Tiger Hill martyrs to be remembered

Tribune News Service

Mandi/Shimla, July 3

The “Ye Dil Maange More” war cry of Capt Vikram Batra, a Paramvir Chakra winner (posthumously), and war hero Brig Kushal Thakur, who is immortalised by JP Dutta’s LOC Kargil, will be relived tomorrow when the country stands up to salute the brave soldiers, celebrating the 16 anniversary of the Tiger Hill battle during the 1999 Kargil war.

The exceptional courage of the 18 Grenadiers had pushed the enemy back at Tiger Hill and unfurled the Tricolour on the mountain top 16 years ago on July 4, 1999. This had changed the course of the Kargil War, leading India to the final victory on July 26, 1999, said Brig Khushal Thakur (retd), then Colonel who commanded the 18 Grenadiers.

Ex-servicemen from the 18 Grenadiers regiment of the region will pay homage to the martyrs.

During the Kargil War, the 18 Grenadiers was assigned the task of recapturing Tololing and Tiger Hill in the Dras sector from the Pakistan army. While the Tololing peak was recaptured on June 13-14, 1999, Tiger Hill was recaptured on July 4, 1999, after 36 hours of the fierce battle.

Tiger Hill is a formidable mountain at 17,500 feet which interfered with the moment of troops and logistics taking place on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The Pakistani had occupied Tiger Hill.

Brig Thakur said the 18 Grenadiers was tasked to evict the enemies and captured the hill.

“The strategy employed was a three-pronged attack with a hook to snap the enemy supply lines and use battalion commandos, known as ‘Ghataks’, under Lieutenant Balwan Singh from the rear of the Tiger Hill, using most difficult and unsuspected approach to gain the element of surprise. This worked and incessant volley of artillery fires from 120 guns caught the enemy by surprise and shook their defence.

Hawaldar Yogender Yadav and Lieutenant Balwan Singh led the attack on the Tiger Hill top with Ghataks and the soldiers closely following captured the Tiger Hill on July 4, 1999, inflicting heavy casualities on the enemy. During hand-to-hand fight, nine soldiers got martyred and more than 20 soldiers got injured. For outstanding bravery and sacrifice, Havaldar Yogender Yadav was awarded the nation’s highest gallantry award of Param Veer Chakra and Lieutenant Balwan Singh was awarded Maha Veer Chakra.

The 18 Grenadiers became a part of history during the Kargil War and it earned 52 gallantry awards and one Paramvir Chakra, two Mahavir Chakras to Lieutenant Balwan Singh and Major Rajesh Adhikari, six Vir Chakra, one Yudh Seva Medal, 16 Sena Medals and many others. This was a record of maximum gallantry awards won by one unit in single military operation. Besides, the unit was awarded Theatre Honour Kargil, Battle Honour (Tiger Hill & Tololing) by the President and the Unit Citation by then Chief of Army Staff General VP Malik.

During the Kargil War, the 18 Grenadiers was assigned the task of recapturing Tololing and Tiger Hill in the Dras sector from the Pakistan army. While the Tololing peak was recaptured on June 13-14, 1999, Tiger Hill was recaptured on July 4, 1999, after 36 hours of the fierce battle.   

Tiger Hill is a formidable mountain at 17,500 feet which interfered with the moment of troops and logistics taking place on the Srinagar-Leh highway. The Pakistani had occupied Tiger Hill.