post. The Chinese then resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling. An assault group of 120 Chinese also charged No.7 Platoon position from the rear. However, Indian Army 3-inch mortar killed many of them. When 20 survivors charged the post, about a dozen Kumaonis rushed out of their trenches to engage them in a hand-to-hand combat. Meanwhile, the Chinese brought up fresh reinforcements. The encirclement of No.7 Platoon was now complete. The platoon, however, fought valiantly till there was no survivor. No.8 Platoon also fought bravely to the last round.

Singh displayed exemplary leadership and courage in the battle of Rezang La. By all accounts, he led his troops most admirably. Unmindful of his personal safety he moved from one platoon post to another and encouraged his men to fight. While moving among the posts he was seriously wounded, by a sniping Chinese MMG but he continued to fight along with his men. While he was being evacuated by two of his comrades, the Chinese brought heavy machine gun fire on them. Singh sensed danger to their lives and ordered them to leave him. They placed him behind a boulder on the slopes of a hill, where he died, still griping his weapon.

The Chinese announced a unilateral ceasefire on November 21, 1962.

In this action, 109 Kumaonis out of a total of 123 were killed. Of the 14 survivors, 9 were severely injured. The Chinese suffered more than a thousand casualties.[2][citation needed] After the war was over, the body of Singh was found at the same place, dead from the bullet wound and the freezing cold. It was flown to Jodhpur and cremated with full military honours. Singh was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for his leadership and devotion to duty.

Citation
The citation for the Param Vir Chakra awarded to him reads:

Major Shaitan Singh was commanding a company of an infantry battalion deployed at Rezang La in the Chushul sector at a height of about 17,000 feet. The locality was isolated from the main defended sector and consisted of five platoon-defended position. On 18 November 1962, the Chinese forces subjected the company position to heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fire and attacked it in overwhelming strength in several successive waves. Against heavy odds, our troops beat back successive waves of enemy attack. During the action, Major Shaitan Singh dominated the scene of operations and moved at great personal risk from one platoon post to another, sustaining the morale of his hard-pressed platoon posts. While doing so he was seriously wounded but continued to encourage and lead his men who, following his brave example, fought gallantly and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. For every man lost to us, the enemy lost four or five. When Major Shaitan Singh fell disabled by wounds in his arms and abdomen, his men tried to evacuate him but they came under heavy machine-gun fire. Major Shaitan Singh then ordered his men to leave him to his fate in order to save their lives.

Major Shaitan Singh’s supreme courage, leadership and exemplary devotion to duty inspired his company to fight almost to the last man.
Shaitan Singh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Rezang La battle




On October 20, 1962, the Chinese launched a full-scale attack on the 7 Infantry Brigade, stretched as it was along the Namka Chu river in the Kaming division of North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), later renamed Arunachal Pradesh, and made rapid progress. However, in the Ladakh sector, nothing much happened during the next few weeks except that some of the forward Indian posts were driven back, though there were unmistakable signs of a build-up of forces.

114 Infantry Brigade had been assigned the task to defend the gateway to the Indus Valley at Chushul. The brigade had occupied defences on the heights dominating the Chushul plain and its airfield. It is a vast area and consequently the defences were widely separated with the companies occupying isolated positions, resulting in the break-up of the only artillery battery into troop deployment. One of the forward and important features called Rezang La was occupied by a company of 13 Kumaon, commanded by Maj Shaitan Singh.

He was a sombre, God-fearing, serious-minded officer. He took keen interest in the training and welfare of his men. He came from a military family, with his father having risen to the rank of a Colonel in the army.

Consequently, by training and tradition, he was imbued with a high sense of duty and responsibility and his character moulded to measure up to the trials and tribulations that lay ahead.

Rezang La is a rocky area in the desolate, barren and cold desert of Ladakh and an important post for the attacker to take before making any move towards the plains of Chushul. Its height is over 17,000 feet and dominates the surrounding area, thus making it a vital feature for the defender to hold.

Eventually, there was no better man to defend this outpost than Major Shaitan Singh. Both his commanding officer and the brigade commander (also from the Kumaon Regiment) knew that the enemy will require some considerable effort to dislodge him from Rezang La.

Finally on the night of December 18, 1962, the Chinese made their move around mid-night. The attack opened with a heavy barrage of artillery and mortar fire supported by medium machine guns. Shaitan Singh’s men were ill-clad for the freezing winter of Ladakh, their weapons were outdated and ammunition limited with no artillery support worth the name.

Frozen earth made digging very difficult and the defender had based his defences mostly on Sangars. Notwithstanding all that, these gallant men of Kumoan hills met the overwhelming enemy onslaught head-on.

Shaitan Singh must have been the most inspiring figure in that unequal fight; for his men fought to the last while he himself kept moving to wherever the situation was found getting out of control.

Shaitan Singh was seriously wounded in the legs and stomach, yet he declined to be evacuated by his men and decided to fight to the finish. All this time, the battle raged with unabated fury. Some of the section posts changed hands many times. With the ammunition exhausted the fighting took its most primitive and brutal form, that is hand-to-hand fighting with the Kumaonis refusing to yield ground.

Before dawn could break on the Ladakh hills, silence descended at Rezang La. The last of the men of that gallant company had fallen at their post. When all had been lost, three badly wounded men who had survived the fighting decided to evacuate Shaitan Singh, who by now was totally incapacitated. They carried him some distance, but the task was too much for the already weakened men.

Realising their state and the problem they were having in evacuating him, Shaitan Singh ordered his men to leave him to his fate and find their way to the battalion headquarters. Reclining against the rock, Shaitan Singh must have slowly bled and frozen to death, and that is the position in which they found him next summer.

Out of this gallant company of nearly 120 men, only these three seriously wounded soldiers came back to give the details of this heroic battle.

The Chinese had suffered heavy casualties and the momentum of their offensive in the Ladakh sector had been effectively checked by these handful of Kumaonis under that gallant company commander. Thereafter, the Chinese made no serious effort to push their drive towards the Chushul plain.

While military observers were stunned at the collective bravery of these men and that of Shaitan Singh, Joe Das, an authority on military history, drew a parallel between the battle of Rezang La and the battle of Thermopyalae.

Next summer, when Rezang La was revisited, Major Shaitan Singh’s body was found where the three men said they had left him. At Rezang La, the spread of dead bodies of the Kumaonis, with some still clutching their weapons and from the type and extent of their wounds one could picture the desperate nature of the struggle and the bravery of the men of 13 Kumaon.

Major Shaitan Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra (posthumous) for his valour.
Indian Heroes - True Stories of Valour

 

[vicky sen]

Excellent!!

If you have something more, why not????

 

[Levina]

Yeh dil maange more!!!
Capt.Vikram Batra......
pls.

 

[vivINDIAN]

colonel Narendra Kumar a.ka. Bull kumar

The incredible story of how Col. Narendra Kumar secured the Siachen Glacier for India.

In the army, they knew him as ‘Bull’ Kumar, awed as his mates were by the strength of his thick, muscular neck. Col Narendra Kumar earned this sobriquet at the National Defence Academy, then in Dehradun, during the first boxing match he fought. His rival was a senior cadet, S.F. Rodrigues, who went on to become the chief of army staff. Col Kumar lost the bout, but the ‘Bull’ epithet stuck.

Since then, Col Kumar has done everything in his long military career to justify the name his colleagues gave him. Like the bull, he loves a challenge, sniffs it even before others can see it, and goes at it in a single-minded pursuit, indifferent to consequences, full tilt, tail up. It was these qualities of his that ensured the Siachen glacier became an integral part of India.

The heroic story of Col Kumar dates to 1978, when he took a major expedition to the inhospitable glacier. This was six years before India launched Operation Meghdoot to thwart Pakistan’s designs on the Siachen glacier. No doubt, he knew the mountains well, commissioned as he had been into the Kumaon Regiment and consequently having spent the better part of his military career surrounded by troops born and bred in the rugged hills of Kumaon. Yet glaciers aren’t just stunningly beautiful mountainscape: they can numb, daze and kill you. Col Kumar, posted as the commandant of the army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg then, knew he was heading into uncharted territory. “This was the first major expedition into the unknown,” he says, reminiscing about it in his flat in Delhi. “We had some reports that the Americans were showing Siachen as part of Pakistan in their adventure maps.”

What Kumar and his team planned was to reach the glacier’s snout, its lowest point, where the ice melts into water, and then trek up the 77 km of treacherous crevasses, mountains, passes and snow-covered peaks to reach the source. The colonel knew the stakes were high, that this mission could decide the future of India’s strategic outreach and establish a critical wedge between Azad Kashmir and the swathe of Indian territory the Chinese had occupied in the aftermath of 1962. “Our equipment wasn’t the best, we didn’t have any maps,” he recalls. “We were going in blind and all we had was a rough idea of the peaks which had been named by the British decades ago.”

Bound to each other by thick ropes, trekking across the harsh terrain for weeks on end, Col Kumar became the first Indian to climb the Sia Kangri peak, which offers a majestic view of the Siachen glacier. But there was also a surprise awaiting the team—a Japanese mountain expedition facilitated by the Pakistan military had a presence there. After a “sit-rep” (situational report) was dispatched to the army headquarters, the team went from peak to peak, staying ahead of snow avalanches to chart the area.

Bull Kumar led other expeditions till 1984, losing four toes to frostbite. His sacrifice wasn’t to go waste.

Cut to 1984: intelligence information convinced the army headquarters that the Pakistanis were planning to militarily occupy Siachen and the heights of the nearby Saltoro ridge. There was evidence: in the autumn of 1983, a team from the Indian army’s elite Ladakh Scouts had sighted a Pakistani special forces unit from the ssg in the Siachen area. This prompted the area army headquarters to immediately draw up plans for a major operation in the summer of 1984. The fourth battalion of the Kumaon Regiment was assembled and equipped for Operation Meghdoot, which had as its bulwark Kumar’s maps, films and his knowledge of the area.

On April 13, 1984, Operation Meghdoot finally got under way. Air force choppers, their engines clattering in protest at being pushed to the limits of technological possibility at incredible heights, began to drop soldiers at Bilafond La which is today part of the Siachen Base Camp. For the first time in history, India had stamped its claim on the Siachen glacier. The sturdy Kumaonis then trekked up the glacier to secure the two major passes—the Sia La and Gyong La—even as the Pakistanis were scrambling their troops into the region. The Kumaonis moved up the Saltoro ridge, overlooking the approach from Azad Kashmir, and Sia Kangri to establish posts that would give India the command of the glacier. With hands veritably frozen around their 7.62 mm rifles, Indian troops battled the elements to establish a military foothold in what would become the world’s highest battlefield.

“At times, you face impossible choices on the glacier. We always moved in pairs, bound to each other by rope. At one point, my buddy fell into a crevasse. For 45 minutes, I grappled with the idea of dying with him or cutting him loose and saving my life or to hang with him till the cold killed us both. I am glad that I never cut the rope.” In those 45 minutes, the buddy crawled up, the duo living to continue their foray from peak to peak.

To the west of the glacier were hostile Pakistani troops; on the east and to the north stood the Chinese. Had Col Kumar been given a clearance, he’d perhaps have climbed the K2 peak in the Karakoram ranges as well. But to reach K2, he’d have had to traverse the Shaksgam valley, which the Pakistanis had illegally ceded to China. So, India halted its advance on reaching the northernmost tip of the Siachen glacier, settling in on its frozen waste.

As Indian troops established more posts, a key base on the glacier was named Kumar Base: perhaps the only living Indian army officer to enjoy this singular honour. India’s claim to Siachen was confirmed. But the “refrigerated combat” against the elements and Pakistan had only just begun.

The incredible story of how Col. Narendra Kumar secured the Siachen Glacier for India.

Bharat Rakshak :: Land Forces Site - Colonel Narendra "Bull" Kumar

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Vikram Batra

Captain Vikram BatraPVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded with the Param Vir Chakra,[1] India's highest and prestigious award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Kargil War
External video

Video on Captain Vikram Batra showing Vikram Batra's original video footage and a recreation of circumstances at his final battle during Kargil war
On 1 June 1999, his 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. Captain Vikram Batra, 13 JAK Rifles, and his Delta Company was given the task of recapturing Point 5140. Nicknamed Sher Shah ('Lion King') in Hindi for his courage, he decided to lead the rear, as an element of surprise would help stupefy the enemy. He and his men ascended the sheer rock-cliff, but as the group neared the top, the enemy pinned them on the face of the bare cliff with machine gun fire. Captain Batra, along with five of his men, climbed up regardless and after reaching the top,hurled two grenades at the machine gun post. He single-handedly killed three enemy soldiers in close combat. He was seriously injured during this, but insisted on regrouping his men to continue with the mission. Inspired by the courage displayed by Captain Batra, the soldiers of 13 JAK Rifles charged the enemy position and captured Point 5140 at 3:30 a.m. on 20 June 1999. His company is credited with killing at least eight Pakistani soldiers and recovering a heavy machine gun.[2]

The capture of Point 5140 set in motion a string of successes, such as Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak and Three Pimples. Along with fellow Captain Anuj Nayyar, Batra led his men to victory with the recapture of Point 4750 and Point 4875. He attained martyrdom when he tried to rescue an injured officer during an enemy counterattack against Point 4875 in the early morning hours of 7 July 1999. His last words were, "Jai Mata Di." (which means "Victory to the Mother Durga!" in Punjabi).[3]

Param Vir Chakra
For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father Mr. G.L. Batra received the honor for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K.R. Narayanan.[1]

In film
The 2003 Hindi film LOC Kargil based on the entire Kargil conflict had Abhishek Bachchan.[4] playing the role of Captain Batra.

Legacy

• A hall is made in the name of Capt.Vikram at Service Selection Center Allahabad (19 SSB) named as Vikram Batra Block.
• The combined cadet's mess at the IMA is named after Capt. Batra as the Vikram Batra Mess.
• Vikram Batra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this is good Captain Vikram Batra, PVC [www.bharat-rakshak.com]

 

[halupridol]

.........RESPECT..........

 

[vivINDIAN]

Sandeep Unnikrishnan

Sandeep Unnikrishnan (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was a Major in the Indian Army serving in the elite Special Action Group of the National Security Guards (NSG). He was killed in action while fighting terrorists in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.[1] His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peace time gallantry award, on 26 January 2009.

“Do not come up, I will handle them”, were the last words which Major Unnikrishnan told his men as he was hit by bullets while engaging terrorists inside the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower during Operation Black Tornado, according to NSG officials.

Later, NSG sources clarified that when a Guardsman got injured during the operation, Major Unnikrishnan arranged for his evacuation and started chasing the terrorists himself. The terrorists escaped to another floor of the hotel and during the chase Major Unnikrishnan was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries.

Operation Black Tornado
On the night of 26 Nov 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists. One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100-year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostages. He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the stairs, they sensed the terrorists on the third floor. The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Yadav, who was Major Unnikrishnan's partner.

Major Unnikrishan led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight. He arranged for Commando Sunil Yadav's evacuation and regardless of personal safety, chased the terrorists who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the hotel, and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them.[13] In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back, seriously injured and succumbed to injuries.
Sandeep Unnikrishnan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NSG commando Rajveer Singh owes his life to Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who died in the Mumbai terror attack. Part of the NSG team sent to Mumbai on November 27 to conduct rescue operations and tackle the terrorist attack, Singh, 33, was injured in the firing on the fourth floor of the hotel. He is now recuperating from two bullet injuries on his feet and arm.

Fourteen NSG commandos entered Taj Mahal Hotel after receiving information that three terrorists were holed up in the luxury hotel. Working in small teams, they entered the through the roof. Having covered the sixth and fifth floors, they were heading towards the fourth floor when they received information that the three suspected terrorists, dressed in red, blue and green T-shirts, were in room number 471.

"We used the master key to open the door and asked if there were people inside. We asked them to surrender, but when the door was opened, there was a man dressed in red who stared at me and refused to co-operate," recalled Singh. Describing the man as a 30-35-year-old wearing a red shirt with white lining, Singh said he looked around and fumbled for a firearm. Before there could be any communication, another person dressed in a blue shirt came from the bedroom and fired.

"Immediately, I fired as well and ducked. Sandeep was covering me as the firing continued. The terrorists were overpowered. Sandeep, however, was killed in the firing," said Singh. Another commando, Sunil—who was standing at the opposite end of the corridor—was injured as gunfire from room number 471, whose door was open, hit him on the shoulder. He is stable now.

The rest of the team then moved to room number 425 on hearing activity there. "As we fixed a cracker on the door to explode it, I suffered burn injuries and lost consciousness," Singh remembered.
Sandeep died trying to save me: NSG commando - Indian Express

 

[vicky sen]

This is a list of 10 such brave soldiers of Indian army. Most of these men died in their efforts to save the country while some are still alive to tell their story.



10. Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran


Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran was part of Operation Pawan in 1987. The operation was assigned to the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control of Jaffna from LTTE in Sri Lanka.

On November 25th, 1987 when Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran was returning late night from search operations, his troop was ambushed by a group of militants. He kept his cool and encircled the militants from behind and boldly charged towards them. The militants were completely taken back by the bold counter-attack by Indian troops. Ramaswamy Parameswaran charged ahead and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with one of the militants and was shot in chest in the process. He snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. In spite of being severely injured, he continued giving orders that inspired his troops even more. When the dust had settled, five militants were killed and their heavy weapons seized. He took his last breath on the same ground.

He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously.



9. Lance Naik Albert Ekka


Lance Naik Albert Ekka attached to the 14 Guards during Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971was assigned with the mission to capture a Pakistani position at Gangasagar. Gangasagar is on the border between Tripura and the present Bangladesh. This was a well-fortified position held in good numbers by the enemy.

The action commenced at 0400 hours on December 4th, 1971 when 14 Guards charged forward towards enemy positions with heavy shelling from the enemy and soon engaged in hand-to-hand combat. They soon were confronted by light machine-gun and pinned down inflicting heavy casualties on Indian side. Albert Ekka bravely charged forward towards the enemy bunker and bayoneted two enemies, finally silencing the machine gun. He in the process was severely injured, but continued to fight. His team had just cleared numerous enemy bunkers for 1.5 kilometers when they were confronted by a medium machine-gun from the second storey of a well-fortified building. Albert Ekka killed one enemy solider in the ground bunker and then proceeded to climb the sidewall of the two storey building to bayonet the enemy and silence the MMG. He accomplished the objective of mission, but later succumbed to his serious injuries.

He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously.



8. Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria


Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was commissioned in third battalion regiment of 1st Gorkha Rifles. The regiment was part of the 3000-soldier Indian aid to the U.N. Peacekeeping Force during the Congo Crisis of 1961.

He was tasked with the job of clearing a roadblock set up by the Katangese troops on the road connecting the U.N. Headquarters and Katanga Headquarters. With the help of 3-inch mortar, the militant roadblock was destroyed and U.N. roadblock was established by the Gurkhas. During his efforts to link up with the Gorkha Company to reinforce the roadblock, he met strong opposition in an old open airfield area. The militants packed heavy artillery, 2 armored cars and consisted of 90 men in dug-in trenches. Undeterred by the superior number and firepower of the militants, Gurkhas under the command of Gurbachan Singh Salaria charged forward with their bayonets, kukris, hand-grenades and a rocket launcher. In the encounter, he was hit by a bullet in the neck, but with total disregard to his safety he continued to command and charge forward with his troops. About 40 militants were killed and the two armored cars were destroyed. Rest of the militants bolted the battlefield in a panic completely demoralized. Gurbachan Singh Salaria succumbed to his wounds due to excessive blood loss.

He was posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra.



7. Naib Subedar Bana Singh


Quaid was a Pakistani post at the world’s highest battlefield in Siachen glacier at an elevation of approximately 6750 meters. It was a strategically very important post that India had to capture for safety concerns. As it was found out later, from this post they had a clear view of 80 km around, almost the entire Saltoro range including the Indian posts of Amar and Sonam, which were remote and were supplied only by a helicopter.

Operation Rajiv was launched to capture this post in three phases. The first two phases were unsuccessful with a number of causalities. On June 26, 1987, Naib Subedar Bana Singh with his handpicked team started ascending up the vertical cliff face under heavy snow and ambient light. Pakistanis became complacent due to the bad weather and treacherous terrain and were caught off guard by Bana’s team. His team was able to close up on the Pakistani bunker. Bana hurtled a grenade inside and closed the door. In short combat that resulted, six Pakistani soldiers were killed, half of them bayoneted to their deaths. The post was successfully captured and named Bana Top in his honor.

Naib Subedar Bana Singh was later awarded Param Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery and leadership under difficult conditions.



6. Captain Vikram Batra


During Kargil War, Captain Vikram Batra (nicknamed Sher Shah) of 13 JAK Rifles and his company was assigned the mission to recapture Point 5140. The enemy bunkers on top of the Point 5140 were approximately at an elevation of 5100 meters. He planned to lead the rear of his team for a surprise attack to stun the enemy.

The team started ascending the sheer rock-cliff, but as they approached the top they were pinned down on the cliff face with machine gun fire. They reached top in spite of heavy artillery shelling and he hurled two grenades at the machine gun post. He single-handedly killed three Pakistani soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. In the process he was seriously injured, but asserted on reorganizing his team and continuing on with the mission. Inspired by his courage, the soldiers of 13 JAK Rifles charged the enemy positions and destroyed them, capturing Point 5140 in June 20, 1999. His team was credited with killing 8 enemy soldiers and capturing a heavy anti-aircraft gun. Batra then led his team to triumph with the recapture of Point 4750 and Point 4875. During his mission to recapture Point 4875, he was killed trying to rescue an injured soldier. His last words were “Jai Mata Di.”

Captain Vikram Batra was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously for his sustained display of conspicuous bravery and leadership.



5. Naib Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav


When Kargil War broke out in 1999, Tiger Hill was captured by Pakistani army. Yogendra Singh Yadav of 18 Grenadiers was part of Ghatak Commandos, who were assigned to recapture the hill. The enemy bunkers were on top of the hill at an elevation of 5,300 meters above sea level. They planned to scale 1000 feet of sheer cliffs to reach the top and assault the three heavily fortified Pakistani Bunkers.

Yadav was trained in mountain climbing and alpine warfare and was the first to ascend the cliff, tasked with affixing a rope system to enable the troops behind him to scale the cliff. Halfway through the climb, he was met with rocket propelled grenades and the 12-18 soldiers following him were all dead. He was shot twice in the shoulder and once in his groin. Wounded and bleeding he rushed the last 60 feet of the climb and reached the top. He proceeded to charge the first bunker directly in line of machinegun fire and hurled in a grenade killing everyone inside. He then ran up to the second bunker and proceeded to kill four-man machine gun team in hand-to-hand combat. By this point, a second team of Indian soldiers had scaled up and came to his rescue. He refused to leave without destroying the third bunker, which he and his team successfully achieved.

Param Vir Chakra was announced for Yadav posthumously, but soon it was discovered that he was recovering in a hospital, and it was his namesake, who had died during the mission. Recapture of Tiger Hills was the most important objective of Indian forces in Kargil War.



4. Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung


Lachhiman Gurung was a rifleman of the British Indian Army during World War II. In May of 1945, he was manning the forward position of his platoon in Burma. Suddenly his troops came under attack from 200 Japanese soldiers. Grenade attack killed most of his troops and others lay injured around him. He started hurling back the Japanese grenades that fell into his trench twice and in the third attempt the grenade exploded in his right hand severely injuring the whole right side of his face and body. With total disregard to his severe injuries, he loaded his riffle and started firing with his other good hand. He single handedly took on a troop of 200 Japanese soldiers for four hours. He calmly waited in his trench as the Japanese soldiers advanced, firing them at point blank range. In the morning on assessing the damage he had inflicted, 31 Japanese soldiers lay dead around his trench.

He received Victoria Cross, the most prestigious award for gallantry during those times at Red Fort in Delhi on December 19th, 1945. He died in December of 2010 of pneumonia in England.



3. Bishnu Shrestha


Bishnu Shrestha is a retired Indian soldier of Gurkha Infantry. On September 2, 2010 after retiring at the age of 35 he was on his way back to Nepal aboard Maurya Express. In the middle of the night, the train came to an abrupt halt in a jungle and 40 thugs entered the train. The thugs were armed with guns, swords, knifes and clubs. They started looting passengers of their valuables at knifepoint. When they came to Bishnu, he handed over his wallet to them peacefully, but when thugs attempted to rape an 18-year-old girl in his compartment, he intervened with his kukri knife. In the 20-minute action that followed, he raced through the aisles killing three and wounded at least eight of them with his kukri knife. The other 29 fled the scene to save their own lives leaving behind their loot.

In the scuffle he received serious blade injury to his left hand and took two months to recover. The girl received minor cuts to her neck. Her parents offered Bishnu large cash reward, but he denied the reward saying, “Fighting the enemy in battle is my duty as a soldier. Taking on the thugs on the train was my duty as a human being.”

He was awarded Sena Medal for bravery, and the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak medal for his gallant actions.



2. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh


During the 1947-48 Indo-Pak war, Pakistan had captured the village of Tithwal in the hills of Kashmir. Pakistanis positioned themselves well with machine gun nests covering all possible points of approach. Major Piru Singh was part of Rajputana Rifles and his troop was ordered to recapture this post in July of 1948. The only path leading to the enemy post was a narrow ridge that would funnel his team in direct line of fire of the machine guns. On the other side of the ridge was a sheer cliff to the valley below.

On his way to the top, Piru Singh had lost half of his company from intense machine gun fire. This did not deter him from advancing and shouting “Raja Ramchandra ki Jai” all the while. This encouraged his remaining men to charge forward with him. Splinters from grenade attacks and gunfire had ripped his clothes. He was heavily wounded, but without the least regard for his safety he reached the top to the enemy position and emptied all his rounds. By the time he ran out of ammo, all his associates were dead. This escalated his rage to the next level as he hurled grenades at another trench and bayoneted the occupants. In the process, a grenade hurled at him exploded injuring half of his face. Blind from one eye and bleeding from his injuries, he still gathered enough courage to step out of his trench and hurl another grenade at the second enemy position when he was hit by a bullet in the head killing him. The grenade he threw took out the last enemy position and thereby accomplishing his mission.

He was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously.



1. Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane


Rama Raghoba Rane was part of 37 Assault Field Company attached to 4 Dogra that was part of the action during 1947-48 Indo-Pak war. Indian troops were on pursuit from Naushahra to Rajauri through an old Mughal route. Things started to get a little intense as they advanced forward. Beyond Barwali, Pakistanis had placed numerous road blocks and minefields that had to be cleared for forward progression of the battalion. These roadblocks had heavy mortar nests that made it difficult even for the armored tanks to pass through.

On 8th April, Rane and some of his men were injured by heavy mortar fire while clearing mines. In spite of his severe injuries, he and his men worked through the night to clear the roadblocks and mines and even on the 9th of April for 12 continuos hours they toiled to clear these obstacles amidst heavy firing. The next day on 10thof April, he cleared the biggest road block consisting of 5 huge pine trees surrounded by mines under heavy artillery fire within two hours and on the next day he continued to clear road blocks for 17 more hours. The operation cost Pakistanis 500 soldiers.

For his valiant efforts despite his injury, he was awarded Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest war-time gallantry award. As of the time of writing this article, he still lives on to tell his story.

 

[vicky sen]

10.Sepoy Kanshi Ram- Sepoy Kanshi Ram was manning a post in the Tsengjong area NEFA in the 1962 war. When the Chinese attacked this posting October, 1962, he was guarding it with a light machine gun. There were 500 Chinese soldiers ranged against him, but Kanshi Ram fought on determinedly, killing several of them. The Chinese attacked a second time, with heavy mortar support and Kanshi Ram though wounded,fought on bravely. A Chinese officer along with four other ranks approached close to Sepoy Kanshi Ram and shouted to his men in the trench to surrender.
Sepoy Kansi Ram shouted back at them to surrender. By this time, his ammunition was nearly finished, but he hurled a grenade and killed the enemy officer and three other ranks.In the meantime, other Chinese soldiers closed in on him and one of them tried to snatch away his light machine gun, while another fired an automatic rifle at him wounding him again. Despite his injuries, he held onto his gun and pushed the Chinese so skillfully that they fell down and then sepoy grabbed a loaded automatic riffle from the enemy and came back to his platoon with this rifle, as well as his own light machine gun. It was the first enemy weapon captured by the 7 infantry brigade.And for this Gallant act he Was honored with Mahaveer Chakra.



9.Naik Jadu Nath Singh-Soldier from 1st Battalion, Rajput Regiment (now 4 Guards(1 Rajput)),On 6th feb 1948 he was commanding a forward post at picket No.2 at Taindhar with his 9 men when the enemy made successive attack to capture the post but Naik Jadu Nath singh displayed great valour & superb leadership and used his small force of 9 people in such a manner that enemy was confused,Later his 4 soldiers were wounded but still he managed re-organize his force,Now once again the enemy attacked on the post to capture it until now all the Indian soldier including Naik Jadu Nath sigh were wounded but Naik Jadu Nath singh shown great courage and took over the Bren gun from the wounded Bren-gunner until now the enemy was right on the walls of the post but Naik JaduNath singh started the devastating firing encouraging his soldiers to fight the enemy which changed the certain defeat into victory and once again the post was saved from enemies but until now all the indian soldiers were turned into casualties and once again the enemy attacked on the post and Naik jadunath singh alone was their to fight with the enemy,he came out of the Sangar firing his sten gun charged on the advancing enemy and Naik JaduNath singh met a gallant death,and for this gallant act he was awarded with Param Veer Chakra.



8.Naib Subedar Chuni Lal-Soldier of 8th Battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry has been awarded with Sena Medal,Veer Chakra and Ashok Chakra for his gallant acts during different operations while serving the Nation and Mother India,He participated in the operation to capture the Bana post in siachen for which he was awarded with Sena Medal(Gallantry) in 1987,In 1999 in poonch sector during operation Rakshak he killed 12 intruders and saved the post from enemy for which he was awarded with veer Chakra,He had also served in the united nation Peace keeping Forces twice in Somalia and Sudan,Display of exemplary courage by his team in Sudan won his unit a UN citation for valour.On June 24 2007 he was commanding a post in Kupwara when he detected some movements across the LOC and an operation was started to kill the Terrorists in the gunfire two of the Indian soldiers were injured and lay close to where their attackers hid,Without thinking about personal safety Nb Sub Chuni lal crawled to the injured soldier and saved their life until now two terrorists were killed but anticipating more hidden attackers, he continued to search the area and he found the third terrorist and Sub. Chuni Lal charged on him and killed him but in this fire exchange he suffered injury and he began to lose lot of blood but he continued to command the operation and two more terrorist were killed under his command and for this gallant act he was awarded with the Highest Peace time Gallantry award Ashok Chakra.



7.Lance Naik (LCpl) Albert Ekka-While he was posted in the 14th Battalion of Brigade of the Guards,which was tasked to capture an pakistani position in Gangasagar during the 1971war India-pakistan war,while moving towards the pakistani post his company was soon under intense shelling and heavy small-arms fire,but still they continued but soon the Indian troops have to bear huge casualties because of one LMG being firing from the one of the pakistani Bunker but despite of personal safety L/Nk Albert Ekka charged on the enemy bunker bayoneting two enemy soldiers and silenced the LMG,though now he was seriously injured he continued to fight with enemy and cleared bunkers one by one located in the area of 1.5 Km when they met with an MMG firing from an second storey of an building and once against disregrad of his own safety he charged on the bunker and attacked on the enemy killing one enemy soldier and injuring the other but still the MMG was firing,Ekka scaled a side wall, entered the bunker, bayoneted the enemy soldier holding the MMG nest, and silenced the MMG.And by this he saved his fellow soldiers from the MMG and ensured that the mission will be completed but he lost his live and this Gallant act was rewarded with Param Veer Chakra.



6.Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey-Soldier from 1/11 Gurkha Rifles of Indian Army,Inspiration for Thousands of Indian Army Aspirants participated in various operation during the Operation Vijay in 1999 Kargil war and completed the operations successfully,Captain Pandey was tasked to clear the interfering enemy positions to prevent his battalion from getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. He quickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position under intense enemy fire, sent one section to clear the enemy positions from the right and himself proceeded to clear the enemy positions from the left. Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyed the second position by killing two more. He was injured on the shoulder and legs while clearing the third position. Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injuries, he continued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal burst on his forehead.Finally his company captured the Position and Captain Pandey Gallant act was recognize by awarding him Param Veer Chakra.



Read Here : Top 10 Largest Armies of the World

5.Naib Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav-Grenadier Yogendra Singh yadav soldier from the platoon “Ghatak” of 18th Grenadiers,the Platoon was tassed to capture the Tiger Hill on 2/3 july 1999 during Kargil war,Grenadies without thinking of his personal safety voluteered to lead and fix the rope so that the soldiers can climb up,on seeing the soldiers forwarding the enemy started firing on the Indian soldiers and artillery shelling was started killing the commander and two other soldiers,realising the situation grenadier Yadav crawled up to silence the enemy and during this he was injured seriously,Unmindful of his wounds and injuries he continued to climb up firing from his weapon and throwing grenades towards the enemy killing four enemy soldiers and silenced the automatic firing despite of his injuries he refused to evacuate and after seeing his Gallant act Platoon charged on the other positions and captured the top of tiger hill for his gallant act he was Awarded with Param Veer Chakra.



4.Havildar Abdul Hamid-Havildar Abdul Hamid was an soldier of 4th Battalion, The Grenadiers of the Indian Army,Which was participating in operation in khemkaran During 1965 war of India-pakistan,on september 8 Pakistanis attacked in the sector with an tank regiment having Patton Tanks that day Hav Abdul Hamid Fought bravely and destroyed two Patton Tanks and the battalion successfully saved the defensive position ,Later on septemeber 10 once again the enemy attacked with Patton tanks supported by artillery When Abdul Hamid saw that the enemy is moving towards the Defensive position with patton tanks,after observing the situation he moved out to a flank with his gun mounted on a jeep under the heavy artillery shelling and firing from the enemy side and destroyed 3 Patton tanks using the gun mounted on the jeep and sacrificed his life for the Nation and Later Hav. Abdul Hamid was Awarded with Param Veer Chakra for his gallant act.



3.Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria-Soldier of 3rd Battalion, 1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) of Indian Army was serving in the United nation Peace keeping Force in Congo during 1961,on 5 December 1961 a company of Gurkha rifles attacked on a road block established by the Katangese troops, between HQ Katanga command and the Elisabethville airfield at a strategic roundabout,the enemy road block was destroyed and the Company of 1/3 Gurkha successfully established a UN road block their,when Cap. Salaria with his platoon of 16 soldier tried to Link up with the company to reinforce but he met strong opposition in the old airfield area.the enemy was equipped with Armoured cars and 90 men with Heavy Automatic weapons then Cap Salaria decided to attack on the Enemy and the soldiers of Gurkha rifles attacked on the enemy with bayonets, khukris and hand-grenades with the help of an rocket launcher,In the attacks Cap. Salaria and the 16 soldiers of the Gurkha rifles killed 40 soldiers of the enemy however in this exchange of fire capt. salaria was injured as his neck was burst by enemy automatic fire but due to his courageous act the enemy was demoralized he continued to fight with the enemy ignoring the injuries but later he died due to excessive bleeding and for his gallant act he was awarded with Param Veer Chakra.



2.Company Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhawat-Hav. Piru Singh was an soldier of 6th Battalion,Rajputana Rifles of Indian Army,His Company was ordered to capture an hill during the 1947-48 war of India-pakistan as they moved towards the enemy they were under attack from the enemy with MMG and Grenades at that time he was with most forward section of the company by this time half of his section was either killed or wounded but he did not loses his courage and with Battle cries he charged on the enemy bunker encouraging the remaining soldier of the section and made the nearest MMG silent until now he was injured but still disregard of his personal safety and ignoring the injuries he continued to fight,he also observed that now he is only survivor from his section as all the other soldiers from his section were either killed or injured but he continued once again a grenade thrown at him wounded him in the face. With blood dripping from his face wounds in his eyes, he crawled out of the trench, hurling grenades at the next enemy position and killed two more enemies and then moved towards the third bunker now he was hit in the head by a bullet and was seen dropping on the edge of the enemy trench. There was an explosion in the trench, which showed that his grenade had done its work. By then Company Havildar Major Piru Singh’s wounds had proved fatal.
He was an example of Singular Bravery who fought with the enemy and left an unique example of bravery for the rest of his fellow soldiers and comrades.



1. 2/Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal-Soldier of the 17 Poona Horse of Indian Army,Was an newly Commissioned Officer.On 16 December 1971, the Squadron Commander of ‘B’ Squadron, the Poona Horse asked for reinforcement as the Pakistani Armour which was superior in strength, counter attacked at Jarpal, in the Shakargarh Sector. On hearing this transmission, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal who was in ‘A’ Squadron, voluntarily moved along with his troop, to assist the other squadron. En route, while crossing the Basantar River, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal and his troop came under fire from enemy strong points and RCL gun nests that were still holding out. Time was at a premium and as critical situation was developing in the ‘B’ Squadron sector, Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, threw caution to the winds and started attacking the impending enemy strong points by literally charging them, overrunning the defence works with his tanks and capturing the enemy infantry and weapon crew at pistol point. In commander of his troop was killed. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal continued to attack relentlessly until all enemy opposition was overcome and he broke through towards the ‘B’ Squadron position, just in time to see the enemy tanks pulling back after their initial probing attack on this squadron. He was so carried away by the wild enthusiasm of battle and the impetus of his own headlong dash that he started chasing the withdrawing tanks and even managed to shoot and destroy one. Soon thereafter, the enemy reformed with a squadron of armour for a second attack and this time they selected the sector held by Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal and two other tanks as the points for their main effort. A fierce tank fight ensured ten enemy tanks were hit and destroyed of which Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal was severely wounded,and he was asked by his superiors to destroy his tank but he replied “No Sir, I will not abandon my tank. My gun is still working and I will get these bastards.” and continued to attack and destroyed another enemy tank, At this stage his tank received a second hit which resulted in the death of this gallant officer.
And None of the enemy tank was able to cross the sector and able to enter in India,This was an act of courage and self-sacrifice far beyond the call of duty and for his gallant act he was awarded with Param veer Chakra.
He is considered as one of the Great Martyr who sacrificed his life for Mother India and in his honor the Indian Military academy has named their auditorium Khetarpal where all the newly commission officer take oath,and the main Entrance of IMA has also been named on his name,National Defense Academy named one of the Ground on his name,His tank was later restored by the Indian Army and is kept at the Armoured Corps Centre And School Ahmednagar.

 

[Contrarian]

It is thanks to the courage and sacrifices of Indians like them that Indian civilization is safeguarded against the modern barbarian hordes from the West.

 

[vivINDIAN]

continue friends i ll be back...i have some work now
Jai Hind...

 

[Kurama]

INDIANS' DARING FEATS( A World War Story)
WHEN the Germans first heard that Indian soldiers were to take part in the great war they spoke with contempt regarding them. But it was not long before they changed their minds. Our fellow-subjects of Empire from ancient India are magnificent fighting-men. Here is a vivid description by a German soldier of an attack they made on one occasion on the German trenches:

"With fearful shouting, in comparison with which our hurrahs are like the whining of a baby, thousands of those brown forms rushed upon us as suddenly as if they were shot out of a fog, so that at first we were completely taken by surprise. At 100 metres (108 yards) we opened a destructive fire, which mowed down hundreds; but in spite of that the others advanced, springing forward like cats and surmounting obstacles with unexampled agility.

"In no time they were in our trenches, and truly these brown enemies were not to be despised. With butt-ends, bayonets, swords, and daggers we fought each other, and we had bitter hard work—which, however, was lightened by reinforcements, which arrived quickly—before we drove the fellows out of the trenches."

[100] Soon after the Indians arrived at the front the Germans attempted to play tricks on them, so as to cause confusion in their lines. One night a crafty soldier of the Kaiser, who could speak English, attired himself in the uniform of a Gurkha officer and crept towards a trench occupied by a Gurkha regiment. Then he stood up in the faint moonlight and said, pretending to deliver a message from a superior officer: "The Gurkhas are to move farther up the trench. Another Gurkha contingent is coming along."

Evidently the Germans had plotted to make a night attack. If they could get the Indians to move they would be able to seize part of the trench without opposition.

An officer who heard the order was puzzled by it, so he asked the stranger: "Who are you, and where do you come from?"

The only answer he received was a repetition of the order to move his men along the trench. This aroused his suspicions. Before obeying the command he thought it best to make sure that it was genuine. So he said to the disguised German: "Answer me at once. If you are a Gurkha, tell me by what boat you came across."

This was a question the stranger could not answer. He was completely outwitted, and, [101] turning quickly, at once ran away. As he did so the Gurkhas opened fire and brought him down. His body was riddled with bullets.

The Gurkhas were not long in showing the Germans that they could beat them at their own game.

Near Dixmude, in Belgium, the British and Germans fought desperately for some days, facing one another in strongly defended trenches. The issue hung in the balance. It was necessary that the Germans should be dislodged, and a regiment of Gurkhas was sent forward to strengthen the attack. The firing never ceased, and was exceedingly brisk. All day long the Gurkhas fought beside their comrades, and when darkness came on they still found it necessary to keep up a fusillade, for the Germans had been reinforced and were preparing to attack across the open. Towards midnight the firing slackened, and it was observed that most of the Gurkhas had vanished. It was thought that they had received orders to proceed to some other part of the British lines. This belief was strengthened by the fact that the Germans in front had ceased to fire. "There's a new move on," one British soldier said to another, "and the Gurkhas have been shifted to meet it."

[102] When dawn broke, however, it was noticed that the Gurkhas had returned to their position. Evidently they had been fighting, for a number of them had their left hands and arms bandaged. Then the news was whispered among the soldiers of two English Midland County regiments that the Gurkhas had been paying a visit to the enemy under cover of darkness. The order was given to advance against the silent German trenches, and was promptly obeyed. It was a cold morning, and after their all-night wait the Englishmen were glad to get some exercise. They rushed forward and soon took possession of the first line of three German trenches. When they did so, they got a great surprise. Not a man rose to resist them. The guns were in position, and beside them crouched dead gunners. All along the trenches dead Germans lay in rows. There could be no doubt as to what had happened. The Gurkhas had paid a night visit to their enemies, and, after a brisk and silent struggle, had exterminated them. Some had died in their sleep; others had attempted to defend themselves with their bayonets. But they were no match for the dusky warriors, who used their kukris with deadly effect and saved much loss of life among their brave English comrades. The Gurkhas received the wounds [103] in their left hands by grasping the German bayonets.

On another occasion a sensational night attack was delivered by Pathans at a short distance south of Ypres. During the day it was observed that the Germans were massing in strength at a certain point, their purpose evidently being to drive a wedge through the British troops when darkness came on. They hoped to capture a position by sending forward overwhelming numbers.

Rain began to fall towards evening, and it came down more and more heavily as the light faded. "A dirty night for fighting," the British soldiers could be heard saying. Water collected in the muddy trenches. No one was allowed to shelter himself in an underground hut or to move about. There was no sleep for the soldiers that night. They had to be watchful and ready, for at any moment the enemy might charge across the few hundred yards of open space that separated the opposing trenches.

Not far behind the British trenches was a line of trees. When it was quite dark a regiment of Sikhs began to collect there. They moved about as stealthily as tigers creeping through a jungle. Scarcely a sound was heard. They were getting ready for the Germans, who [104] were not even aware of their presence in this locality.

Ere long excited whispers passed along the British lines. "What is it?" one would ask of another. The reply always was: "The Indians are going out," and it was received with confident smiles.

The Indians were going out, were they? Here and there a British soldier peered out of a trench to catch a glimpse of them. Occasionally dark figures could be seen advancing noiselessly. There was a surprise in store for the Germans.

Against the sky-line the figures of the German pickets were quite visible. Six were counted by one British soldier, and he kept his eyes on them. Suddenly the six disappeared. What had happened? No one could tell. Not a sound reached the British lines.

Then some of the Sikhs returned as silently as they had gone out. They were not retreating, however. Their work was not finished—it had only begun. They had crept up to the "lookout" men and slain them with their knives without raising an alarm.

Hundreds of Sikhs then followed their daring and cunning fellows, and crept as quietly forward towards the unsuspecting Germans who were to attack the British.

More heads went up from the British trenches. [105] There was tense excitement all along the lines. This was a night attack indeed, full of mystery and wonder. Complete silence reigned for many minutes. The Indians had all vanished, and everyone waited to ascertain what was going to happen.

Suddenly a few random shots rang out through the night. Then shrieks and groans were heard. The Sikhs had arrived at the enemy's trenches and were fighting with cold steel in the darkness. The surprise was as complete as it was unexpected.

Several light-balls were flung in the air by Germans in the rear, and as they burst the British soldiers could see at a distance of about 600 yards in front of them hundreds of fearless Indians attacking with great fury. Many of the Germans had been sleeping, so as to be refreshed for the attack they were to make later on, when they thought the British soldiers would be wearied and dispirited. They leaped up to resist the Indians, and were mowed down like corn on a harvest-field.

The whole force which was to rush the British lines was thrown into confusion, and after a brief struggle the survivors fled backward through the darkness, bewildered and terror-stricken. Great numbers were slain. No German attack could be made that night.

[106] When the Sikhs returned it was ascertained how they had so successfully done the work allotted to them. The first batch of men which went out crept up to the German pickets, who were keeping watch while the main force lay asleep, and slew them with their knives. No Red Indian ever took scalps round a camp-fire more silently than the Sikhs disposed of these pickets. Not a single one escaped to give the alarm. Then the attackers returned for the main body, which succeeded in getting right in among the slumbering Germans before it was realized what was happening. Very few of the Sikhs were either killed or wounded, although the force they surprised greatly out-numbered them.

After the Indians had returned, the German artillery opened a heavy fire on the British trenches; but that proceeding did not compensate them for the disaster they had sustained. The Sikhs had taken all the heart out of the German infantry that night. Next day the British received reinforcements, and the enemy had to change their plans. But for this, of course, the chief credit was due to the brave and clever Indian soldiers.

The story of another night attack made by Indians is at once as amusing as it is wonderful. The French and British troops had cap- [107] tured a village in southern Belgium, and the Germans occupied a wood in front of it. After a day of stiff fighting darkness fell, leaving both sides almost equally strong. The German leader, fearing a night attack, protected the wood, with a double line of sentinels, and his main force lay down to snatch a few hours of sleep.

A British and a French officer discussed the position with one another.

"A night attack would be hopeless," said the French officer.

"Not at all," the other answered. "I have just received word that an Indian regiment is coming up to reinforce us. The wood will soon be captured without much loss of life."

The Frenchman shook his head. "The Indians," he said, "will never get near the sentries without being observed."

As he spoke, an orderly brought in word that the Indians had arrived, and were ready to go anywhere and do anything.

"Now," remarked the British officer to his ally, with a smile, "I will bet you a sovereign that the Indians will remove the double line of German sentinels, watchful although they may be."

"I'll bet you a sovereign they won't," laughed the Frenchman; "nor will I be sorry if you win it."

[108] About eleven o'clock silence reigned in village and wood. All the Germans were sleeping soundly except their sentries, who kept a sharp lookout, listening intently in case an attack should be made. Then a number of Indians went out. The French officer who had taken up the bet waited beside his British friend, and gazed through the darkness towards the wood. But he neither heard nor saw anything unusual. There was no indication that an attack was in progress. The minutes went past, and seemed very long.

Then suddenly a frightful din was heard from the wood. A few shots were fired, and one or two cries of alarm rang through the air. But soon all was silent again, and the slumbering Germans were not awakened to go into action. What had happened? The French officer looked at his companion and whispered: "Have the Indians failed?"

"Wait a little and you'll find out what has happened," answered the British officer. "I think I have won my bet."

Not long afterwards the Indians began to return. They came in two by two, carrying something between them.

"They are bringing back their wounded," the French officer said.

But he was mistaken. What the Indians [109] really brought back were the German sentries. They had caught thirty of them alive, and gagged and tied them up like sausages. Smiling, and showing their gleaming white teeth, the wonderful soldiers of India laid down on the ground before the British and French officers the German pickets who were supposed by their commander to be still guarding the wood. No one could resist the humorous aspect of the proceeding. The Frenchman promptly paid up his bet.

But no time was lost in taking advantage of the success achieved by the brave Indian warriors. A strong force crept swiftly towards the wood, and ere day dawned it was cleared of Germans. The losses sustained by the Allies were insignificant.

But it is not in night fighting alone that the Indians have tricked the Germans by doing the unexpected. In a part of Flanders they were operating for a time with French North African troops, who practise tactics similar to theirs. One of their ruses, when making an attack on the position occupied by the enemy, was to pretend that they had suffered much more heavily than was really the case. Men stopped firing and dropped into ditches, or concealed themselves behind trees and hedges. Then the supposed survivors would begin to retreat as if [110] they had been beaten badly, giving signs that seemed to indicate that they were greatly scared. By acting in this manner they usually persuaded the Germans to leave their trenches and come on, believing that a success was being achieved.

On one occasion the sham retreat was so well conducted that, with cries of "Hoch! hoch!" the Kaiser's unsuspecting troops leaped up in great numbers to pursue the Allies. But the men who had concealed themselves had thoughtfully selected excellent positions, and waited until the Germans were about a hundred yards distant. Then rifles and Maxims opened a sudden and ferocious fire, scattering the deluded "pursuers" in hurried and perilous flight.

Having thus spread confusion before them, the Indians and North Africans leaped up and advanced with great dash and gallantry. They carried all before them. Two villages, named Hollabeke and Messines, were captured in a rush from the Germans, and the position of the allied troops was, as a result, greatly strengthened.

In the course of the fighting a battalion of a Wurtemberg regiment was cut off from escape, and forced down to the muddy banks of the River Lys. Only those able to swim could possibly regain the territory held by the Germans. But none was so foolish as to attempt the cross- [111] ing under the fire of the Indian and North African troops. They had either to surrender or wait to be exterminated. So they surrendered in a body to the courageous and nimble soldiers they so greatly despised.

The fighting occupied altogether about five hours, and cost the Germans over 3000 in killed and wounded. Six guns, an ambulance, and many prisoners were captured. So well was the attack pressed home that the survivors of the Kaiser's force had to retreat a distance of about 6 miles.

Well does the Indian contingent deserve the praise which has been given in one of the official messages, which says: "It has done the work it was asked to do. It has maintained the line it was asked to maintain. In perhaps the greatest battle fought it has shown itself to be a worthy example of so many generations of soldiers."

When His Majesty, the King Emperor, held the Durbar at Delhi, he extended to the Indian army the privilege of being eligible for the Victoria Cross, which had been previously restricted to British troops.

His Majesty paid a visit to the front in December, and decorated the first Indian with the Victoria Cross for valour on the battle-field. This was Naik Darwan Sing Negi, of the 1st [112] Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles. He had shown great valour during a night attack on trenches which had been captured by the Germans. Leading a company of gallant Garhwalis, he delivered assault after assault under heavy fire until the enemy were completely beaten. Before the operations ended he was wounded by a bomb, but this was not discovered until after victory had been won. When the last section of trench was captured, Naik Darwan Sing Negi was still in the forefront, fighting with courage and unfailing vigour.

Garhwal, the native country of Naik Darwan Sing Negi, is a Himalayan district of the United Provinces west of Nepal. During his early youth our Hindu hero looked after his father's flocks and herds among the high upland valleys, and at times drove off attacks by snow leopards and black bears with his sturdy companions. The Garhwalis are a brave and energetic people.

Another Indian hero, a sepoy of the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, had also been recommended for the Victoria Cross, but was lying in a hospital. The ceremony of decorating him was performed by His Majesty in January.

THE KING AND QUEEN VISITING WOUNDED INDIANS.

This hero, whose name is Khudadad Khan, is a Mussulman from Chakwal, in the Jhelum [113] district of the Punjab. He served in a machine-gun team which was overcome by a strong force of Germans after inflicting great loss. All his comrades were killed, fighting heroically. Before he left the gun, he damaged it so that it could not be used by the enemy, and thus saved many lives on the British side.

The military fame of the Indians is not a thing of yesterday. For over three thousand years their country has produced great leaders and brave soldiers who have never flinched in the hour of trial, or ever hesitated to sacrifice themselves for a cause they believed to be noble and good.

 

[Friei Indien]

I am proud of my motherland Bharat, the sacred land of martyrs and brave-hearts.

 

[Slayer786]

Jul 8, 2003

Indian army fights losing battle over truth
By Sultan Shahin

NEW DELHI - The shame of Hill Kaka is deepening, and it has already overshadowed the ignominy associated with the Kargil incident of 1999 when Pakistani troops slipped into Indian territory.

As if it was not enough that hundreds of Pakistan-backed militants had been occupying a so-called "liberated zone" of about 100 square kilometers for the past four years 35 kilometers deep inside Indian territory in Kashmir, it now transpires that the Indian army has allowed them to escape alive and hide within Indian territory, while claiming to have killed many of them in the month-long Sarp vinash (Destruction of serpents)

Security agencies have now warned of major terrorist offensives in the Doda, Rajouri and Poonch areas of the Jammu region and the Shopian area of the Kashmir Valley as more than 90 percent of the terrorists hiding in the Hill Kaka region are understood to have fled to these regions to escape the army's offensive. Last week's suicide attack on Indian army barracks at Sanjwan near Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, killing at least 12 sleeping soldiers, is also being attributed to these militants.

India's Press Trust of India quoted sources in the Home Ministry as saying that intelligence agencies have submitted a report stating that several hundred terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based outfits, including the Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and the Hizbul Mujahideen escaped from Hill Kaka following an army attack.

The report confirmed that only 28 terrorists had been killed during the entire operation, despite claims by army authorities that over 100 terrorists had been killed during April and May this year. A private television channel, NDTV 24x7, put the figure of dead militants at only 24. The first media outlet to investigate and break the news, Frontline magazine (July 4), from the prestigious Hindu group of publications, claimed that only 27 terrorists may have been killed. It, however, threw doubts over even this figure as the army has neither provided neither the dead bodies nor photographic evidence to back its claims.

Data available with the Jammu and Kashmir police, who are informed by army authorities after all encounters with terrorists, also show that 27 terrorists were eliminated, which included 14 killed by the Nine Para army unit on April 22. It said that the majority of terrorists had sneaked into neighboring places in Jammu and Kashmir and that the army should widen the scope of its operations to counter those elements. The army, which had not fully appreciated earlier messages from the intelligence agencies, has now been asked to go after the militants, sources in the agencies told the Press Trust of India.

During the operation against Hill Kaka, the army was also not able to find any big haul of weaponry as the intelligence agencies suspect that the majority of it had already been taken out of the area to safe places in Thana Mandi and the Darhal forest areas of Rajouri.

Defense journalist Praveen Swami, who investigated the Hill Kaka episode for Frontline, points to the wild inconsistency in the claims of 103 militants killed and the number and types of weapons recovered. He concludes, "Now here is the unhappy truth: Operation Sarp vinash is a hoax that is unprecedented in the annals of the Indian army. It is a hoax that has brought its perpetrators one step closer to medals and promotions, but has undermined India's claims on cross-border terrorism, dishonored the sacrifices made by military and police personnel fighting in Jammu and Kashmir, and committed troops to a sapping and counter-productive mountain ground-holding commitment."

Most intriguing, it appears that the army was aware for at least two years of the presence of militants in the Hill Kaka region. North India's largest-circulation newspaper the Hindustan Times alleged in a front page report on Monday that the army had "misled public opinion by denying the massive occupation of Indian territory by Pakistani terrorists around the Hill Kaka bowl in Jammu and Kashmir even when the information became public two years ago." A large-circulation newspaper in the local Hindi language, Dainik Jagran, published a graphic account of the "complete control" of the upper reaches of Rajouri by terrorists on August 2, 2001. The army aggressively denied this.

The Jagran report attributed its report to security agencies and warned that Pakistani terrorists were attempting to "repeat Kargil". It quoted the then Jammu and Kashmir police chief A K Suri as saying that "terrorists started infiltrating into this area in large numbers barely a few days after Indo-Pak hostilities ceased in Kargil in July 1999, and that infiltration had kept continuously rising since". The report said that these occupied areas were being used as bases to stage niggling attacks on security forces and unleashing terror in Poonch, Mandi, Surankot, Balakot and Mendhar. A large number of armed encounters were mentioned as an index of terrorist activity in the area. The army shot off a press release the same day (August 2, 2001), describing the report as "baseless, factually incorrect and misleading".

Indians tend put the army on a pedestal. They lionize their soldiers. While they are prepared to put up with dereliction of duty on the part of any other government servant, they don't want to hear about any shameful incident involving the army. So the shame of Kargil, where the army was literally caught napping four years ago, and had to pay a heavy price in terms of hundreds of lives lost, had been quickly buried following an official investigation to whitewash the army's failure to detect intruders in time.

Pakistani militants and soldiers had then occupied several Indian mountain peaks in the Kargil area of Kashmir and were living there along with their heavy weaponry for months before some shepherds saw a few of them by chance and reported them. It was only after they reported a second sighting a couple of months later that the army took them seriously enough to send some soldiers to investigate. Before this the army had been reporting every fortnight after a supposed (fake) trip to the uninhabited mountain peaks that all was well.

It is beginning to dawn on some observers that what has led to the shame of Hill Kaka now is the way in which the shame of Kargil had been handled by the political establishment. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in the middle of a general election campaign at that time. It didn't want any controversy to take away from its claims of victory in Kargil, even though it had come at great cost and with the intervention of the then-president of the United States, Bill Clinton, who brokered a deal with Pakistan's then premier-Nawaz Sharif.

Though a rightwing party of Hindu fundamentalists with a strong focus on national security in its agenda, the BJP acted with its political interests in mind. Incompetent army officials were promoted and awarded medals. The lone officer in Kargil who had been demanding troop reinforcements for some time before the discovery of the intrusion was unceremoniously sacked and is now embroiled in a case in the High Court. Brigadier Surinder Singh was obviously made a scapegoat to atone for the errors of his superiors. Over 40 other officers of the rank of major and below faced censure on charges ranging from command failure to cowardice. The senior officers formed what Swami calls "a close-knit cabal" to protect themselves and their political masters from the consequences of errors of judgment and strategic appraisals.

As all sections of Indian people, from the media to opposition parties, connived at the turn of events after Kargil, for reasons of their own, it is absurd for them to express outrage at the shame of Hill Kaka now. After all, the same officers who had allowed the outrage of Kargil to be perpetrated are in charge of the situation now. Indeed, they are now holding even more responsible positions.
The BJP's attitude has surprised many as it has made a career out of championing national security. Among other things, Kargil had revealed, for instance, as former intelligence officer R K Raghavan points out, a hiatus between the producers of intelligence and those who used it in the field. The Kargil review committee headed by defense analyst K Subrahmanyam had said that there was "no institutionalized mechanism for coordination or objective-oriented interaction between the agencies and consumers at different levels". The committee hoped that the creation of a National Security Council (NSC) would help. But not a single meeting of the NSC has taken place since its formation.

Pakistan, it would appear, has a much better measure of Indian defense capabilities than the Indians. It did not waste any time at all in perpetrating Hill Kaka once its gambit in Kargil had been foiled by a couple of shepherds. Now, a fear of other such "liberated zones" existing in Kashmir, providing militants with much-needed bases, is real enough. At this rate, one would probably not be surprised if Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf's claim that militants are not being trained on Pakistani soil proves to be correct. Why should Pakistan use its own territory for training militants if it can do the same on Indian soil?

Columnist Pravin Sawhney points to the possibility of another danger facing India in the Pioneer newspaper, "President Musharraf has declared that had there been a war, Pakistan would have resorted to unconventional means against India. Experts in India concluded that the Pakistan army chief had hinted at a use of nuclear weapons. What he actually meant was that terrorists would have played havoc with the Indian army's internal lines of communication. This would have prevented the Rashtriya Rifles [a counterinsurgency wing of the army] from providing the second line of defense on the LoC [Line of Control].

Even before the discovery of the hoax perpetrated by the army in claiming to have fought a war that it hadn't, India was outraged. Comments in the Hindustan Times summarized the popular reaction: "The discovery of terrorist camps on the Indian side of the border is a scandal which even outdoes the shame of the initially undetected Kargil incursion. The Indian government never tires of pointing out Pakistan's double game when it comes to turning the infiltration tap off. Unfortunately, the sin of being caught napping at the border post - with the knowledge that there are constant machinations under way which put the nation's security in serious jeopardy - is unpardonable. India has been caught as much sinning as sinned against in this department."

The Indian media are traditionally reluctant to publish stories about scandals involving the army. But in the face of overwhelming evidence of the army's dereliction of duty, coupled with deception and fraud, it is opening up. Gradually newspapers and television channels are beginning to publish stories they had known of for some time. One can expect some more revelations in due course.

(Copyright 2003 Asia Times Online Co, Ltd. All rights reserved.

LOL. Very brave of the Indian army. We feel safe knowing how the Indian army acts.

 

[acetophenol]

Jul 8, 2003

Indian army fights losing battle over truth
By Sultan Shahin

NEW DELHI - The shame of Hill Kaka is deepening, and it has already overshadowed the ignominy associated with the Kargil incident of 1999 when Pakistani troops slipped into Indian territory.

As if it was not enough that hundreds of Pakistan-backed militants had been occupying a so-called "liberated zone" of about 100 square kilometers for the past four years 35 kilometers deep inside Indian territory in Kashmir, it now transpires that the Indian army has allowed them to escape alive and hide within Indian territory, while claiming to have killed many of them in the month-long Sarp vinash (Destruction of serpents)

Security agencies have now warned of major terrorist offensives in the Doda, Rajouri and Poonch areas of the Jammu region and the Shopian area of the Kashmir Valley as more than 90 percent of the terrorists hiding in the Hill Kaka region are understood to have fled to these regions to escape the army's offensive. Last week's suicide attack on Indian army barracks at Sanjwan near Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, killing at least 12 sleeping soldiers, is also being attributed to these militants.

India's Press Trust of India quoted sources in the Home Ministry as saying that intelligence agencies have submitted a report stating that several hundred terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based outfits, including the Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and the Hizbul Mujahideen escaped from Hill Kaka following an army attack.

The report confirmed that only 28 terrorists had been killed during the entire operation, despite claims by army authorities that over 100 terrorists had been killed during April and May this year. A private television channel, NDTV 24x7, put the figure of dead militants at only 24. The first media outlet to investigate and break the news, Frontline magazine (July 4), from the prestigious Hindu group of publications, claimed that only 27 terrorists may have been killed. It, however, threw doubts over even this figure as the army has neither provided neither the dead bodies nor photographic evidence to back its claims.

Data available with the Jammu and Kashmir police, who are informed by army authorities after all encounters with terrorists, also show that 27 terrorists were eliminated, which included 14 killed by the Nine Para army unit on April 22. It said that the majority of terrorists had sneaked into neighboring places in Jammu and Kashmir and that the army should widen the scope of its operations to counter those elements. The army, which had not fully appreciated earlier messages from the intelligence agencies, has now been asked to go after the militants, sources in the agencies told the Press Trust of India.

During the operation against Hill Kaka, the army was also not able to find any big haul of weaponry as the intelligence agencies suspect that the majority of it had already been taken out of the area to safe places in Thana Mandi and the Darhal forest areas of Rajouri.

Defense journalist Praveen Swami, who investigated the Hill Kaka episode for Frontline, points to the wild inconsistency in the claims of 103 militants killed and the number and types of weapons recovered. He concludes, "Now here is the unhappy truth: Operation Sarp vinash is a hoax that is unprecedented in the annals of the Indian army. It is a hoax that has brought its perpetrators one step closer to medals and promotions, but has undermined India's claims on cross-border terrorism, dishonored the sacrifices made by military and police personnel fighting in Jammu and Kashmir, and committed troops to a sapping and counter-productive mountain ground-holding commitment."

Most intriguing, it appears that the army was aware for at least two years of the presence of militants in the Hill Kaka region. North India's largest-circulation newspaper the Hindustan Times alleged in a front page report on Monday that the army had "misled public opinion by denying the massive occupation of Indian territory by Pakistani terrorists around the Hill Kaka bowl in Jammu and Kashmir even when the information became public two years ago." A large-circulation newspaper in the local Hindi language, Dainik Jagran, published a graphic account of the "complete control" of the upper reaches of Rajouri by terrorists on August 2, 2001. The army aggressively denied this.

The Jagran report attributed its report to security agencies and warned that Pakistani terrorists were attempting to "repeat Kargil". It quoted the then Jammu and Kashmir police chief A K Suri as saying that "terrorists started infiltrating into this area in large numbers barely a few days after Indo-Pak hostilities ceased in Kargil in July 1999, and that infiltration had kept continuously rising since". The report said that these occupied areas were being used as bases to stage niggling attacks on security forces and unleashing terror in Poonch, Mandi, Surankot, Balakot and Mendhar. A large number of armed encounters were mentioned as an index of terrorist activity in the area. The army shot off a press release the same day (August 2, 2001), describing the report as "baseless, factually incorrect and misleading".

Indians tend put the army on a pedestal. They lionize their soldiers. While they are prepared to put up with dereliction of duty on the part of any other government servant, they don't want to hear about any shameful incident involving the army. So the shame of Kargil, where the army was literally caught napping four years ago, and had to pay a heavy price in terms of hundreds of lives lost, had been quickly buried following an official investigation to whitewash the army's failure to detect intruders in time.

Pakistani militants and soldiers had then occupied several Indian mountain peaks in the Kargil area of Kashmir and were living there along with their heavy weaponry for months before some shepherds saw a few of them by chance and reported them. It was only after they reported a second sighting a couple of months later that the army took them seriously enough to send some soldiers to investigate. Before this the army had been reporting every fortnight after a supposed (fake) trip to the uninhabited mountain peaks that all was well.

It is beginning to dawn on some observers that what has led to the shame of Hill Kaka now is the way in which the shame of Kargil had been handled by the political establishment. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in the middle of a general election campaign at that time. It didn't want any controversy to take away from its claims of victory in Kargil, even though it had come at great cost and with the intervention of the then-president of the United States, Bill Clinton, who brokered a deal with Pakistan's then premier-Nawaz Sharif.

Though a rightwing party of Hindu fundamentalists with a strong focus on national security in its agenda, the BJP acted with its political interests in mind. Incompetent army officials were promoted and awarded medals. The lone officer in Kargil who had been demanding troop reinforcements for some time before the discovery of the intrusion was unceremoniously sacked and is now embroiled in a case in the High Court. Brigadier Surinder Singh was obviously made a scapegoat to atone for the errors of his superiors. Over 40 other officers of the rank of major and below faced censure on charges ranging from command failure to cowardice. The senior officers formed what Swami calls "a close-knit cabal" to protect themselves and their political masters from the consequences of errors of judgment and strategic appraisals.

As all sections of Indian people, from the media to opposition parties, connived at the turn of events after Kargil, for reasons of their own, it is absurd for them to express outrage at the shame of Hill Kaka now. After all, the same officers who had allowed the outrage of Kargil to be perpetrated are in charge of the situation now. Indeed, they are now holding even more responsible positions.
The BJP's attitude has surprised many as it has made a career out of championing national security. Among other things, Kargil had revealed, for instance, as former intelligence officer R K Raghavan points out, a hiatus between the producers of intelligence and those who used it in the field. The Kargil review committee headed by defense analyst K Subrahmanyam had said that there was "no institutionalized mechanism for coordination or objective-oriented interaction between the agencies and consumers at different levels". The committee hoped that the creation of a National Security Council (NSC) would help. But not a single meeting of the NSC has taken place since its formation.

Pakistan, it would appear, has a much better measure of Indian defense capabilities than the Indians. It did not waste any time at all in perpetrating Hill Kaka once its gambit in Kargil had been foiled by a couple of shepherds. Now, a fear of other such "liberated zones" existing in Kashmir, providing militants with much-needed bases, is real enough. At this rate, one would probably not be surprised if Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf's claim that militants are not being trained on Pakistani soil proves to be correct. Why should Pakistan use its own territory for training militants if it can do the same on Indian soil?

Columnist Pravin Sawhney points to the possibility of another danger facing India in the Pioneer newspaper, "President Musharraf has declared that had there been a war, Pakistan would have resorted to unconventional means against India. Experts in India concluded that the Pakistan army chief had hinted at a use of nuclear weapons. What he actually meant was that terrorists would have played havoc with the Indian army's internal lines of communication. This would have prevented the Rashtriya Rifles [a counterinsurgency wing of the army] from providing the second line of defense on the LoC [Line of Control].

Even before the discovery of the hoax perpetrated by the army in claiming to have fought a war that it hadn't, India was outraged. Comments in the Hindustan Times summarized the popular reaction: "The discovery of terrorist camps on the Indian side of the border is a scandal which even outdoes the shame of the initially undetected Kargil incursion. The Indian government never tires of pointing out Pakistan's double game when it comes to turning the infiltration tap off. Unfortunately, the sin of being caught napping at the border post - with the knowledge that there are constant machinations under way which put the nation's security in serious jeopardy - is unpardonable. India has been caught as much sinning as sinned against in this department."

The Indian media are traditionally reluctant to publish stories about scandals involving the army. But in the face of overwhelming evidence of the army's dereliction of duty, coupled with deception and fraud, it is opening up. Gradually newspapers and television channels are beginning to publish stories they had known of for some time. One can expect some more revelations in due course.

(Copyright 2003 Asia Times Online Co, Ltd. All rights reserved.

LOL. Very brave of the Indian army. We feel safe knowing how the Indian army acts.

We can have all the day countering this article with several incidents of valour of IA,or we can switch into accounts of shameful incidents from your side and troll each other to death.

This is a defence forum,a place we celebrate stories of men in uniform without considering boundaries.Therefore brother and my friend,I humbly request you to not to be a flame bait.

Lets respect the men in uniform.

@vivINDIAN ,@vicky sen and others

Please bros,do not respond to flame baits and trolls and keep up the good work!