Our Hero

Param Vir Chakra

Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous), 4 KUMAON (1947) 

Naik Jadunath Singh (Posthumous), 1 RAJPUT (1948) 

2nd Lt Rama Raghoba Rane, BOMBAY ENGINEER (1948) 

CHM Piru Singh (Posthumous), 6 RAJ RIF (1948)

Lance Naik Karam Singh, 1 SIKH (1948) 

Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria (Posthumous), 3/1 GR (1961) 

Major Dhan Singh Thapa, 1/8 GR (1962) 

Subedar Joginder Singh (Posthumous), 1 SIKH (1962)

Major Shaitan Singh (Posthumous) 13 KUMAON (1962) 

CQMH Abdul Hamid (Posthumous), 4GRENADIERS (1965)

 

Lt Col AB Tarapore (Posthumous), 17 HORSE (1965) 

L/Naik Albert Ekka (Posthumous) 14 GUARDS (1971)

2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal (Posthumous), 17 HORSE (1971) 

Major Hoshiar Singh, 3 GRENADIERS (1971) 

Naib Subedar Bana Singh, 8 JAK LI (1987)

 

Major R Parameswaran (Posthumous), 8 MAHAR (1987)

Capt Vikram Batra (Posthumous), 13 JAK RIF (1999)

 

Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey (Posthumous), 1/11GR (1999) 

Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, 18 GRENADIERS (1999) 

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK RIF (1999)

Our Hero

Naik Jadunath Singh (Posthumous), 1 RAJPUT (1948)

Naik Jadunath Singh, was born on 21 November 1916 in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was enrolled in the 1 Rajput on 21 November 1941. During the Jammu & Kashmir operations in the winter of 1947, the capture of Jhangar on December 24th, by the Pakistani raiders, placed them in an advantageous position in the Naushahra sector. Being in full command of the communication lines from Mirpur to Poonch, they could now build up their forces for the attack on Naushahra. The Army was alive to this threat. In January 1948, they conducted operations to prevent the enemy build up in the area and in the process occupied Kot village to the Northwest of Naushahra. In any case, an attack on Naushahra was imminent. Brigadier Usman of the 50 Para Brigade had made adequate preparation to thwart this attack by establishing strong pickets on possible enemy approaches. One of these approaches lays to the north of Naushahra through Tain dhar.

The expected enemy attack came on the foggy morning of February 6th, at 0640 hrs. The enemy started the attack by opening fire from their pickets on the Taindhar ridge on an Indian patrol. Simultaneously, the whole of Tain dhar and the surrounding hills became live with bursts of machine gun and crunches of mortar fire. Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness, the enemy crept up to the Indian pickets. In the first light of dawn, the men on the post saw thousands of hostiles creeping up to them. On the crucial day of February 6th, Naik Jadunath Singh was in command of a forward post of picket No.2 at Taindhar. 9 men garrisoned the post.

The enemy launched their attack in successive waves to take this post. At this juncture, Naik Jadunath Singh displayed great valor & superb leadership and used his small force in such a manner that the enemy retreated in utter confusion. When four of his men were wounded he re-organized the battered force for meeting another onslaught. The post did not give in despite its being outnumbered. When all men including him were wounded, he personally took over the been gun from the wounded Bren-gunner. The enemy was now right on the walls of the post. Naik Jadunath Singh, unmindful of personal safety encouraged his men to fight. His fire was so devastating that what looked like a certain defeat was turned into a victory. Thus the post was saved a second time.

By now all men of the post had turned into casualties. The enemy put in his third and final attack determined to capture the post. Naik Jadunath Singh, wounded and alone, rose to give a battle for the third time. He came out of the Sangar and firing his Sten gun charge on the advancing enemy. The surprised enemy fled in disorder. He met a gallant death, in this third and last charge, when two enemy bullets pierced him in the head and the chest. At a most critical stage in the battle for the defence of Naushahra, he saved his picket from being overrun by the enemy. Naik Jadunath Singh was honored with the highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

Our Hero

Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous), 4 KUMAON (1947)

Major Somnath Sharma, son of Major General Amarnath Sharma, was born on 31 January 1923, in Himachal Pradesh. He was commissioned in the Kumaon Regiment on 22 February 1942. During the Second World War, he had fought in the Arakan Operations. His brother, General V.N. Sharma, served as the Chief of Army Staff during 1988 to 1990. On 22 October 1947, Pakistan launched the tribal invasion of Jammu & Kashmir. The intention was to grab the Kashmir valley by force. As the State became a part of the Union on October 26th, her protection became the responsibility of India . To save the State from a tribal invasion, which was approaching the valley at a very fast pace, India dispatched troops to Srinagar . The first batch of Indian troops reached just in time on October 27th morning to stop the enemy on the outskirts of Srinagar .

The D Company of 4 Kumaon, led by Major Somnath Sharma, was airlifted to Srinagar on October 31st. When his company was asked to move to Srinagar , Major Sharma's arm was in plaster. He had suffered a fracture on the hockey ground and was advised rest till the plaster was removed. But he insisted on being with his company at this crucial hour and was allowed to go. Meanwhile, the 1 Sikh at Patan had blunted the main thrust of the tribal invasion of Srinagar . The enemy now resorted to guerilla tactics to sneak into the valley. But the induction of more troops into Srinagar enables the Army to take care of the surrounding areas better. On November 3rd, a strong fighting patrol comprising 3 companies was dispatched to reconnoiter the Bagdam area to look for raiders approaching Srinagar from the northern direction. By 0930 hrs the troops had established a firm base at Bagdam.

As no enemy was seen during patrolling, two companies moved back to Srinagar by 1400 hrs. D Coy led by Major Sharma, which had taken up position south of Bagdam, was, however, asked to stay on in the area till 1500 hours. At 1435 hours, D Coy was subjected to firing from some houses of Bagdam village. The Coy did not return fire for fear of killing innocent people of the village. While Major Sharma was discussing this threat with the Brigade Commander, a large force of the enemy, about 700 strong, appeared from a depression to the west of his position. It attacked the coy with small arms, mortars and heavy automatics. The accurate and devastating fire of the enemy inflicted heavy casualties on D Coy. Major Somnath Sharma understood the gravity of the situation and the imminent threat to both Srinagar town and the airfield was looming large before his eyes. He rushed across the open ground to his sections, exposing himself to enemy fire. He also laid out panels to guide IAF aircraft to their targets in the face of enemy fire. The company held on for six hours against heavy odds.

When heavy casualties adversely affected the firing power of the company, Major Sharma, with his right hand in plaster, took upon himself the task of filling the magazines and issuing them to men, operating light machine guns. While he was busy fighting the enemy, a mortar shell exploded on the ammunition near him. His last message to Brigade HQ, received a few moments before he was killed was, "The enemy are only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I shall not withdraw an inch but will fight to our last man and our last round." His answer is now part of the Army lore. In the battle of Bagdam, Major Sharma, one JCO and 20 other ranks were killed. But their sacrifices did not go in vain. He and his men stemmed the tide of the enemy advance on Srinagar and the airfield for some very crucial hours. He has set an example of courage and qualities, seldom equaled in the history of the Indian Army. Major General Amarnath Sharma received India 's first and highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra, on behalf of his brave son.