He had joined the army for the express purpose of one day winning the Param Veer Chakra. This is what Manoj Kumar Pandey had told his assessor when he was interviewed by the Services Selection Board. The irony was that by virtue of his extraordinary courage and leadership, he did indeed win the nation’s highest military honour; but posthumously. He was a part of the of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles and is spoken of by those who knew him as a positive person with a great desire to learn and experience new things. He held the belief that everyone can do something great and inspirational; something he managed to prove to the world by virtue of his valour.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey during the Kargil War
Jubar Top is considered to be one of the key strategic locations in the Kargil sector and it was this peak that Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey is credited with recapturing. He and the men he commanded successfully drove back intruders by charging towards enemy positions along a difficult narrow, and treacherous ridge which would have added an element of surprise. In spite of him and his men coming under enemy fire as they closed in on their objective, they continued to charge literally dodging a shower of bullets.
He was wounded in the leg and the shoulder but he carried on until he reached his objective. It is known that he engaged in hand to hand combat that resulted in two of the enemy being killed. This was so motivating and inspiring for the men that he led that the Indian troops then pressed their advantage to capture Jubar Top. Tragically though this soldier who led his troops undaunted, finally succumbed to his injuries on 3rd July 1999 at the Bunker Ridge, Khalubar, in the Batalik sector of Kargil. It is believed that the daredevilry of Capt Pandey led to the ultimate capture of Khalubar.
He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra in 1999 posthumously
According to Colonel Lalit Rai, Commanding Officer of Captain Manoj’s unit 1/11 Gorkha Rifles “Even in their death, there was glory, because their rifles were pointing towards the enemy bunkers, which were empty by then and the frozen fingers squeezing the triggers. Capt. Manoj Pandey was one among those brave men.”
It is only fitting that the last words of this fearless soldier were “Na chhodnu” (meaning don’t spare them in Nepali).
Author – Reena Daruwalla
This article is a part of a series on the brave hearts of the Kargil War – these are heroes India has either forgotten about or has never heard of. This series is our tribute to our country’s men and women in uniform ahead of Kargil Divas (26 July).
