He was just 19 years old when he was awarded the nation’s highest military honour; the Param Vir Chakra on this day in 1999 for his valour during the Kargil War. Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav was and to this day remains the youngest recipient of the decoration. The son of Karan Singh Yadav of the Kumaon Regiment, who was a part of the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan wars; the army and excelling on the battlefield was perhaps a natural progression for him. The incredible bravery of this soldier was also portrayed in the film Lakshya, (about the capture of Tiger Hill) starring Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Bajpai who essayed the role of Yadav in the film.
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav in the Kargil War
Seen here with two other PVC winners Subedar Major Honorary Captain Bana Singh and Rifleman Sanjay Kumar
He is known as The Hero of Tiger Hill, a key post during the Kargil War. Early on 4th July morning in 1999, the 18 Grenadiers battalion along with the Ghatak Commando Platoon was entrusted the task of capturing three bunkers along Tiger Hill. Approach was via an icy, vertical cliff face and Yogendra Singh Yadav volunteered to lead his team up towards the enemy using ropes to scale the vertical climb. Halfway up our soldiers came under heavy fire and Yadav took three bullets to his groin and shoulder. Undaunted, he continued to climb and gave the other soldiers time to complete their accent up the cliff. He continued facing a hail of bullets when he reached top, and proceed to the first bunker where he killed several of the enemy by lobbing a grenade into the bunker.
He then charged on to the second bunker, engaged in hand to hand combat and suffered more bullet injuries. His platoon was ultimately triumphant in recapturing Tiger Hill. Amazingly, he survived 15 bullet injuries and two grenade wounds and finally recovered after 16 months in hospital.
“Every deadly bullet has a name engaged on it”
Now 36, Subedar Yadav recalls the events of Kargil 17 years ago as if they had occurred yesterday. He believes that every deadly bullet has a name engraved on it. He has lost countless fellow soldiers to the war; men who were dearer to him than his own brothers and whose memories live on inside him. There are also those men who survived the war but cannot move or walk anymore, he recalled in an interview a few years ago.
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)
