Kargil hero Capt Vikram Batra’s mother passes away

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New Delhi, February 14

Kamal Batra, mother of Param Vir Chakra (PVC) awardee Capt Vikram Batra, died following a heart attack at her family home in Palampur this afternoon. She was 77. Capt Batra was awarded the PVC for his gallantry in the Kargil War with Pakistan in 1999.

Vishal Batra, Capt Vikram’s younger identical twin, said that the cremation was planned for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed sorrow and condolences over Kamal’s passing away. “The entire state stands in solidarity with the Batra family in this difficult time,” he said.

Lt Gen YK Joshi (retd), who was Capt Batra’s Commanding Officer during the Kargil War, described Kamal as “soft spoken, very polite and humble”. Lt Gen Joshi was a Lt Colonel when he led the troops of 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. Capt Batra captured Peak Point 4,875 (altitude of the peak in metres), which is now known as ‘Batra Top’. At Point 4,875,

Gen VP Malik (retd), in his book ‘Kargil: From Surprise to Victory’, states that Capt Batra, who after killing four Pakistani soldiers in a hand-to-hand fight and the capture of Point 5,140, called his Commanding Officer and radioed the victory code: “Yeh Dil Mange More”.