Capt Haneef-Uddin, Veer Chakra (P)

CAPTAIN HANEEF UDDIN, 2411 Rajputana RiflesSinger SoldierMission: Attacked by intruders and bombarded by artillery, he and his unit, equipped only with small arms, fought to the end.

Ek pal mein hai sach saari zindagi ka; Is pal mein ji lo yaaron, yahan kal hai kisne dekha (The truth of our lives is encapsulated in one moment; Live this moment, who knows what tomorrow holds).

It is difficult to miss the irony, in these lyrics of a song from an album cut by a remarkable singer-soldier, Captain Haneef Uddin. Haneef lived these lyrics -- written by his younger brother Sameer -- and even sang them to his troops. His impromptu "Jazz Band" spread his zest for life and music in the mountains, welcome relief for troops cut off from civilisation and television, fighting tedium and tension. "Whether up in the hills or down here with us, his music system remained his constant companion," says elder brother Nafees, 26, a physics teacher.

Fun, cheer, song and courage. Those values, his family and colleagues say, describe the young captain who died fighting on a craggy mountainside in Turtuk, Kargil, on the same day that he was commissioned into the army two years ago. The strapping young man -- he was crowned Mr Shivaji in Delhi's Shivaji College -- was multifaceted, training in computers before joining the Indian Military Academy in 1996.

He was commissioned into the army on June 7, 1997.Cutting across the snowy peaks to push for the enemy-held heights, Haneef soldiered on despite artillery bombardment. Outgunned and outnumbered, he and his unit fought to the end.

Haneef's father died when he was only seven years old. His mother, Hema Aziz, a classical singer, displays the stoicism of grieving families nationwide: "As a soldier Haneef served his country with pride and dedication. There cannot be a greater statement on his valour than his death which came fighting the enemy." The memories flood into Hema Aziz's east Delhi apartment: of the times when Haneef would come humming back after a busy day at Kerala School, his alma mater; of the times when the brothers would grapple wildly like pit wrestlers and then calm down with music; of his last call home saying he would be back for his birthday in September after collaring the enemy.

Memories -- they are all that remain.

Mother Hema Aziz and elder brother Nafees recall how Haneef could bring any gathering to life with his music.

Courtesy : http://www.kashmir-information.com/Heroes/index.html

Major Sonam Wangchuk, Maha Veer Chakra

Note: This hero is still alive, so technically not part of Amar-Jawaan, but I think he deserves this spot since his saga of heroism is Amar.

A soft-spoken Buddhist soldier gives India one of its major footholds in the icy mountains.

Somewhere in the freezing mountains of Kargil is a warrior and his men. At 18,000 ft where the thin air makes breathing ragged, every step an ordeal, Major Sonam Wangchuk, 35, and his band of 30-odd soldiers from the Ladakh Scouts are entering the realm of legend. In the close-knit society of Ladakh to which he belongs, they talk in hushed tones of their son. And in his army, they talk in awe of his battle prowess.

On one of the world's most brutal battlefields, his colleagues and officers say, Wangchuk has captured a vital mountain ridge in the Chorbat La sub-sector near Batalik, giving the army a foothold that it desperately needed. They've gone over the mountain tops and now directly face the Pakistani side of the loc. "Thanks to his heroic action, we are sitting bang on the LoC in Chorbat La," says a Ladakh Scouts officer. For over a week now Wangchuk and his men -- cut off from the world except for their wireless and living off survival rations -- have snapped shut a crucial infiltration point.

On 30 May 1999, Major Sonam Wangchuk of Indus Wing, Ladakh Scouts was leading a column for occupation of the Ridge Line on the Line of Control (LoC) in a glaciated area at 18,000 feet to preempt enemy occupation and any subsequent infiltration. While moving towards the LoC, the enemy ambushed the column by firing from a vantage position. In the process one NCO of the Ladakh Scouts was killed. Major Sonam Wangchuk held his column together and led a raid on the enemy position from a flank, supported by artillery fire, killing two enemy personnel.

The officer also recovered one HMG (Heavy Machine Gun), one UMG (Universal Machine Gun), ammunition, controlled stores as well as three dead bodies of the enemy personnel. Thereafter, he took stock of all forces in the Chorbatla axis in the Batalik sector and cleared the axis up to the LoC of all enemy intrusions at a great risk to his life. For conspicuous gallantry, Major Sonam Wangchuk was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra. Jai Hind!! Jai Jawan!!

Wangchuk was recommended for the Maha Vir Chakra, his fellow JCO and six other jawans, gallantry medals.

On May 26, when Wangchuk got his orders, he promised his son he would return for his birthday on June 11. Given his battle experience in the Siachen glacier, Wangchuk was the obvious choice for the assault. Two days later he was asked to capture an 18,000-ft high ridge just inside the Indian side of the loc. Glacial and rocky, with days warming to minus 6 degrees Celsius, the mountain with its 80 degree gradient was a test even for skilled mountaineers. Information filtering in over wireless dispatches from the LoC describe how while leading a platoon (36 men) and supported by artillery fire from the rear positions, Wangchuk was negotiating an ice wall in the dead of night on May 31 when he heard sounds of picks and hammers on the other side of the ridge facing Pakistan. He quickly flashed a wireless message to the rear. Wangchuk and his men made it to the ridge top in three hours under heavy fire by Pakistani troops from the flanks. The mountains rang with the Ladakh Scouts' war cry, "Ki Ki So So Lhargyalo" (The gods will triumph), as the superbly fit Wangchuk -- he was a top athlete at Delhi's Modern School -- led his men towards the brutal enemy-held cliffs. From there they spotted a group of intruders trying to scale the ridge from the Pakistan side.

Wangchuk told his men to hold on till the enemy came within firing range. Four intruders were killed in the gun-battle. Wangchuk and his column had foiled a major infiltration attempt. The soldiers then retrieved the bodies of the intruders who turned out to be Pakistani Army regulars. Next day, Wangchuk led the charge to clear the heights and return to India the commanding positions that the intruders wanted so desperately to occupy. The Ladakh Scouts are particularly being used for the battle in Kargil because of their natural acclimatisation to a frigid desert of a war zone where plainspeople with their lower blood-oxygen levels find it difficult to breathe.

By all accounts, Wangchuk is an extraordinary soldier, a contradiction even. "We could never imagine he could even hurt a fly," recalls Pintoo Norbu, hotel owner in Leh who knows him. The son of a paramilitary soldier, Wangchuk is a deeply religious Buddhist -- before going to battle he and some of his men went to the Dalai Lama, who was visiting Leh, to seek his blessings -- soft spoken and scrupulously polite. But that gentleman's exterior hides the tough interior of an officer the army is proud to showcase.

For now his family is secondary. On June 8, Wangchuk's wife requested his unit to allow him three days' leave to attend his son's birthday. But the army commander reluctantly told her that her husband was "required elsewhere" -- up there in the mountains, where Wangchuk's war isn't done yet.

Major Mariappan Saravanan, Veer Chakra (P)

Maj Sarvanan had led a platoon up the Jubar Hills on May 29. While he was able to take back two bunkers the rest of Jubar Hills was under enemy control. One of the platoon members accompanying Maj Sarvanan and the only one to survive the attack, was Naik Shatrughan. He was hit on his legs three times and it took him ten days to crawl back to base. He gave the unit the information of how Maj Sarvanan died after killing at least four of the enemy in hand-to -hand combat. Naik Shatrughan later died in the field hospital because of gangrene.

Major M Sarvanan, the hero of Batalik, was finally among friends. Martyred on May 29 after wresting two bunkers from the enemy, Maj Sarvanan’s mortal remains lay out of the reach of his men until July 3.

All this while members of 1 Bihar, his unit, fought valiantly and desperately, having taken an oath to not only recover his body but also the Indian heights from the infiltrators. Success was theirs on July 3 when they brought the hero home.

Maj Sarvanan is possibly the first officer to fall in the Kargil conflict. The attack led by him came in the early stages of the conflict when adequate information was not available.

There was little artillery support and no aircraft cover. The men in 1 Bihar took an oath after Maj Sarvanan’s death to fight to the finish and recover the heights. to the battle cry of ‘Bajrang Bali ki Jai’, they launched subsequent offensives and now the unit has not only taken the heights but is sitting atop the LoC. Finally, they captured Point 4058.

Major Kamlesh Pathak

A Rashtriya Rifles platoon led by Major Kamlesh Pathak was on routine patrol at Sukhamali in Dessa area, when they were ambushed by the militants. The jawans returned the fire but Major Kamlesh Pathak received critical bullet injuries. Rushed to a hospital, he succumbed on the way.

A hawaldar was injured in the encounter, the sources said.
The militants managed to flee taking advantage of the difficult terrain. A massive search operation was launched to nab the militants, the sources said.

There's still some pain, but the injury is healing fast," wrote Major Kamlesh Pathak. He was writing to his family in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh about the bullet wounds he sustained earlier. Yet he insisted on rejoining his unit and fell to enemy bullets. For countless families the country's recent victories have been at the expense of their dear ones' lives. The saga continues.

Courtsey : http://www.kashmir-information.com/Heroes/kamlesh.html

Major Harminder Pal Singh, Saurya Chakra

A TRUE SOLDIER OF KHALSA

Major Harminder Pal Singh proved to be a true follower of Sikh gurus, when in a heroic act he laid down his life for the defence of his motherland on the very day the nation was celebrating tercentenary celebrations of the founding of Khalsa. He hailed from Ropar, in the vicinity of which Anandpur Sahib is located.

In very few armies of the world, it is the officers who lead even minor operations. Indian army is one such army. In the expanding counter-insurgency operations, there is not much disparity in the casualties suffered by the officers and the ranks. Our army officers inspire ranks by personal heroism. While the country's politicians have been messing up the problem connected with security and squandering the initiatives gained through the valour of our security forces, the men-in-uniform have been delivering successful blow to the enemy.
In a daredevil operation in a congested locality of Sadar kootballa village in the vicinity of Manasbal area of Kashmir valley, Major HP Singh was leading the commando platoon of his battalion. He was an officer who ate with his men and played cards with them. He boosted the morale of his soldiers by leading always from the front, whenever situation warranted.

On the morning of April 13, Major HP Singh received information about the presence of four Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists hiding in the locality of Sader koot bala. He started with his 32 men and surrounded 12 houses ataround1 PM in the Khan Mohalla. In the low visibility that prevailed due to an intense dust-storm earlier, Major Singh was the first to enter the houses. The operation was difficult as the soldiers had to expose themselves in the built-up area to prevent any collateral damage to civilians or their property. A search of five houses revealed no militants.

Commandos then approached the next set of houses through an alley. Terrorists hiding in these houses opened fire with automatic weapons through a window in ground floor, from a close range. The bullets struck Major HP Singh in the left arm. He fell down but quickly regained his composure and took cover behind a rock. Major shot a militant through the head, when he sneaked through a window on the second floor of the house. The terrorist came tumbling down.

Undeterred by his injury, Major Singh went after the other kill. He managed to lob a grenade through the ground-floor window and followed it, up with a burst from his automatic rifle. Major's next task was to cut off the escape route of the third militant. Unfortunately, Major Singh's bullet-proof helmet slipped off. The surviving militant shot him dead with a bullet that pierced through his temple.

In a befitting tribute to this sant-sipahi (saint soldier), Lt Gen Krishan Pal, Commander 15 Coprs, said 'Maj Singh's action is significant on this occasion of the tercentenary celebrations. He upheld the spirit of Guru Gobind Singh and rose to fight evil'. Punjab government has announced that it will grant a job to his wife and build a suitable memorial in his honour. But Major Singh did not die for Punjab alone. He died for the entire nation.

"Apne liye to sabhi jeeten hain, aadmi to woh hai jo auron ke liye jiye, auron ke liye mare," said Rupinder Pal Kaur, late major's wife. She had given birth to a boy, Navteshwar, three months before the death of her husband.

Lt Col Sachin Kumar Kanderiya

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

Pak troops fired 411 shells from artillery and other weapons, forcing Indian troops to retaliate. However, the casualty suffered by Pakistani troops in the retaliatory action was not known, the spokesman said.

He said Pakistani troops also fired on Indian positions at Kargil sector on Saturday. While the Indian side suffered no casualty, a Pakistani bunker was destroyed in the retaliatory action, the spokesman added.

Lt. Colonel Vishwanathan

At another home in another town in Kerala, cruel fate had struck. The father of Lt. Colonel Vishwanathan, another officer to die in the Kargil operation, put on a brave face, despite his grief. "We grieve the loss of our son. But we are also proud he has dedicated his life to the nation," said V Ramakrishnan, 60.

Anjali, Lt Colonel Vishwanathan's child, was seated on his lap with a distant look in her eyes. It is difficult to tell if the girl has fully understood what has happened though she is certain that something is amiss. Lt Colonel Vishwanathan, 39, should have been at home if the Kargil operation had not taken place. He had planned to reach Kochi on June 4 to take his wife and two children back to his base on June 21. Lt Colonel Vishwanathan, who did his schooling at Kochi, was commissioned in 1981 after completing his training at the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, and the IMA, Dehradun. He had served with the Indian PeaceKeeping Force in Sri Lanka and later with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Angola.

A classmate, Captain Srikumar said Viswanathan was a ''very dedicated person prepared to take any risk.'' The Kerala government has sanctioned Rs 500,000 each to the families of the two officers. Chief Minister E K Nayanar said one member each from the two families would be given a government job. Lt Colonel Vishwanathan's mortal remains were consigned to the flames at his native village Eroor, on Sunday afternoon with full state honours.

Vishwanathan's brother Venkatesh performed the last rites. Earlier, when the body arrived from New Delhi by an Indian Airlines flight, Ramakrishnan received it on behalf of the state government, representatives of the army and navy and the district authorities ceremoniously. The body was kept for an hour at the statue junction at Thripunithura to enable the public to pay homage before being taken to his village.

Courtesy : http://www.kashmir-information.com/Heroes/vishva.html

Lance Naik Ekka, Param Veer Chakra

Lance Naik Albert Ekka, was born on 27 December 1942 in Ranchi, Bihar.

He was enrolled in the 14 Guards on 27 December 1962. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the 14 Guards was asked to capture a Pakistani position at Gangasagar, 6½ km west of Agartala in the eastern sector.

It was a well-fortified position, held in good strength by the enemy. The reduction of this position was considered necessary as it was the key to the capture of Akhaura. The 14 Guards launched an attack on enemy positions at 0400 hours on 4 December 1971. Lance Naik Ekka went with the left forward company of the battalion in the attack. The assaulting Indian troops were subjected to intense shelling and small arms fire by the enemy.

Lance Naik Ekka observed that an enemy light machine gun was belching deadly fire from a bunker, causing heavy casualties to his company. Unmindful about his personal safety, he charged the enemy bunker, bayoneted two enemy soldiers and silenced the light machine gun. Though seriously injured in this encounter, he continued to fight alongside his comrades with courage, securing bunker after bunker. After battling through a distance of 1½ km, when Lance Naik Ekka and his comrades reached the northern end of the objective, an enemy medium machine gun opened up from the second floor of a well-fortified building. It inflicted heavy casualties on the Indian troops and help up their progress.

Once again Lance Naik Ekka, rose to the occasion. Unmindful of his personal safety, he crawled to the building and hurled a grenade into the bunker. One enemy soldier was killed and the other injured. But the MMG could not be silenced. Lance Naik Ekka then scaled the sidewall to enter the bunker. He bayoneted the enemy holding the bunker and silenced the deadly weapon. This saved his company from further casualties and ensured success. Lance Naik Ekka died of the injuries suffered during this battle. As a result of the fall of Gangasagar, the southern and south-western flanks of Akhaura were exposed and the enemy rear was threatened. Consequently the enemy was forced to vacate Akhaura. Lance Naik Albert Ekka was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for displaying the conspicuous bravery and determination.

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=18431531

Cpt. Saurabh Kalia (The Brave One)

Born in Palampur in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Captain Saurabh Kalia was brilliant in academics and effortlessly secured scholarships throughout his schooling years.

After completing his graduation in May 1997, Saurabh was selected in the IMA, Dehradun in August 1997, through the CDS and was commissioned on December 12, 1998.

He and his subordinates gave up their lives for the nation as the enemy (Pakistani Army) indulged in the most heinous act of burning their bodies with cigarettes, piercing ear-drums with hot rods, removing eyes, chopping off various limbs and organs of these soldiers besides inflicting all sorts of physical and mental tortures before shooting them down.

He was the first officer to detect and inform Pak intrusion. Pakistan captured him and his patrol party of 5 brave men alive on 15th May, 99 from our side of LOC. They were in their captivity for 3 weeks and subjected to unprecedented brutal torture as evident from their bodies handed over by Pakistan Army on 9th June, 99.They indulged in dastardly acts of burning bodies with cigarettes, piercing ears with hot rods, removing eyes before puncturing them, breaking most of the bones and teeth, chopping off various limbs and private organs of these soldiers besides inflicting unimaginable physical and mental tortures. They were shot dead ultimately. (A detailed postmortem report is with the Indian Army) This continued for about 22 days. Pakistan dared to humiliate India this way flouting all international norms. To what an extreme humanity can be degraded, Pakistan provided an example. However,the Indian soldiers did not break while undergoing all this unlimited barbarism. This speaks volumes of their patriotism, grit, determination, tenacity and valour and the whole nation should be proud of them.

"JAB TAK SURAJ CHAND RAHEGA..SAURABH TERA NAAM RAHEGA!!"

Please view petition below to pay respect to this brave son of soil.
http://www.petitiononline.com/LtKalia/petition.html

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=12552144

Cpt. Manoj Pandey, Param Veer Chakra (P)

He was the brave soul. His answer to a question at SSB was that he wanted to join the Force to be awarded Param Vir Chakra.

This answer subsequently shocked everyone related to him as he achieved what he had said. In his own words "One should join the Infantry in Army and in Infantry one must prefer the Gorkha Regiment". He made the regiment proud of his supreme act of bravery.

His words : "If death strikes before I prove my blood, I swear I'll kill death.... Some goals are so worthy it's glorious even to fail."

His last words were, "Na Chodnu" (Don't Spare Them).

** Need Help. We need to put in more information about his final act of bravery. **

Lt.Triveni Singh, Ashok Chakra (P)

This brave son of India was from Pathankot, Punjab. He was born on February1,1978 at Namkum, in the house Capt. Janmej Singh(Rtd.) & Mrs.Pushplata.

Triveni was trained in martial arts. He cleared his examination forIMA, Dehradun. And he was commissioned in the army on December 3, 2001. After commissioning he joined the 5 JAKLI reputaded for its bravary & decoration in the Indian Army.

On the evening of January 02, 2004 Lt. Triveni Singh found out about the fidayeen. On being ordered to challenge the militants, Lt. Triveni Singh rushed to the Jammu railway station with five commandos.

In a swift action he killed the first militant and followed the other who was firing from the overhead rail bridge. Lt.Triveni Singh knew that the hidden militant was equipped with lethal weapons and could kill over 300 passengers who were in the parcel room. To save the innocent people, he grabbed the miilitant and injured him self fatally. Lt. Triveni Singh was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra for displaying extreme gallantry, utmost courage and selfless act of supreme sacrifice.

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=28429225

Shaheed Abdul Hamid, Param Veer Chakra

Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid of 4 Grenadiers, Indian Army was posthumously awarded the highest gallantry award of the Republic of India, the Param Vir Chakra, during the 1965 Indo-Pak War.

He is the first and only Muslim to have been awarded the nation's highest military honour.

He had destroyed many Pakistani tank's and accepted Jannat for our country.

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=29573983

Lt. Parthiban, Kirti Chakra (P)

"Have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat, then you will not be ashamed to look at the mirror...."
- LT N. PARTHIBAN Kirti Chakra

SS-41837 Lieutenant Parthiban of 5 JAK LI, laid down his life in a CI operation in a forest area in Gurej sector of Jammu & Kashmir on 7th Oct 2006.

He shot dead 3 militants & incapacitated one. It was the one man show done till his last breath even after receiving 2 fatal bullets! His GOC recommended him for AC, who had also met our Parthi in the earlier months when he shot dead 2 terrorists.

This brave man, ex NCC cadet, aged 23, was born on 21 Aug 1983. A Physics grad frm BHC, Trichy, Gold medalist in map reading n shooting.

He was a Sgt. at OTA. He passed out of OTA on Mar 18 '06 as an officer. He was very patriotic, not just by words but thru his deeds, completely committed to any work he took, evr willing to teach & help others.

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=23252505

Major Shaitan Singh (PVC)

Major Shaitan Singh, son of Lieutenant Colonel Hem Singhji, was commissioned in the Kumaon Regiment on 01 August 1949.

During the 1962 Indo-China conflict, 13 Kumaon was deployed in Chushul sector. The C Coy of the battalion led by Major Shaitan Singh held a crucial position at Rezang La, at a height of 5000 metres. The company area was defended by five platoon positions and the surrounding terrain isolated it from the rest of the battalion. The expected Chinese attack on Rezang La came on November 18th in the morning. It was the end of a very cold winter night. The icy winds howling through Rezang La were biting and benumbing.

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 troops fell on their prepared positions to face the enemy offensive. At 0500 hours when the visibility improved both platoons opened up on the advancing enemy with rifles, light machine guns, grenades and mortars. The nullahs were littered with dead bodies.

Captain Ashok Jasrotia

In September 1995, intelligence had placed a team of Lashkar-e-Toiba group in a mountain cave where nearly 20 foreign mercenaries were holed up in the Lolab Valley.

A team led by Captain Ashok Jasrotia of 9th SF moved up the 7000 feet mountain. By dawn they had moved into position when they were spotted. Finding his men in a disadvantageous position under rocket and rifle fire, he led the assault culminating in a fierce hand-to-hand fight. Captain Jasrotia threw a grenade and charged the militant and shot him in the process taking a bullet in the shoulder.

Another militant tried to bludgeon him but Captain Jasrotia managed to kill him with his commando knife. As he moved towards the cave a hidden militant shot him in the chest and stomach. The rest of the commandos finished off the group.

The tough Captain hung on for 10 days dying en-route to New Delhi for medical attention. He was awarded the Ashok Chakra posthumously.

Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=18419821

Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon

Param Vir Chakra is the highest medal for gallantry of Indian Military. Since 1947, Indian defense forces have participated in various campaigns all around India and world. India fought three wars with Pakistan in 1948, 1965 and in 1971, One war with china in 1962.

Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon(aka Nimmy) was born on 17 July 1945 at Rurka Isewal village in Ludhiana District in the house of Sardar Trilok Singh Sekhon, a retired Flight Lieutenant of Indian Air Force. As any normal Sikh child, he was raised with the virtue of gallantry and sacrifice by his parents. He joined Indian Air Force as a Flying officer in 1968.

Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Gnat detachment(18 Squadron "The Flying bullets") based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air attacks. From the very outbreak of the hostilities he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with valour and determination, maintaining the high reputation of the Gnat aircraft.

On 14th December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by a wave of enemy Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at the time. Immediately, however, no fewer than six enemy aircraft were overhead. They began bombing and strafing the airfield and prevented the Indian aircraft from taking off.

Inspite of the mortal danger of attempting to take off during the attack, Flying Officer Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of the attacking Sabres. In the fight that ensued, he secured hits on one aircraft and set another on fire. By this time, the other Sabre aircraft came to the aid of their hard-pressed companions and Flying Officer Sekhon's Gnat was again outnumbered, this time by four to one.

Even though alone, Flying Officer Sekhon engaged the enemy in an unequal combat. In the fight that followed, at treetop height, he almost held his own, but was eventually overcome by the sheer weight of numbers. His aircraft crashed and he was killed. But his struggle was not in vain. The Sabre jets, unable to press home their attack on the town and its airfield, immediately retreated.

The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, flying skill and determination far and beyond the call of duty displayed by Fg Offr Sekhon in the face of certain death have set new heights to Air Force tradition. The "Param Vir Chakra" (the nation's highest gallantry award) was posthumously awarded to Flying Officer N.J.S. Sekhon.


Courtesy: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=15263395

Naib Subedar Bana Singh

Naib Subedar Bana Singh, born in Kadyal, Jammu on 6 January 1949, was enrolled in the Indian Army on 6 January 1969 into the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI). During June 1987, the 8 JAK LI, was deployed in the Siachen area. It was then found that a large number of Pakistani infiltrators had intruded in the Siachen Glacier.

The Pakistani intrusion had taken place at a height of 6500 metres. The enemy post was virtually an impregnable glacier fortress with ice walls, 457 metres high, on either side. Naib Subedar Bana Singh led his men through an extremely difficult and hazardous route. He inspired them by his courage and leadership. He and his men crawled and closed in on the adversary. Lobbing hand-grenades, charging with a bayonet and moving from trench to trench, he cleared the post of all intruders. Naib Subedar Bana Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, for conspicuous bravery and leadership under most adverse conditions.

Courtsey: http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=29241238

Major Pitambare

I asked him why don't you take a transfer outside Kashmir. He said his country needs him the most there. I again felt proud and envious of him.

On the night of November 27, Major Pitambare (3rd Para SF) was leading an operation to nab Suhail Faisal alias Mohammad Ashraf Shah, the supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.
Major Manish got the information from his sources about the terrorists’ whereabouts. Wasting no time he attacked the camp killed the terrorist and in the process lost his life. He has a wife and a daughter- age 8 months.
Major Manish never said ‘I have a daughter’ before he took the decision to attack the terrorist hide out on the darkest of nights? He never thought about having a family and he being the sole bread earner.

THIS PLACE IS TO PAY HOMAGE TO ONE OF THE BRAVEST SON'S OF MOTHER INDIA! SO THAT AT LEAST A FEW PEOPLE REMEMBER HIS NAME.. FOREVER.

WE ALL SALUTE YOU SIR!!
LONG LIVE THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT!!

SHATRUJEET!!

JAI HIND!!

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