“I’ll either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it, but I will come for sure.”

These are Late Captain Vikram Batra’s last words of to a friend before leaving for war. Captain Vikram Batra, the hero of the Kargil War, laid down his life for our India. Vikram Batra evoked such fear in the hearts of enemy that he was often called as ‘Sher Shah’ in the intercepted messages of the Pakistan army.

During the Kargil invasion of 1999 by Pakistan, Lt. Batra (at time) was ordered to recapture peak 5140 on June 19, 1999 five weeks after the war began. The Pakistani camp on the peak was filled with enemy soldiers and all of Batra’s men made it alive to the top of the peak with a decisive victory. The captain elated with capturing the peak at the time famously told his commander at the base camp – ‘Yeh Dil Maangey More’. The capture of peak 5140 led to the fall of Tiger Hill and India’s eventual hold on the valley got stronger.

Vikram Batra’s next mission was to recapture peak 4875. This was one of the most difficult peaks to capture as the Pakistani troops sat above the peak at 16000 feet and the climb gradient was 80 degrees. The fog made matters worse for Batra and his team. The enemy sitting above the peak got to know of Batra’s arrival and he was heavily wounded in combat. Batra died on July 7, 1999 when he was only 24 years-old. By the morning of 8th July 1999, India had recaptured peak 4875 but lost Captain Vikram Batra.

It is believed that during the rescue attempt, he pushed aside the injured officer saying, “You have children, step aside.”

In his remembrance, Captain Batra’s name is used by the Indian Army for various constructions and cantonments. Vikram Batra was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honor.

Let’s Remember the Brave Heart of Indian Army on his Death Anniversary. Jai Hind.