Vikram Batra, a man of his word

Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd)

The Indian Tricolour flies not because the wind moves it, but with the last breath of each Indian soldier, who died protecting it. 

Capt Vikram Batra was one such soldier, a son of India, nurtured by the soil that produces not just the best of apples, but the bravest of the braves, too! 

Born on September 9, 1974, at Palampur in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, Vikram did his senior secondary from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Palampur, and after his graduation from DAV College, Chandigarh, he joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, from where he was commissioned into the 13th Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (referred as 13 Jak Rif) in December 1997. 

In April 1999, Pakistan breached the provisions of 1972 Shimla Agreement and violated the sanctity of the Line of Control (LOC) by infiltrating regular soldiers from its Northern Light Infantry (NLI) into the Indian territory. The intruders occupied the unoccupied areas on the Indian side of the LOC in Kargil district. Besides occupying the dominating heights, their aim was also to sever the Srinagar-Leh National Highway (NH-1 A) to isolate Kargil district and cut India's lifeline to Leh, to eventually choke the supply and reinforcement to Siachen Glacier. 

When the intrusions by the NLI were established beyond doubt, plans were made to evict Pakistani intruders from the Indian side of the LOC as early as possible. As Kargil war progressed, the gallantry of Vikram did not remain confined to the Indian borders. 

Messages intercepted on the wireless revealed that even Pakistanis were not oblivious of his dare devilry and referred to him as 'Sher Shah'. The bravery of a soldier can transcend even the man-made borders. In the course of war, true to the enemy's referral, Vikram lived, and died, fearlessly, as Sher Shah. For his unparalleled feats of most conspicuous personal gallantry, exceptional junior leadership and selfless devotion to duty, Captain Vikram Batra was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry decoration. 

Girdhari Lal and Kamal Kanta Batra, parents of Vikram Batra, recall: "Around 7 am on June 21, 1999, we got a call from Vicky that he has captured Pt 5140. The voice was unclear and we registered only the word 'captured' and got extremely worried. We immediately asked: "Beta how? Kaise hua, kahan ho, theek to ho? He sensed our anxiety and repeated deliberately that his company has finally captured Pt 5140.” Feeling relieved, the mother said: "Beta, mata rani ka naam lekar bahaduri se lado aur apni paltan aur desh ka naam roshan karo (Son, think of the goddess, fight bravely and make your paltan and country proud). The doting son that he was, Vikram did what his mother had told him to do. After his first encounter with the enemy, wherein he single-handedly killed four intruders, in a TV interview, Vikram expressed his hunger for killing more intruders by saying: "Ye dil mange more." These four words became an instant hit with the youth and made him a hero and their role model, too. Someone asked him once as to when was the war ending and when was he returning home. The brave heart then said: "Main wapas aaunga, zaroor aaunga, ya to Tiranga pahraake aaunga, ya phir Tirange mein lipat ke aaunga, par aaunga zaroor." Vikram, a man of his word, lived up to the promise he made to his loved ones. He did return, but wrapped in a Tiranga.

(The writer is a veteran Gunner, 6 Field Regiment)

The battle account of his gallantry 

During 'Operation Vijay', the Kargil War, on June 20, 1999, Capt Vikram Batra, commanding 'D' company of 13 Jak Rif, was tasked to attack and capture Pt 5140 in Dras sub-sector. The enemy holding the feature was well-entrenched and armed with modern sophisticated weapons. The operation involved negotiating steep and vertical cliffs to reach the objective. Capt Batra organised his company column in assault and support groups. He convinced his men that they all were invincible and motivated them to physically assault the strongly held position. After stealthily reaching short of the objective, Vikram led the assault group and pounced upon the enemy like a lion (sher). In the hand-to-hand fight that followed, he single-handedly bayoneted four intruders. His men did what was expected of them. Raw courage, dogged determination and daredevilry of Capt Batra and his men won the day for 13 Jak Rif for within a matter of half-an-hour of fighting. Pt 5140 was recaptured and secured. Capt Batra repeated his unparalleled act of bravery barely 17 days later. On July 7, 1999, he volunteered in assaulting and recapturing of area north of Pt 4875, from where the enemy interfered actively in his battalion's conduct of further operations. He led the assault yet again and in the fierce hand-to-hand close combat, he killed five enemy soldiers. Despite grievous injuries, he refused to get evacuated and led his men to the next enemy sangar (improvised bunker made of stones) hurling grenades and firing as he charged. Despite stiff resistance from well-entrenched enemy, he rallied his men and accomplished a task, which till then was considered militarily impossible. He was mortally wounded during the fight and breathed his last, but not before hearing his men cry 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Durge Mata Ki Jai' and simultaneously raising the Indian Tricolour atop Pt 4875. 

(from J&K Rifles archives)