Lt. Colonel Vishwanathan Lt.

Colonel Vijayraghavan
"We grieve the loss of our son. But The brave man of the 15 Kumaon
we are also proud he has dedicated Regiment made the supreme
his life to the nation," - V sacrifice of his life on June 25
Ramakrishnan, 60, the father of Lt. Colonel while leading counter-insurgency
Vishwanathan. operations near Machchal near the LoC.

Lt. Colonel Sachin Kumar Kanderiya Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia

Lt Col Sachin Kumar Kanderiya was killed
when a shell fired by the Pakistani troops
exploded near his post on the glacier.

Major Kamlesh Pathak Major Padmaphani Acharya

There's still some pain, but the injury is "I am prepared to sacrifice my
healing fast," wrote Major Kamlesh Pathak. other son also for the sake of our
He was writing to his family in Rewa, motherland," his proud father said.
Madhya Pradesh about the bullet wounds Nation's second highest wartime
he sustained earlier. Yet he insisted on gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was
rejoining his unit and fell to enemy bullets. awarded to Major Padmaphani Acharya on
15th August 1999.

Major Mariappan Saravanan Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari

Major M Sarvanan, the hero of Adhikari was leading the central
Batalik, was finally among friends. arm of three 10-man teams trying
Martyred on May 29 after wresting to capture a bunker at 16,000 ft.
two bunkers from the enemy, Maj He died in the bloody assault but
Sarvanan's mortal remains lay out of the the bunker was won. Nation's second
reach of his men until July 3. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR
highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Rajesh
CHAKRA was awarded to Major Mariappan Singh Adhikari on 15th August 1999.
Sarvanan on 15th August 1999.

Major Harminder Pal Singh Major Manoj Talwar

Major Harminder Pal Singh proved to be a A third generation officer, Maj
true follower of Sikh gurus, when in a Manoj Talwar, left the more
heroic act he laid down his life for the lucrative option of becoming an
defence of his motherland on the very day army doctor when he chose to join
the nation was celebrating tercentenary the National Defence Academy. His father,
celebrations of the founding of Khalsa. Capt (Retd) P L Talwar, is sad but proud
that his son fought for the motherland.

Major Vivek Gupta Major Sonam Wangchuk

There was pride in her salute A soft-spoken Buddhist soldier
and sorrow in her eyes as Capt gives India one of its major
Jayshree Gupta bid a final footholds in the icy mountains.
farewell to her slain husband Maj Vivek Nation's second highest wartime
Gupta, the hero of the first major victory gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was
achieved by the Indian forces in Kargil. Maj awarded to Major Sonam Wangchuk on
Gupta and six others from his team 15th August 1999.
captured the Pt 4950 peak at Tuloling
before they were killed in fierce combat.
 Major Ajay Kumar Captain Amol Kalia
Major Ajay Kumar belonged to 13 The recapture of a key position in
Mechanised Infantry. He was killed the Batalik sector by Capt Amol
in the Avantipur area when leading Kalia and 13 of his men, all of
a search operation. whom died, was one of the bravest
acts seen in the Kargil sector. Nation's
third highest wartime gallantry award VIR
CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Amol
Kalia on 15th August 1999.

Lt. Kieshing Clifford Nongrum Captain Sumeet Roy

Nation's second highest wartime Nation's third highest wartime
gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was
was awarded to Lt. Kieshing awarded to Captain Sumit Roy on
Clifford Nongrum on 15th August 15th August 1999.
1999.

Captain Amit Verma Captain Pannikot Visvanath Vikram

The 23-year-old soldier was the only son of "My son has accomplished what I could
his proud parents and a third generation not. I am really proud of him," was the
army officer. His grandfather is a retired immediate reaction of Lieutenant Colonel
major and the father a retired colonel. Both (retired) P K P Viswanatha Panickar when
had been in battles but Amit was the only he heard about the death of his son,
one on whom martyrdom was bestowed in Captain Pannikot Visvanath Vikram, 25, in
Kargil. a shell attack at Kargil.

Captain Anuj Nayyar Deputy Commandant Joy Lall

Nation's second highest wartime gallantry Lall (36), a valiant officer, was among the
award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to three ITBP personnel killed at Gund in
Captain Anuj Nair on 15th August 1999. Jammu and Kashmir in a powerful
landmine blast triggered by terrorists.

Captain Vikram Batra Naik Digendra Kumar

Nation's highest wartime gallantry award Nation's second highest wartime gallantry
PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to
Captain VIKRAM BATRA on 15th August Naik Digendra Kumar on 15th August
1999. 1999.

Captain Jintu Gogoi Lt. Vijayant Thapar

The men of 17 Garhwal had Nation's third highest wartime
charged into battle shouting 'Badri gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was
Vishal', their battle cry. Of the four awarded to Lt. Vijayant Thapar on
companies that went into battle one officer 15th August 1999.
and eleven jawans did not return. Nation's
third highest wartime gallantry award VIR
CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Jintu
Gogoi on 15th August 1999.

Lt. N. Kenguruse Captain Haneef Uddin

Nation's second highest wartime Attacked by intruders and
gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA bombarded by artillery, he and his
was awarded to Lt. N. Kenguruse unit, equipped only with small
on 15th August 1999. arms, fought to the end. Nation's
 third highest wartime gallantry award VIR
CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Hanif-u-din on
15th August 1999.

Lt. Saurav Kalia Lt. Amit Bharadwaj

Lt Bharadwaj and his men were among the
first to encounter the enemy in the Kargil
sector. He led the patrol after Captain
Saurav Kalia and his men from the same
unit went missing in the Kaksar area on
May 8 near Bajrang post.

Lt. Balwan Singh Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey

Nation's second highest wartime gallantry Nation's highest wartime gallantry award
award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt.
Lt. Balwan Singh on 15th August 1999. Manoj Kumar Pandey on 15th August
1999.

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja

Made the supreme sacrifice for his
country while remaining over
infiltrators-held positions to help
Squadron Leader Rajiv Pundhir, Flight
coordinate rescue attempts to
Lieutenant S. Muhilan, Sergeant Raj
locate Flt. Lt. Nachiketa, who had baled out Kishore Sahu and Sergeant PVNR Prasad
after his plane stalled due to an engine Four crew members of the MI-17 helicopter
trouble. Nation's third highest wartime gunship that was shot down by an
gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded American Stinger Missile in Kargil.
to Squadren Leader Ajay Ahuja on 15th
August 1999.

Flight Lieutenant S. Muhilan Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa

The young officer from Karnataka's Rao
Belgaum district made the This work explains the most
supreme sacrifice during the air-to- timeless question of all existence,
ground rocket attack against a "What lies beyond Death"? And it
heavily missile defended area. was Nachiketa who had the courage to
confront even Death in his pursuit of the
answer.

Sergeant and Flight Engineer Raj Naik Chaman Singh

Kishore Sahu

Naik R. Kamraj Naik Kudeep Singh

Kamraj was looking forward to returning A choked Swaran Singh told senior Army
for good, after completing the mandatory officials that he was ready to send his
service period on January 3, 2000. Fate other three sons to the Army if the country
willed otherwise. needed their services.
 Naik Birendra Singh Lamba

Major Manoj Talwar, Rifleman Bachhan

Singh and Rifleman Jasvir Singh
Behind the saga of gallantry of the Indian
armed forces are little known tales of a
cruel and abrupt end to beautiful
relationships.

Lance Naik Shyam Singh Naik Surendra Pal

Nand Ram, father of the martyr, said his
son was one of many who had laid down
their lives and he was proud of his son.
Shyam Singh was one of the three jawans
who were killed along with Captain Vikram
Batra on the night of July 6.

Lance Naik Shatrughan Singh Lance Naik Ghulam Mohammed Khan

Hit by a hail of enemy bullets, Lance Naik Nation's third highest wartime gallantry
Shatrughan Singh crawled 10 eerie nights award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lance
with the maggot-infested wound in his Naik Gulam Mohammed Khan on 15th
right leg surviving on a handful of boiled August 1999.
rice and snow before being rescued and
shifted to a medical facility.

Lance Naik MR Sahu Lance Naik Ahmed Ali

God willing peace would come soon," Sahu "I am proud of my son as he sacrificed his
had written to his friend. But death came life while protecting his country," said
first. Abdul Majid Khan, father of Lance Naik
Ahmed Ali, who died fighting the intruders
in Batalik sector on July 2.

Havaldar Major Yashvir Singh Naik Ganesh Yadav

Tomar Although his death's left Ganesh's
Atop Tololing, he charged an young wife Pushpa Rai dazed, she
enemy bunker and threw 18 is confident of sending their 18-
grenades. He was found dead month-old son Abhishek to
later, rifle in hand. No Tears: Yashvir's complete the "unfinished task of my
father says his grandsons too will serve the husband".
Indian army.

Lance Naik Vijay Singh, Naik Kishan Naik Sumer Singh Rathore
Lal, Naik Rampal Singh

Naik Surendra Singh Naik Sucha Singh

Naik Sucha Singh was killed in a blast in
the Kargil area on July 15. Naik Sucha
Singh leaves behind his wife Jasbir Kaur
 and four sons.

Naik Surjeet Singh, Rifleman Rattan Sepoy Dineshbhai, Sepoy Harendragiri

Chand, Naik Jugal Kishore, Havildar Goswamy, Naik S.N. Malik, Sepoy Amrish
Abdul Karim, Havildar Daler Singh Pal Banghi, Lance Naik Satpal Singh,
Bahu, Rifleman Mohammad Farid, Rifleman Satbir Singh, Rifleman Jagmal
Rifleman Mohammad Aslam Singh
Seven martyrs of 12 Jammu and Kashmir Seven Army personnel who died while
Light Infantry (JKLI), who laid down their fighting Pakistani infiltrators in Kargil
lives fighting intruders in the Batalik sub- sector.
sector in Kargil.

Naik Raj Kumar Punia Havaldar Baldev Raj

Punia was part of a frontal attack Havildar Baldev Raj of 7 Dogra Regiment, a
stalled by a machine-gun nest. resident of Benewal village in Hoshiarpur
While crawling up he was hit, but district died in a mine blast in Chhamjorian
before he died he hurled a grenade sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
and silenced the nest.

Havaldar Jai Prakash Singh Havaldar Mahavir Singh

Attacked on the ridges, he kept Havildar Mahavir Singh of Jat Regiment
fighting and tried to evacuate and a resident of Ghirai village in Hansi
injured colleagues before blown subdivision of the district laid down his life
up. in the Kargil sector.

Havaldar Mani Ram Havaldar Rajbir Singh

The Intelligence Corps described Mani Ram Havildar Rajbir Singh died on May 15 while
as a "Tiger Hill martyr who rose against the recapturing the Bajrang post in Kaksar
wind." He died on July 3 while fighting sector from the Pakistani intruders. He
Pakistan regulars and Mujahideens in the belonged to 4 Jat Regiment.
Kargil sector.

Havaldar Satbir Singh Subedar Bhanwar Singh Rathod

Then Havildar Satbir Singh came, the last A shell from a Pakistani artillery
one to return after capturing Black Rocks. gun tore open the entrails of
His colleagues' hands and legs moved out Subedar Bhanwar Singh Rathore of
of sync. Probably because they didn't want 1871 medium artillery regiment in
to welcome the hero this way. Satbir Singh Kargil sector on June 17. That was 44 days
was dead. Four jawans of the unit climbed before he was to put on the olive green
the Shaktiman truck and brought him uniform for the last time, get a warm send-
down. off from his unit, and return home at this
village in Pali district of Rajasthan and
prepare for his daughter's wedding.

Rifleman Linkon Pradhan Rifleman Yogendra Singh

Linkon, in his 20s, died on June 8 while "I'm going home soon". He did. But in a
assaulting Tiger Hills at Kargil. Two bullets coffin, escorted by mate Joginder to his
in the chest put paid to a brave life. As also village in Johragaon, near Aligarh. He died
the lives of a 20-year-old wife of two while stalking militants in Kupwara forests.
years, a year-old son, schoolteacher father
Harinarayan, brother Alanja, 16.
 Rifleman Sanjay Kumar Grenadier Manohar Singh
Killing five enemy personnel, lifting a Grenadier Manohar Singh was one of the
machine gun while hit by a bullet in thigh several soldiers who had charged up the
muscle, lobbying a grenade and clearing a Tuloling peak on the intervening night of
important army post. It is not a narration 12 and 13 June. He was one of the 13
of any popular bollywood film but a real life killed in an artillery burst which also left six
scene enacted by Rifleman Sanjay Kumar others injured.
of the 13 JAK Rif in "Operation Vijay" while
capturing army post in the Mushkoh Valley.
Nation's highest wartime gallantry award
PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar on 15th August
1999.

Gunner Uddabh Das Sepoy Amardeep Singh

He was martyred on the Tiger Hill in the He and a colleague were part of an
Kargil sector while trying to position an ambushed patrol. They were killed
artillery gun. Mrs Khageswari Devi, Udhab's trying desperately to reach the
mother, refused to shed tears. "I am proud dead.
my son laid down his life for his country",
she said.

Sepoy Vijay Pal Singh Sepoy Virendra Kumar

On June 12, 7.30 am, a hand grenade tore Sepoy Virinder Kumar of 17 Jat Regiment
Vijaypal's head apart while he was hailing from Mohna village, near here, was
returning army fire from his post 10 km killed while fighting against the Pakistani
from the LoC. "Main barah ki subah phone intruders in the Mushkoh valley during the
karta raha, ghanti bajti rahi," says his successful capturing of the Tiger Hill.
inconsolable father. "Mujhe kya pata tha
woh sari baat kar chuka tha."

Sepoy Yashwant Singh Sepoy Santokh Singh

20-year-old Yashwant Singh laid down his Mortal remains of Sepoy Santokh Singh
life for the motherland in the Kargil sector. (28), of 20 J and K Rifles were consigned
"I am proud that he gave his life in honour to flames yesterday at his native village
of his motherland, but my only regret is Jatoli with full military and state honours.
that he was too young to die," his father
said in a voice choked with emotion.

Sepoy Raswinder Singh Constable Suraj Bhan (SPG)

Part of the first column given the The father of Suraj Bhan Sh Jamna Das is
task of taking the crucial Tiger Hill a tall and tough person. 'I know he has
overlooking the Srinagar-Leh died a lion's death and it is a matter of
highway, he killed three intruders pride for me inspite of the blow which his
before he was shot in the head. death has inflected on us'. Suraj Bhan was
just 22.

Sepoy Bajindra Singh Sepoy Deep Chand

While military honour is accorded to Slogans of "Deep Chand, amar rahe, amar
officers who lay down their lives fighting rahe" and "Pakistan of barbad, ho barbad",
for the nation, no military or civil official rent the air as Mr Vinod Kumar, cousin of
bothered to even lay a wreath on the the martyr, lit the pyre.
mortal remains of 24-year-old soldier,
Bajinder Singh, who died fighting
infiltrators, in the Dras sector, on the Indo-
Pak border.

Sepoy Dondibha Desai Sepoy Keolanand Dwivedi

Hope shattered for the family of 22-year- The brave soldier probably knew he'd
old Sepoy Dhondiba Desai who died in a never come back. He died on June 6 of
mine blast at Kargil. bullet wounds, having surprised and taken
on five infiltrators in their hideout in Kargil.

Sepoy Harjindra Singh Sepoy Jaswant Singh

The soldier laid down his life while fighting Sepoy Jaswant Singh of 10 Sikh Light
Pak intruders in Sambha sector in Jammu Infantry, laid down his life on July 6, in
and Kashmir. "Our son has made the Kargil in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with
supreme sacrifice for the nation and we are the Pakistani intruders. His father Swaran
proud to be his parents", said Mr Kesar Singh, said he was proud of his son's
Singh and Mrs Harbhajan Kaur, father and bravery.
mother of the martyr.

Sepoy Jaswinder Singh Sepoy Lal Singh

Injured, he crawled on, firing As the body of the martyr was brought to
buying time for his patrol till he the village a large number of villagers
was shot dead. His family is stoic. raised slogans "shaheed Lal Singh amar
"Someone has to die to stop the rahe".
enemy," whispers his father.

Sepoy R. Selva Kumar Sepoy Rakesh Kumar (16 Dogra)

He bravely fought the enemy in the Sepoy Rakesh Kumar of 16 Dogra, was
Kargil sector and laid down his life killed in artillery firing by Pakistan in
for the country on May 29 when he Naushahra sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
was hit by the enemy shells. The 22-year-old soldier was the only son of
his parents.