The Story of Param Vir Chakra, Captain Vikram Batra

Vikram Batra was born on 9 September 1974 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. He has done his scooling from D.A.V. Public School in Palampur. He received his senior secondary education at Central School, Palampur.During the graduation course in 1995, he was selected for the merchant navy, but he ultimately opted for the Indian Army. In 1996, his dream was fulfilled when he cleared the CDS examination with flying colours and joined the Indian Military Academy where he was commissioned as a lieutenant. His first posting was in the town of Sapore in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

During the Kargil invasion of 1999 by Pakistan, (at the time) Lt. Batra, 13 JAK Rifles, and his Delta Company were ordered to recapture peak 5140 on June 19, five weeks after the war began. Nicknamed Sher Sha of Kargil, Lt. Batra showed exceptional courage and intellect to capture the peak. He single-handedly killed three enemy fighters in dangerous close-range combat. Regardless of his injuries, Captain Batra regrouped his men to pave the way for Indian soldiers to advance further in the Kargil war. He was also known as the Sher Shah of Kargil. It was in the year 1999 in the month of June when Pakistan invaded Kargil, Captain Vikram Batra lost his life. Lt Batra was assigned to capture the peak 4875. It was clearly a death trap because the Pakistanis could get a clear view. On 7th July 1999, he went on a mission to rescue one of his army soldiers. He pushed away the subedaar saying that, “You have a wife and kids at home…” He was shot by the enemies and that was the time Vikram Batra took his last breath. His final words were, “Jai Mata Di”. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra in the year 1999 on the occasion of 15thAugust 1999. It is the highest honour in the military. This great soldier will always remain alive in the hearts of Indians who are safe in their houses.

By: Swati Kaushal

Content: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Batra