Kargil war heroes honoured

NEW DELHI, JAN. 22. They saw death and destruction from close quarters together and in fact, participated in the killing spree which claimed 24 lives.

Today, they were the centre of media attraction, with their chests standing out and heads held high with pride.

Beaming at the attention, Paramvir Chakra Awardee, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav and his company Commander, Mahavir Chakra Awardee, Captain Balwan Singh, who played a key role in capturing Tiger Hill in Drass subsector of Kargil in early July, are humility-personified.

So is Rifleman, Mr. Sanjay Kumar of 13 Jammu and Kashmir (JAK) Rifles, the other PVC Awardee who came back alive from the Kargil war after a brilliant operation on point 4875. ``We just did our job,'' they say, when asked how they feel.

The three soldiers, as also Major Sonam Wangchuk (MVC) of Ladakh Scouts and the parents of late Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey (PVC) of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles were present at a press briefing on the Army contingent at the Republic Day parade this year.

Gdr. Yadav, who is recovering from 15 bullet wounds and still has his hand in a sling, feels he has fulfilled a promise he made to his father.

As a child, he was enthralled by the tales of wars his father fought and always wanted to be a soldier and go to war.

That he would earn the country's highest gallantry award in the process was something he had perhaps not even dreamt of. But now, Gdr. Yadav has a dream to fulfil: to get commissioned as an officer.

The father of Capt. Pandey, Mr. Gopichand, says he and his family are still trying to come to terms with the tragedy.

Losing their son, a promising sportsman and upcoming officer but above all a ``wonderful human being,'' would be quite difficult for the Pandeys, but they are happy that both the Army and the Government have taken very good care of them.

``One phone call and they come. I have not had to worry about anything,'' Mr. Gopichand Pandey says.

Rfn. Sanjay Kumar has got engaged and is excited about his marriage, scheduled for April. He too wants to become an officer through the Army Cadet College (ACC) entry scheme.

Captain Balwan, a `kid' who had barely seen three months of service when he fought in Kargil, wants to ``wait for sometime'' before he ties the knot. But proposals have already started pouring in, he says, blushing.

But for the moment, their attention is on the parade, during which the President will pin the medals on the two PVC awardees and present the medals of their sons to parents of Captains Manoj Kumar Pandey and Vikram Batra of 13 JAK.

- PTI

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : PM announces Rs.10,271-cr. package for North-East