The nation is celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas today (July 26) to commemorate the success of Operation Vijay which was launched by the Indian Army in 1999 to recapture the Indian territories from Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed each year across the nation to show respect and gratitude to the brave servicemen of the armed forces who laid down their lives to re-capture all positions that had been seized by the Pakistan Army.
There were several heroes of the 1999 Kargil war and Captain Vikram Batra, who sacrificed his life for India while fighting Pakistani intruders, was also one among them. After the Kargil war, Captain Batra was posthumously honored with India's highest military award Param Veer Chakra.
Born on September 9, 1974, Captain Batra started his military life on December 6, 1997 with the 13th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles of Indian Army. Captain Batra was posted in Uttar Pradesh when he was summoned to join the troops in Dras sector during 1999 Kargil war.
Captain Batra reached Dras on June 6 and was kept on the reserve for the 2nd battalion of Rajputana Rifles. He was reporting to 56 Mountain Brigade at that time. As Kargil War progressed, the 2nd battalion of Rajputana Rifles was tasked to recapture the Tololing mountain ridge from Pakistani intruders. He was given the code name 'Shershaah' by his senior.
On June 20, Captain Batra led his team to regain control of the Peak 5140. Captain Batra led from the front and also engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Pakistani intruders. He later sent out the message in codeword 'Yeh Dil Maange More' to inform his seniors that Indian troops had recaptured Peak 5140.
Captain Batra was then given the task of hoisting the Indian flag at Point 4875. On July 7, Captain Batra and his team started the mission to reclaim Point 4875, which is located in Mushkoh Valley.
Point 4875 is around 16,000 feet high and the battle to reclaim this peak turned very dangerous as Pakistani intruders kept firing at Captain Batra and his team from machine gun. One of Captain Batra's team members suffered a bullet injury in his leg and he ran to save his life. Just when Captain Batra was trying to drag his team member to safety he was attacked by Pakistani intruders. Captain Batra succeeded in saving himself from the bullets but a splinter from a rocket-propelled grenade hit him in the head and he was martyred immediately.
Captain Vikram Batra was posthumously conferred with the Param Vir Chakra on August 15, 1999 by the then President KR Narayanan. “Captain Vikram Batra displayed the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army," his award citation read.
