tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90171864503884749032024-03-05T18:36:02.675-08:00Indian MartyrTHEY GAVE THEIR TODAY FOR OUR TOMORROWAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-18346939636198577952011-11-02T10:49:00.000-07:002011-11-02T10:49:31.752-07:00Lt Col Shanti Swarup Rana<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ISVVNaU46OaLnemoHCdW07PM96NZYYj_4QYhC-6nJo5HqS2JmHRU6qEqkOqxb0GF6TqY157gyvwojM43nNVFi1XKrbpANSlNxd-cqWMXcTVaVkC2aYp0ku71A14Ojqty2r6DwWjQ_hW8/s1600/Singh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ISVVNaU46OaLnemoHCdW07PM96NZYYj_4QYhC-6nJo5HqS2JmHRU6qEqkOqxb0GF6TqY157gyvwojM43nNVFi1XKrbpANSlNxd-cqWMXcTVaVkC2aYp0ku71A14Ojqty2r6DwWjQ_hW8/s1600/Singh.jpg" /></a></div>Lieutenant Colonel Shanti Swarup Rana was commissioned on 11 June 1977 in the Bihar Regiment. On 02 November 1996, Lt Col Swarup Rana while serving with 13 RR was entrusted with the task of destroying two terrorist camps in the Hephrude forest of Kupwara District in Jammu & Kashmir. He spotted four well fortified hideouts stocked heavily with arms and ammunition including tonnes of explosives. In a gallant and swift strike, he destroyed these hideouts. One more well concealed hideout came to his notice. During the action that followed, the terrorists resorted to heavy firing from their well fortified bunker. Lt Col Rana organised his troops, crawled towards the bunker and threw hand grenades inside. Two foreign mercenaries came out firing heavily. He killed both of them instantaneously.<br />
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Meanwhile, the terrorists seriously injured Lt Col Rana in heavy firing from another location. In spite of this, the gallant officer kept on boosting the morale of his soldiers. When one more terrorist advanced towards the soldiers, Lt Col Rana without caring for this own life, charged and killed him in a hand-to-hand encounter. In this action, this gallant officer sustained fatal bullet injuries and made the supreme sacrifice. Lt Col Rana displayed indomitable courage, patriotism and gallantry of the highest order. For this act of indomitable courage, Lt Col SS Rana was awarded the ASHOKA CHAKRA posthumously<br />
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<b>Biodata</b><br />
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1. Rank & Name - Lt Col Shanti Swarup Rana, AC (Posthumously)<br />
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2. Unit/Regt - 13 RR Bn/BIHAR REGT<br />
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3. Name of Award - Ashok Chakra<br />
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4. Theatre of Ops - OP RAKSHAK<br />
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5. Year of Awards - 26 Jan 1997<br />
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6. City/ State of which belonged - Panchkula / Haryana</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-62342269970211724892011-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:002011-08-25T09:47:26.644-07:00Lt. Navdeep Singh - foiled a major infiltration bid from LOC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI74bdSNrIuwwy8TJd9Py-UQ9HfSBlx1TTGw2_SCsu_EyTclENAcqyc5iX4Iy2b-TE-AkhofsCGUfLzXHohHPWYDAI4m4aNJmmmKVbd84Sr5yS8B4irmAz-aewhJEyGXYEDbvJ7SW-hXcg/s1600/navdeep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI74bdSNrIuwwy8TJd9Py-UQ9HfSBlx1TTGw2_SCsu_EyTclENAcqyc5iX4Iy2b-TE-AkhofsCGUfLzXHohHPWYDAI4m4aNJmmmKVbd84Sr5yS8B4irmAz-aewhJEyGXYEDbvJ7SW-hXcg/s1600/navdeep.jpg" /></a></div><br />
SRINAGAR: In first of its kind this year, army foiled a major infiltration bid from across along Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir on Saturday morning.<br />
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Twelve militants and an Army officer, Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, were killed and two jawans sustained injuries during the encounter, a Srinagar based defence spokesman Lt Col JS Brar said.<br />
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He said large group of heavily-armed militants was trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from Gurez Valley from across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in last night but the alert troops challenged the armed terrorists who opened fire and in the ensuing gun-battle five terrorists were killed while others fled back, Lt Col Brar added.<br />
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Lt Col Brar said, “Today morning, in the wee hours, at around 1am, our alert troops deployed on the LoC near Bagtor village in Gurez Sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir intercepted a group of militants trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The group was intercepted when they were trying to cross the Kishanganga River in a Pneumatic boat. Kishanganga River at many places is the de-facto Line of Control between the two sides.”<br />
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“This is certainly a new development. The militants were also carrying an inflatable five-man dinghy. When contacted while crossing, a heavy exchange of gunfire ensued. While they tried to come ashore, six terrorists were killed and they fell into the river. Six more terrorists were killed near the shore in a fierce encounter. Five AK rifles, one pistol, two boats, 50 assorted grenades, two radio sets, two compasses and one global positioning system besides a large quantity of war like stores were recovered till reports last came in,” he added.<br />
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“In this operation, we lost a gallant officer, Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, besides injury to two of our jawans. A lively 26 year old officer, Navdeep was commissioned in March this year into the Army Ordnance Corps and was serving in 15th Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry.</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-82356167070316255762011-08-16T09:15:00.000-07:002011-08-16T09:15:50.450-07:00Chandrasekhar Azad | india independence martyrs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQvrZT3ZgjmlQN-wcULXfeXUVU-2aHf3hcQh48_vJGpuFfo1Cr5KwfXNn4PMoJQ2X_VGi2zVIwGIa8aIknTcPNlqvaFxiPMsRqTxZPSa0iKpMldgIv_lBLd6I6ZZR5MTDxg2nEj97I3mN/s1600/chandra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQvrZT3ZgjmlQN-wcULXfeXUVU-2aHf3hcQh48_vJGpuFfo1Cr5KwfXNn4PMoJQ2X_VGi2zVIwGIa8aIknTcPNlqvaFxiPMsRqTxZPSa0iKpMldgIv_lBLd6I6ZZR5MTDxg2nEj97I3mN/s1600/chandra.jpg" /></a></div>Chandra Shekhar Tiwari popularly known as Azad, was born on 23 July 1906 at Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh, India at and died while battling against the British on 27 February 1931 at the age of 24 in Alfred Bagh of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Azad is one of the most important and leading Indian revolutionaries, who reorganised the Hindustan Republican Association after the death of its founder Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and three other party pillars (Thakur Roshan Singh, Rajendra Nath Lahiri and Ashfaqulla Khan) with the support of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Bhagwati Charan Vohra under the new name of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). He was the mentor of Bhagat Singh and chief strategist of the HSRA.<br />
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<b>Early Life</b><br />
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Chandra Shekhar Azad, the most powerful man rendered his life for the sake of India and its freedom, he is most often called Pandit Ji by his partymen after the death of Bismil as a token of regard, was an armed revolutionary. After the first Indian Rebellion of 1857, he was one amongst the many Indian revolutionaries to use arms in their fight for independence against the British rulers. He was born to an impoverished Brahmin family. He believed that it was his prime duty (Dharm in Hindustani) to fight for the right of others. It was also his belief that a soldier never relinquishes his weapon.<br />
Chandra Shekhar Azad was born on July 23,1906 in Bhabra,dist. Alirajpur Madhya Pradesh,India . His father, Pandit Sita Ram Tiwari, was serving in Alirajpur State- former princessly state of Madhya Pradesh in British India and stayed there at Bhavra village where this child, whose nick name was Chandu used to play with the orphans of Bhil tribes. He learnt from them the natural archery and shooting of birds and forest animals. His mother Jagrani Devi wanted to make her son a great Sanskrit scholar, so she pressurised his father to send him to Kashi Vidyapeeth, Benaras for studying Sanskrit. In December 1921, when Mohandas K. Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement, many students came out of their schools and colleges to join the movement. Chandra Shekhar was also one of them, who not only actively participated in the protest movement, but also faced the brutal conflict with the police. As a result he was arrested and received his first punishment at the teen age of fifteen and a half years. For this act of civil disobedience, when the magistrate asked his name, he immediately replied- "Azad" meaning bondless. When he was asked to tell his father's name, he told- "Swatantra" meaning self-esteemed. The magistrate became annoyed and asked in a rough tone- "Where is thy abode?" Without any hesitation he answered- "Jailkhana" meaning prison. Then the magistrate tried to teach him a lesson for his nonsense replies. He immediately ordered him for a fifteen days' imprisonment. Over the punishment he again commented- "Sir! I had correctly mentioned my abode because I knew you will certainly keep me there." The people present in the court laughed very loudly over the reply of Chandra Shekhar. The magistrate, who had totally lost his temper asked the policemen to punish him with the strong strokes of fifteen lashes. With each stroke of the whip he shouted boldly- "Bharat Mata Ki Jai !" (en.hail my motherland). From that point onwards, Chandra Shekhar assumed the title of 'Azad' and came to be known as Chandra Shekhar 'Azad'.<br />
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<b>Revolutionary life</b><br />
After suspension of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 by Gandhi, Azad became more aggressive and violent. He committed himself to achieve complete independence by any means. To fulfil his commitment he was in search of an organisation. He met a young revolutionary Pranvesh Chatterji who introduced him to Ram Prasad who had till then formed the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), a revolutionary organisation. In the very first introduction Bismil was impressed by Azad, when he put his hand over the lighing lamp and did not remove till the smell of burning the skin did not spread all over the atmosphere. Bismil extinguished the lamp by firing a bullet from his pistol and embraced Azad. This is a true incidence of Shahjahanpur. He became active member of HRA and started participating in the actions of party to collect the funds for HRA These actions were nothing but the dacoities (en.robberies) in the party's code words. The ultimate aim of HRA was full Indian independence where there be equal right and equal opportunity to every one without caste, creed, religion or social status and Azad liked it since very beginning. He also wanted to build a new India based on socialist principles. Azad and his compatriots also planned and executed several acts of violence against the British. Most of his revolutionary activities were planned executed from Shahjahanpur which was the home town of Ram Prasad. He was physically involved in the famous Kakori Train Robbery of 1925. Later on in the attempt to blow up the Viceroy's train in 1926, and at last the shooting of J.P. Saunders at Lahore in 1928 to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.<br />
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<b>Daredevil's Death</b><br />
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In the last week of Feb, 1931 Azad went to Sitapur Jail and met Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. He had a hope in his mind that Vidyarthiji would do something in the case of Bhagat Singh and others as he had previously done in the Kakori conspiracy case. Vidyarthi suggested him to go to Allahabad and meet Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru because he would be more useful than any body else. If he is convinced he can persuade [Gandhi to talk to the Viceroy Lord Irwin in reaching an agreement with the British Government in the forthcoming Gandhi-Irwin Pact. Azad met Pandit Nehru in the early morning of 27 February 1931 at his residence Anand Bhawan in Allahabad. He tried to convince Nehru but the result was not fruitful. In stead of getting convinced by arguments Nehru asked Azad to leave his place go away from there. Azad could not tolerate it at all and moved away murmuring something in his mouth.<br />
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From Anand Bhawan he reached straightforward to the Alfred Park on his bicycle. He sat under a tree of Jamun (in. Hindi) after standing his bicycle behind the tree. He was discussing some confidential matter with Sukhdev Raj who was a man of his party. In the meantime a police jeep arrived there. Deputy Superintendent of Police Bisheshwar Singh alongwith S.S.P.(C.I.D.) John Nott-Bower got down from the jeep. Nott-Bower, by pointing his finger towards Azad, wanted to tell Bisheshwar Singh that this corpulent man is the exact person to whom he was informed just now by some reliable sources. Seeing a policeman pointing out his finger towards him, Azad immediately dragged out his Colt pistol from pocket and fired at the right wrist of S.S.P. John Nott-Bower. "What a wonderful shot!"- cried Sukhdev Raj and took the shelter of a tree at once. Looking his senior officer soaked in blood, Bisheshwar Singh abused Azad and called him with bad names. Immediately another bullet from Azad's pistol hit his mouth breaking the jaw of Bisheshwar Singh. Within a few minutes a huge number of policemen surrounded the whole ground of Alfred Park. During the initial encounter, Azad suffered a severe bullet wound in his right thigh, making it difficult for him to escape. But even than he made it possible for Sukhdev Raj to escape away by providing him a cover fire. After Sukhdev Raj escaped, Azad managed to keep the police at bay for a long time.<br />
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Finally, with only one bullet left in his pistol after being completely surrounded and outnumbered, Chandra Shekhar Azad shot himself, keeping his pledge to never be captured alive. However, British managed to fabricate the story in the police report as well as in Post Mortem record and stated that he was killed in the police encounter by a troop leaded by John Reginald Hornby Nott-Bower. This police officer was also awarded by King's Police Medal (KPM Award) in 1949 for encountering Chandra Shekhar Azad. According to the reliable sources a C.I.D. Inspector Ram Vadan Singh had given this information to Chowdhury Vishal Singh, the Officer-In-Charge of Colonelganj Police Station Allahabad that his S.S.P. alongwith one Dy.S.P. have been seriously injured from a severe attack by some Indian revolutionary. The police officers who came after the death of Azad did not approach his dead body for about half an hours. When a buckshot gun was fired into his tibia bone and no movement was noticed in the body only then the police could touch his dead body.[1] The secret file related to Azad is preserved in C.I.D. Headquarters, 1, Gokhale Marg, Lucknow. The Colt pistol of Chandra Shekhar Azad shown hereinabove on left hand side is displayed at the Azad Museum Allahabad alongwith a rare photo of his dead body, sketch of which is also given here on left hand side.<br />
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</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-9656776542269054182011-08-16T08:55:00.000-07:002011-08-16T09:01:05.803-07:00Sukhdev Thapar | india independence martyrs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VOuSz108bHaGY4Mw4ue06ddOv1hxRx0VhJ0TeOHpC3OxCTkh7OUXsBUawfF2RiYuKRW8JL4KD7RzKJtqOEa7nhV2q_7-1Je0OZKKrWP27X81Oz5PJ_mP3Rf0-FOrnPVL72J08d1wz2h2/s1600/sukhdev.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VOuSz108bHaGY4Mw4ue06ddOv1hxRx0VhJ0TeOHpC3OxCTkh7OUXsBUawfF2RiYuKRW8JL4KD7RzKJtqOEa7nhV2q_7-1Je0OZKKrWP27X81Oz5PJ_mP3Rf0-FOrnPVL72J08d1wz2h2/s1600/sukhdev.JPG" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Sukhdev Thapar </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">was born in Ludhiana, Punjab. He was an Indian freedom fighter who lived from 15 May 1907 to March 23, 1931) who was involved with Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru in the killing of a British police officer J.P. Saunders in 1928 in order to take revenge for the death of veteran leader Lala Lajpat Rai due to excessive police beating.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">All three were hanged in Lahore Central Jail on March 23, 1931 in the evening at 7.33 pm . The dead bodies were secretly taken away by breaking the back walls of the jail and were seceretly burnt on the banks of River Satluj at Hussainiwala about 50 miles away from Lahore. The bodies were cut into pieces to make the burial quick.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev was an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, being one of its most senior leaders. He is known to have started study circles at National College, (Lahore) in order to delve into India's past as well as to scrutinize the finer aspects of world revolutionary literature and the Russian Revolution. Along with Bhagat Singh, Comrade Ram Chandra and Bhagwati Charan Vohra, he started Naujawan Bharat Sabha at Lahore. The main aims of this organisation were to activate youth for freedom struggle, inculcate a rational scientific attitude, fight communalism and end the practice of untouchability.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev was deeply impressed by Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, and Chandrashekhar Azad.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev also participated in the 1929 Prison hunger strike to protest against the inhuman treatment of inmates.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">His letter to Mahatma Gandhi written just prior to his hanging, protesting against the latter's disapproval of revolutionary tactics, throws light on the disparities between the two major schools of thought among Indian freedom fighers.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Nevertheless, this relatively baseless contention does not detract from the tremendous courage, patriotism and self-sacrifice that Sukhdev Thapar embodifies, as is evident in the naming of College of Business Studies,Delhi University (Ranked 2nd in Asia for Undergraduate Management Studies) & a school after him, in his native Ludhiana (city in Punjab)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Legacy He was the principal accused in the Lahore Conspiracy Case of 1930, whose title reads "Crown versus Sukhdev and others".</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Born to Ralli Devi and Ram Lal Thapar at Mohalla Arya Samaj, Lyallpur on May 15, 1907, Sukhdev rose to fame along with comrades Bhagat Singh and Rajguru. Together, the trio shook the foundations of the British Empire.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Historical records show that Sukhdev was particularly content with the death sentence awarded to him. In a letter to Mahatma Gandhi, written some days prior to the hanging on March 23, 1931, he says, "The three prisoners of the Lahore conspiracy case who have been awarded capital punishment and who have incidentally gained greatest popularity in the country are not everything in the revolutionary party. In fact, the country will not gain as much by the change of their sentences as it would by their being hanged."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Arrested when the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army’s (HSRA) bomb factory was accidentally discovered in Lahore, Sukhdev was very happy with the revelation of their secret activities. He rejoiced at the stir it would create. When arrested, he had said, "It was a good thing that everything came to light. I consider my arrest a good luck for this reason." Sukhdev, though less popular and less written about than his best friend Bhagat Singh, was a fearless man of exceptional integrity, who cared about the smallest needs of his party and its members. Comrade Shiv Verma, who was awarded life imprisonment in the Lahore Conspiracy Case, writes of Sukhdev’s character in his memoirs, Sansmrityiaan, preserved with the National Archives, Delhi: "In reality, Bhagat was the political mentor of the Punjab party; Sukhdev was the organiser – one who built its edifice brick by brick..."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"Not much has been written about him. Despite the availability of original documents pertaining to that age, no one has seriously undertaken their writing. Truth has been a casualty and many details about the lives of revolutionaries like Sukhdev continue to be unknown. Sukhdev was, in fact, the prime accused in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. Being the Punjab chief of HSRA, he was the man behind Saunders’ murder and assembly bomb drop plot."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The first information report (FIR) of the Lahore Conspiracy Case, filed by Hamilton Harding, senior superintendent of police, in the court of R.S. Pandit, special magistrate in April 1929, mentions Sukhdev as accused number 1. It describes him as Swami alias villager, son of Ram Lal, caste Thapar Khatri. In a list of 25 accused, Bhagat is on the 12th position, while Rajguru is on the 20th position. It’s Sukhdev who leads the pack.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Another hardly known truth about the martyr is revealed through the judgment of the Lahore Conspiracy Case, 1930. Its title reads "In the court of The Lahore Conspiracy Case Tribunal, Lahore, constituted under Ordinance no III of 1930: The Crown – Complainant versus Sukhdev and others". The fact that Sukhdev, despite his indirect involvement in the conspiracy, was tried as principal accused, confirms his importance in HSRA. He was the mover of all major decisions.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The Lahore Conspiracy Case judgment places him in a new league. After gathering dust in the National Archives for seven decades, the full judgment was published in 2005 by Waraich and Gurdev Sidhu. Part of the book, The Hanging of Bhagat Singh, the judgment beautifully sums up Sukhdev’s role in the conspiracy. It states: "Sukhdev may be said to be the brains to the conspiracy while Bhagat Singh was its right arm. Sukhdev was an organizer and zealous in recruiting members and finding work suitable to the capacity of each. He was backward in taking part himself in acts of violence but he must be nonetheless held responsible for those acts to the execution of which his brains and organizing power made important contribution."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev was indeed singular in his focus of promoting the HSRA, of whose central committee he was a member. He was so driven by the party’s tenets that he didn’t hesitate to bet his best friend to achieve the party’s goals.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">A little known fact about the plan to drop bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in April 1929 is that HSRA’s central committee had first refused to send Bhagat for the job. Sukhdev was absent from the meeting where the decision was taken. The party feared sending Bhagat, as the Punjab police was after him for his involvement in Saunders murder. His arrest would have meant death.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">But Sukhdev would not but send the best man for the job, says Shiv Verma in his memoirs: "Sukhdev came after three days and opposed the decision tooth and nail. He was sure no one could convey HSRA’s goal as well as Bhagat. He went to Bhagat and called him a coward, one who was afraid to die. The more Bhagat refuted Sukhdev, the harsher Sukhdev became. Finally, Bhagat told Sukhdev that he was insulting him. Sukhdev retorted saying he was only doing his duty towards his friend. Hearing this, Bhagat told Sukhdev not to talk to him, and went away."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev had pushed his friend into jaws of death, writes Verma, adding: "The committee had to change its decision and Bhagat was chosen to drop the bombs. Sukhdev left for Lahore the same evening without saying a word. According to Durga Bhabhi, when he reached Lahore the next day, his eyes were swollen. He had wept bitterly all night over his decision. Such was Sukhdev – softer than a flower and harder than a stone. People only saw his harshness but he never complained. He always hid his feelings."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Much misunderstood, especially having broken the hunger strike twice without consulting his companions (as per Verma’s records), Sukhdev was rated over Bhagat in terms of his organisational and fellowship skills. Of him, his friends have said: "While Sukhdev was indifferent to his looks, he felt happy to dress his comrades. In this he was the reverse of Bhagat."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"He was equally stubborn and whimsical," states Waraich, pointing to the pen portrait of Sukhdev, written by an HSRA comrade. It states: Sukhdev once poured nitric acid over his left arm to remove "Om" tattooed thereon. This, he did to test his endurance. To remove the remaining marks, he hung his festering wounds over a candle flame."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Man of action</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Fierce patriotism and pragmatic action came together in a magical weave in Sukhdev, a true revolutionary. In his last letter dated October 7, 1930 to comrades (the day the judgment was pronounced), Sukhdev criticised mindless acts of violence and justified HSRA’s actions as the ones that sought to fulfill people’s aspirations.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">He wrote, "Take the case of Saunders murder. When Lala receive lathi blows, there was unrest in the country. This was a good opportunity to draw people’s attention towards the party. That’s how the murder was planned. To run away after the murder was not our plot. We wished to enlighten people that it was a political murder and its perpetrators were revolutionaries. Our actions were always in response to people’s grievances. We wanted to infuse revolutionary ideals in the public and the expression of such ideals looks more glorified from the mouth of one who stands on the gallows for the cause." A certified copy of this letter was sent by Punjab CID to the Home Department.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sukhdev’s letter to Gandhi is also a fine reflection of his ideals. "The aim of revolutionaries is to establish a socialist republic in the country. There is no possibility of even a slight amendment to this goal. I think you believe the revolutionaries are irrational people who enjoy destructive actions. I want to tell you that the truth is quite the opposite. They know their responsibilities and they hold the constructive elements high in their revolutionary constitution even though in the present circumstances, they have to attend to their destructive side only," he wrote.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">But for Sukhdev and his comrades, India’s dream of freedom would have remained distant. But for them, the poem of Jagdamba Prasad Mishr would have never come to life. Here are the verses Sukhdev and other revolutionaries died singing:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Watan ki aabru ka pas dekhen kaun karta hai,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Suna hai aaj matkal mein hamara imtihaan hoga;</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Shaheedon ki chitaon par judenge har baras mele,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Watan par mitne waalon ka yehi baaki nishan hoga;</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Kabhi yeh bhi din ayega jab apna raaj dekhenge,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Jab apni hi zameen hogi aur apna aasmaan hoga.</span></span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-15575523928448367132011-08-16T08:45:00.000-07:002011-08-16T08:45:52.878-07:00Hutatma Rajguru | india independence martyrs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg-BO0RWTFL7_s2DTgXzTO51cfFkXR0dA2VAnasHzdVwyQKkahrIn-nZnRyg1YGMCDm8ss28RYWp5wk-tzz6jLramGIjueS19e20o1T_yUgmbe8YIPwUyeEjm5hEQoxu1WkpscCOd3RKQ/s1600/rajguru" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg-BO0RWTFL7_s2DTgXzTO51cfFkXR0dA2VAnasHzdVwyQKkahrIn-nZnRyg1YGMCDm8ss28RYWp5wk-tzz6jLramGIjueS19e20o1T_yUgmbe8YIPwUyeEjm5hEQoxu1WkpscCOd3RKQ/s1600/rajguru" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Shiv Ram Hari Rajguru was born in an average middle-class Hindu Brahmin family at Khed in Poona district in 1906. He came to Varanasi at a very early age where he learnt Sanskrit and read the Hindu religious scriptures. He had a good memory and learnt by heart the �Laghu Siddhant Kaumudi�. He loved physical exercises and was associated with a number of such associations. He had great admiration for Shivaji and his guerilla tactics.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">At Varanasi, he came in contact with revolutionaries. He joined the movement and became an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (H.S.R.A). He was known in the party under the pseudonym of Raghunath. Rajguru had fearless spirit and indomitable courage. The only object of his adoration and worship was his motherland for whose liberation he considered no sacrifice too great. He was a close associate of Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sardar Bhagat Singh and Jatin Das and his field of activity was U.P and Punjab, with Kanpur, Agra and Lahore as his headquarters. Rajguru was a good shot and was regarded as the gunman of the party. He took part in various activities of the revolutionary movement, the most important being Saunder�s murder. Lala Lajpat Rai, an eminent nationalist leader and popular amongst the revolutionaries, was fatally wounded in a police lathi- charge on 20 October 1928, while leading a procession against the Simon Commission, and died on 17 November 1928. The revolutionaries planned to avenge Lalaji�s death by killing the Police Superintendent, Scott and the Deputy Superitendent of Police, Saunders who were responsible for the lathi charge leading to the death of Lalaji. Chandra Shekhar Azad, Shiv Ram Rajguru, Bhagat Singh and Jai Gopal were deputed for the work. On 17 December 1928, while Saunders came out of his office and started his motor- cycle, he was shot dead in front of the police headquarters at Lahore by Rajguru. Azad shot dead Channan Singh, a Head Constable, who wanted to chase the three revolutionaries. All of them escaped through the D.A.V. College compound: The same night posters of the HSRA declaring �Saunders is dead. Lalaji is avenged� were put up throughout the city of Lahore. On 20 December, Rajguru left Lahore disguised as Bhagat Singh�s servant, who travelled in a first class compartment with the wife and the young son of the revolutionary Bhagawati Charan. He left Bhagat Singh at Lucknow and went underground.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Later Bhagat Singh was arrested in the Assembly Bomb Case and several other revolutionaries were arrested with the help of approvers (Jai Gopal, Phanindra Nath and Hansraj Vohra). Rajguru was arrested at Poon on 30 September 1929 and a revolver with fourteen cartridges was recovered from a box where he was sleeping. The Government started a case against sixteen persons (including Rajguru), known as the Lahore Conspiracy Case. Judgement was delivered on 7 October 1930, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were sentenced to death and the other accused were awarded various terms of imprisonment. The whole nation was awakened and the names of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev became as popular as that of Mahatma Gandhi. Meetings, processions and representations were made for commutation of their death sentence. Mahatma Gandhi and the leaders of the Indian National Congress attempted to save their lives, but they failed. An appeal to the Privy Council was alos rejected. Rajguru along with his two comrades was hanged in the Lahore jail in the evening of 23 March 1931 and their bodies were burnt under police supervision. At the time of his martyrdom, Rajguru was hardly twenty- three years of age.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding-bottom: 25px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">The execution of the young revolutionaries was regarded as a national disaster and national mourning was observed throughout the country. The A.I.C.C session at Karachi (1931) met under gloom and passed a resolution �placing on record its admiration of the bravery and sacrifice of the late Sardar Bhagat Singh and his comrades Sukhdev and Rajguru and mourning with the bereaved families the loss of these lives. The Congress is of opinion that the triple execution is an act of wanton vengeance and is a deliberate flounting of the unanmious demand of the nation for commutation.</div></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-11977637803063864072011-08-01T09:43:00.000-07:002011-08-04T03:11:28.794-07:00Bhagat Singh | india independence martyrs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YUgITXxaMXkynn0BKgC9Qzw6VcYl3ce7IfVwmI5ccYmRmCpi5u6hr2aMwibWn2RHIqjnyb7iI-88jvsqJ-uLL9ljSHZffRlBerwFRJqHleIBbegOMhQjoCaeaqI1Z19fmcbE4JRANWSN/s1600/Bhagat_Singh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YUgITXxaMXkynn0BKgC9Qzw6VcYl3ce7IfVwmI5ccYmRmCpi5u6hr2aMwibWn2RHIqjnyb7iI-88jvsqJ-uLL9ljSHZffRlBerwFRJqHleIBbegOMhQjoCaeaqI1Z19fmcbE4JRANWSN/s320/Bhagat_Singh.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Bhagat Singh ;(28 September 1907 – 23 March 1931) was an Indian freedom fighter, considered to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of the Indian independence movement. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh (the word shaheed meaning "martyr").Born to a Jat Sikh family which had earlier been involved in revolutionary activities against the British Raj, Singh, as a teenager, became an atheist and had studied European revolutionary movements. He also became attracted to anarchism and marxist ideologies. He became involved in numerous revolutionary organizations. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and became one of its leaders, converting it to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). Singh gained support when he underwent a 41-day fast in jail, demanding equal rights for Indian and<br />
British political prisoners. He was hanged for shooting a police officer in response to a police lathi charge leading to the demise of veteran freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai. His legacy prompted youths in India to begin fighting for Indian independence and contributed to the rise of socialism in India.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Early life</b></u><br />
<br />
Bhagat Singh was born into a Sandhu Jatt family to Sardar Kishan Singh Sandhu and Vidyavati in a village in the Lyallpur district of Punjab. His ancestral village is the Khatkar Kalan village near Banga in Nawanshahr District of Punjab.The District has recently been renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Singh's given name of Bhagat means "devotee", and he was nicknamed "Bhaganwala" by his grandmother, meaning "The lucky one". He came from a patriotic Jatt Sikh family, some of whom had participated in movements supporting the independence of India and others who had served in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. His grandfather, Arjun Singh, was a follower of Swami Dayananda Saraswati's Hindu reformist movement, Arya Samaj, which would carry a heavy influence on Singh. His uncles, Ajit Singh and Swaran Singh, as well as his father were members of the Ghadar Party, led by Kartar Singh Sarabha Grewal and Har Dayal. Ajit Singh was forced to flee to Persia because of pending cases against him while Swaran Singh died in 1910 at his home after releasing from Borstle Jail, Lahore. Unlike many Sikhs his age, Singh did not attend Khalsa High School in Lahore, because his grandfather did not approve of the school officials' loyalism to the British authorities. Instead, his father enrolled him in Dayanand Anglo Vedic High School, an Arya Samajist school. At age 13, Singh began to follow Mahatma Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement. At this point he had openly defied the British and had followed Gandhi's wishes by burning his government-school books and any British-imported clothing. Following Gandhi's withdrawal of the movement after the violent murders of policemen by villagers from Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, Singh, disgruntled with Gandhi's nonviolence action, joined the Young Revolutionary Movement and began advocating a violent movement against the British. In 1923, Bhagat famously won an essay competition set by the Punjab Hindi Sahitya Sammelan.This grabbed the attention of members of the Punjab Hindi Sahitya Sammelan including its General Secretary Professor Bhim Sen Vidyalankar. At this age, he quoted famous Punjabi literature and discussed the Problems of the Punjab. He read a lot of poetry and literature which was written by Punjabi writers and his favourite poet was Allama Iqbal from Sialkot. In his teenage years, Bhagat Singh started studying at the National College in Lahore, but ran away from home to escape early marriage, and became a member of the organisation Naujawan Bharat Sabha ("Youth Society of India"). In the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Singh and his fellow revolutionaries grew popular amongst the youth. He also joined the Hindustan Republican Association through introduction by history teacher, Professor Vidyalankar, which had prominent leaders like Ram Prasad Bismil, Chandrashekhar Azad and Ashfaqulla Khan.It is believed that he went to Kanpur to attempt free Kakori train robbery prisoners from the jail, but returned to Lahore for unknown reasons. On the day of Dasara in October 1926,a bomb was blasted in Lahore, and Bhagat Singh was arrested for his alleged involvement in this Dasara Bomb Case in 29 May 1927, and was released on a bail of Rs.60,000 after about five weeks of his arrest. He wrote for and edited Urdu and Punjabi newspapers published from Amritsar. In September 1928, a meeting of various revolutionaries from across India was called at Delhi under the banner of the Kirti Kissan Party. Bhagat Singh was the secretary of the meet. His later revolutionary activities were carried out as a leader of this association.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Lala Lajpat Rai's death and the Saunders murder</b></u><br />
<u><b><br />
</b></u><br />
In the face of actions by the revolutionaries, the British government enacted the Defence of India Act to give more power to the police. The purpose of the Act was to combat revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. However, the Act was then passed under the ordinance that claimed that it was in the best interest of the public. In response to this act, the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association planned to explode a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly where the ordinance was going to be passed. This idea was originated by Bhagat Singh, who was influenced by a similar bombing by a martyr anarchist Auguste Vaillant in the French Assembly.It was decided that Bhagat Singh should go to Russia, while Batukeshwar Dutt should carry on the bombing with Sukhdev. Sukhdev then forced Bhagat Singh to call for another meeting and here it was decided, against the initial agreement, that Batukeshwar Dutt and Bhagat Singh would carry on the bombing. Bhagat Singh also disapproved that the two should be escorted after the bombing by the rest of the party.On 8 April 1929, Singh and Dutt threw a bomb onto the corridors of the assembly and shouted "Inquilab Zindabad!" ("Long Live the Revolution!"). This was followed by a shower of leaflets stating that it takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear. The bomb neither killed nor injured anyone; Singh and Dutt claimed that this was deliberate on their part, a claim substantiated both by British forensics investigators who found that the bomb was not powerful enough to cause injury, and by the fact that the bomb was thrown away from people. Singh and Dutt gave themselves up for arrest after the bomb. He and Dutt were sentenced to 'Transportation for Life' for the bombing on 12 June 1929. </div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-34721003651169612382011-07-26T08:46:00.000-07:002011-07-26T08:54:47.319-07:00Captain Vijyant Thapar | Kargil War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXch-VnqYm3HcZ17mUVCOa_IYC7wfWlUZLcyTRfsnahWc4qjGN7S-zy4XYyZZY6d7mXOdKnIAYRmwq7C604yn0Iiw7-yqMrOw_e-wrL9Me91Q5OmJFshyTEj_ZU73zpGS8EC2enz0Cg4hX/s1600/index_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXch-VnqYm3HcZ17mUVCOa_IYC7wfWlUZLcyTRfsnahWc4qjGN7S-zy4XYyZZY6d7mXOdKnIAYRmwq7C604yn0Iiw7-yqMrOw_e-wrL9Me91Q5OmJFshyTEj_ZU73zpGS8EC2enz0Cg4hX/s320/index_07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Captain Vijyant Thapar (Dec 26,1976– June 29, 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army of<br />
the regiment 2 Rajputana Rifles, posthumously awarded the India's third highest military<br />
honour, Vir Chakra for his audacious bravery during the Kargil War. He fell leading an<br />
attack of 2 Rajputana Rifles at Tololing (Black Rocks -KNOLL) during the Kargil War on<br />
29 June 1999. He was 22 years old. He was a fourth generation officer in his family.<br />
<br />
<b>Childhood:</b><br />
<br />
Thapar was born on 26 Dec 1976 at Nangal Punjab. His father, Colonel V.N Thapar, was the son and grandson of army officers.Thapar was commissioned in the Maratha Light Infantry, and commanded a battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. At the time of his birth, his father was posted at Pathankot with an Armored Brigade. The young child was promptly named 'VIJYANT' after the name of the main battle tank of the army. His uncle was an ace fighter pilot also at Pathankot. Vijyant always wanted to be in the Air Force or Army. His favorite toys were guns. As a child, he would wear his father's peak cap, take his cane and march around like an officer.He studied at Tara Hall, St. Mary's Academy (Meerut), St Josephs Academy, Army Public School, and finished his schooling from DAV College Chandighar. He graduated from Khalsa College Delhi. His childhood was spent among soldiers, guns and tanks and watching formations of fighters shriking past a few hundred feet above his house.He was a happy-go-lucky boy full of life and naturally enjoyed outdoor activity. A good swimmer he later took to bodybuilding. He was called 'Robin'. The carefree years of his early life were spent in an ancient mansion at Barrackpore, a military cantonment near Calcutta. The lasting memory of his childhood was Robin running around in the sprawling garden, with his two dogs<br />
chasing butterflies, catching dragonflies and doing mock charges on "Langoors" (baboons)-who were actually friendly.<br />
<br />
In the evening, he would be in the Paltan (Battalion), watching wrestlers, boxers and other sportsmen. At the age of four or five, he had already fired a pistol sitting in his father's lap. He worked single-mindedly to fulfill his ambition to join the Forces. One day his hard work paid off. He was selected in Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.<br />
<br />
<b>The Kargil War:</b><br />
<br />
Vijyant moved to Dras with his unit under Col. M.B. Ravindernath, commanding officer, and his company commander Major P. Acharya. The battalion was then given the task of capturing Tololing. Earlier attempts to capture Tololing by other units had failed with heavy losses. After the initial assault by Major Mohit Saxena was held up, on the night of 12 June 1999, Capt Vijayant Thapar led his platoon to capture a Pakistani post called Barbad Bunker. A photo in the newspapers shows him sitting with soldiers and captured arms that the fleeing enemy left behind. His letter after the battle describes the scene with dead Pakistani soldiers lying all around and his disappointment at not being able to catch two enemy soldiers alive.After the historic victory at Tololing (termed as the turning point of the War), Vijyant was tasked to capture Three Pimples, Knoll in Black Rocks Complex, an ugly mountain sandwiched between Tololing and Tiger Hill. It was a full moon night and the enemy had good visibility. Moreover, this was an impregnable position to capture. The troops of 6 Northern Light Infantry (Pakistan) had all the advantages. Well entrenched in strongly prepared positions, well<br />
stocked and with only one narrow 'knife edge' ridge to cover, with precipitous slopes on both sides, and ravines thousands of feet deep, devoid of cover and almost vertical climbs at an altitude of 15000 ft and temperatures of -15*, it was indeed an impossible mission However, men of the unit were fired by the success at Tololing and were raging to go. The attack started with a fierce artillery barrage of a hundred guns, with Vijyant's platoon leading. The enemy responded with an equally intense and accurate bombardment on the attacking troops. In this artillery attack, Robin lost some of his men and some more were injured<br />
causing the attack to be disrupted. However with his indomitable spirit and tremendous urge to capture Knoll, he got together the remnants of his men and moved through a ravine and rejoined his company. In the melee earlier, Vijyant's platoon had gotten separated from his company. While the exchange of fierce fire was going on, Vijayant reached his company, which had already secured a small foothold on Knoll.By this time, his company commander Major P. Acharya had been killed. At this news, Vijayant's anger was explosive. He surged ahead along the narrow ridge with his colleague Naik Tilak Singh. Both of them started engaging the enemy merely 15 m away. There were two enemy machine guns firing towards them. After about an hour and a half of fierce exchange of bullets and abuses, Vijyant decided that he had to finish the enemy. In a brief lull in<br />
firing he rushed ahead to do so but a burst of fire struck him on his head. He fell in the arms of his comrade Naik Tilak Singh. It was after that the men of his company charged and fully captured Knoll. That night had cost the Indian Army 3 officers killed, 3 severely injured, 10 Ors killed, and 42 wounded. All objectives were captured.For this act of outstanding bravery and his ultimate sacrifice, Capt. Vijyant Thapar was awarded the Vir Chakra a gallantry award by the President of India, K. R. Naraynan, which was received by his 82 year old grandmother.Shortly before he went into the attack, he wrote a last letter to his parents. This letter epitomises the soldierly virtues of the Indian Army and shows the values of an inspired Indian. This has motivated a whole generation of Indian soldiers and youth alike. He was just 22 years old. Noida, his hometown, gave him a memorable farewell with about hundred thousand people attending his last rites. The Army dedicated to him the helipad at Dras, which is known as Vijyant Helipad<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a class="external free" href="http://www.captainvijyantthapar.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(data:image/png; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #3366bb; padding-right: 13px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.captainvijyantthapar.com/</a> is the official website of Captain Vijayant Thapar. All the information of his life can be obtained from this website.</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-32944614248623915432011-07-24T08:27:00.000-07:002011-07-24T08:27:20.632-07:00Vijay Salaskar Police Inspector, Anti Extortion Cell | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9diyUPE6pDPKcT_fdXygZ3vj7jlFFcAdU3xpXDXJA9L2aVhEH8_JxFzD00C6xhrE9mpIyDJlKjKcdELc-UwFJ6XIpLPcefEhW7HozxNb3XkARac8lXB9_DTdn48WAJbc7qIdQVv0CxV2e/s1600/Salaskar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9diyUPE6pDPKcT_fdXygZ3vj7jlFFcAdU3xpXDXJA9L2aVhEH8_JxFzD00C6xhrE9mpIyDJlKjKcdELc-UwFJ6XIpLPcefEhW7HozxNb3XkARac8lXB9_DTdn48WAJbc7qIdQVv0CxV2e/s1600/Salaskar.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Vijay Salaskar was a Senior Police Inspector and encounter specialist serving with the<br />
Mumbai police. He was widely credited with killing 75–80 criminals in encounters — most<br />
of these were members of the Arun Gawli gang. Salaskar was killed while fighting terrorists<br />
in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Captured terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab claimed responsibility for the killing. Before his death Salaskar was head of the Anti-Extortion Cell, Mumbai. His patriotism and bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.<br />
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<b>Early life and career:</b><br />
<br />
Salaskar was a post-graduate in Commerce (M.Com) from Mumbai University. He joined Mumbai police as a sub inspector in 1983. India Today reports Salaskar's first lethal encounter occurred during his first year of appointment, when he shot dead Raja Shahabuddin, known to police on several counts. Salaskar, who was reportedly sidelined for the last two years for unearthing the gutka-underworld nexus, was recently attached to the crime branch, where he headed the anti-extortion cell. An officer of the 1983 batch, Salaskar in his 24 years of service had eliminated many criminals. Amar Naik, Jaggu Shetty, Sadhu Shetty, Kundan Singh<br />
Rawat, Zahoor Makhanda are some of the gangsters who have fallen to Salaskar’s bullets. According to sources, the police officer had once even gone hunting for former don Arun Gawli. “But Gawli fled from the scene, forcing Salaskar to return empty-handed. However, Salaskar got even by killing his two trusted men, Sada Pawle and Vijay Tandel, in 1997, triggering allegations that the encounters were fake. After this, Gawli was so scared that during the 2005 elections, he complained to the government that Salaskar was trying to kill him and requested that he be transferred,’’ sources said. This is what Salaskar said in 2004 about Gawli." Gawli may have become an MLA. But for me, he continues to remain a former Mumbai don and I have to keep tabs on his activities. If I get any information of his group's involvement in a crime or learn about any shady activity going on at Dagdi Chawl, I will not hesitate to raid his Byculla residence. If I have to arrest him, I will not refrain from doing so. Now that Gawli is an MLA, arresting him will involve certain procedures.<br />
I will not bow to any political pressure. I will only take orders from the police commissioner, who is my supreme commander. It was embarrassing that khaki-clad policemen would be deployed to protect Gawli. In the past, we refused him police protection on several occasions. At that time, I had gunned down several of his top henchmen and so he was scared of me. But if Gawli is really reformed, he should not be afraid of me or any other policeman. We do not target innocent persons."<br />
<br />
<b>Death:</b><br />
<br />
Vijay Salaskar was killed in action by terrorists during the Mumbai attacks, on 26 November 2008. India Express quotes statements by Constable Arun Jadhav, who was with the officers Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte and Hemant Karkare when they died. The three officers and four constables had received information that Sadanand Date had been wounded while resisting hostile terrorist action at the Cama and Albless Hospital for women and children. Currently located at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), a ten-minute drive from the hospital, they took a Toyota Qualis and proceeded in that direction. Salaskar was driving, Ashok Kamte in the passenger seat, Hemant Karkare in the second row, and the four Constables, including Jadhav,<br />
were in the back row of seating. According to Jadhav, five minutes later two terrorists stepped out from behind a tree and opened fire with AK-47 automatic rifles. The six policemen, other than Jadhav, were all killed quickly in the gunfire. The wounded Jadhav had no opportunity to render assistance. The two terrorists approached the vehicle, dumped the bodies of the three officers on the road and, leaving the constables for dead, proceeded to Metro Junction. Upon arrival, they aimed three bursts of automatic fire at police and journalist vehicles drawn up at that location, then drove off towards the government offices (Vidhan Bhawan) in South Mumbai. Here again they fired several times. While attempting to leave the area, one of the tyres of the vehicle burst, so the terroristsdeparted to obtain another. At this point, Jadhav was able to contact headquarters. The bodies of the dead were promptly recovered and taken to St George Hospital. India takes pride in saluting Salaskar's patriotism & his dedication towards his job<br />
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</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-82469611915358607712011-07-24T01:32:00.001-07:002011-07-24T01:32:51.838-07:00Major Shaitan Singh | Indo-China war<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfktt__aFC8x2dtU-em0eLbSEDrwvib4hzHTBg2LjWwHFG83Wabr0civFXKGWnF0F12EJ52vjKq_SiczoICFoRAvDdkmlF3hd3I_eyDKvHsNWwwul9OAHCWUym_lorGRcD-hkD97rM2ig/s1600/shaitan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizfktt__aFC8x2dtU-em0eLbSEDrwvib4hzHTBg2LjWwHFG83Wabr0civFXKGWnF0F12EJ52vjKq_SiczoICFoRAvDdkmlF3hd3I_eyDKvHsNWwwul9OAHCWUym_lorGRcD-hkD97rM2ig/s1600/shaitan.jpg" /></a></div>Major Shaitan Singh was born on December 1, 1924 at Jodhpur in Rajasthan. He was commissioned in the Kumaon Regiment on 1 August 1949. Major Shaitan Singh was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for his leadership and courage during the Sino-Indian War.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>During the 1962 Indo-China conflict, 13 Kumaon was deployed in Chushul sector. Major Shaitan Singh, who bravely commanded 'C' Company of 13 Kumaon. 'C' Company's three platoons were numbered 7, 8 and 9 and had .303 rifles with about 600 rounds per head, and between them six LMGs, and 1,000 grenades and mortar bombs.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Major Shaitan Singh, the Company Commander, displayed exemplary leadership and courage in the battle of Rezang La. By all accounts, he led his troops most admirably. Unmindful of his personal safety he moved from one platoon post to another and encouraged his men to fight. While moving among the posts he was seriously wounded, by a sniping Chinese MMG. But he continued to fight along with his men. While he was being evacuated by two of his comrades, the Chinese brought heavy machine gun fire on them. Major Shaitan Singh sensed danger to their lives and ordered them to leave him. They placed him behind a boulder on the slopes of a hill, where he breathed his last.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In this action, 109 Kumaonis out of a total of 123 were killed. Of the 14 survivors, 9 were severely injured. The Chinese suffered more than a thousand casualties. After the war was over, the body of Major Shaitan Singh was found at the same place, dead from the bullet wound and the freezing cold. It was flown to Jodhpur and cremated with full military honours. Major Shaitan Singh was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal, posthumously, for his leadership and devotion to duty.</div><br />
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<div style="clear: both;"></div></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-31458924021444849972011-07-24T01:31:00.000-07:002011-07-24T01:31:27.417-07:00Karam Chand Katoch | Indo-China war<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsbED_EB7ESlJ4HsFfOwKLU_cncxQJvNoFj_yVH3x-loWDv5Cj_y6YtOxnLrMTO7VJUPkZ4Pion3JGJJr5zvlgNTWxhosPcu8VWFcAc3nxK4ZSbhH2vzY7LSG0AmFprRfJRp3qpKAzVSy/s1600/karam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsbED_EB7ESlJ4HsFfOwKLU_cncxQJvNoFj_yVH3x-loWDv5Cj_y6YtOxnLrMTO7VJUPkZ4Pion3JGJJr5zvlgNTWxhosPcu8VWFcAc3nxK4ZSbhH2vzY7LSG0AmFprRfJRp3qpKAzVSy/s1600/karam.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Agojar (Dharamsala), July 15: A small and quite hamlet in the lap of Shivalik hills near Palampur was today buzzing with activity. Army men from the Dogra Regiment were present in a large number to receive martyr Karam Chand Katoch whose mortal remains were recovered from Walong in Arunachal Pradesh after about 48 years.<br />
<br />
The two-storey house of Karam Chand was packed with visitors jostling with each other to catch a glimpse of the wooden box in which mortal remains of the martyr were kept.<br />
<br />
Wife of Karam Chand’s brother Beena Kumari and his nephew Jaswant Singh, who is serving in Paramilitary Force (SSB), were carrying out religious ceremonies.<br />
<br />
Since in the past 48 years most of the kin and acquaintances close to Karam Chand had passed away, there were a few to shed tears at his death.<br />
<br />
Dulo Ram, a 95-year-old retired havaldar from the Dogra Regiment, with eclipsed memories, was the only one who remembered how he got Karam Chand recruited in the Army. He talked about valour of his regiment and how they fought the Chinese in Walong in the 1962 war.<br />
<br />
The body was carried in a military vehicle to the cremation ground, located about 1 km from the village. Thousands of villagers, including IPH Minister Ravinder Ravi, followed the procession. Various Army officers, including Lt-Gen Jasbir Singh Col of the Dogra Regiment, Maj General Amarjit Singh, GOC, 39 Mountain Division and Lt-Gen SS Sangra (retd) laid wreathes on the coffin.<br />
<br />
Later, while addressing the media, Lt-Gen Jasbir Singh said Karam Chand was a brave soldier who died serving the nation.<br />
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On July 1 this year, due to incessant rains, a massive landslide took place near Walong. While cleaning the earth, Border Road Task Force (BRTF) labourers found a circular identity disc and a silver ring. The identity disc was found to be that of Sepoy Karam Chand of 4 Dogra Regiment. Unit of the Sikh Regiment dug out all area and recovered a fountain pen, cover of a pay book and parts of skeleton of Karam Chand. The remains were handed over to the Dogra Regiment with full military honours that further contacted the kin of the martyr at Agojar village. The mother, father and brother of Karam Chand had passed away. He is survived by wife of his brother and her family.<br />
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Lt-Gen Jasbir Singh said since no immediate kin of Karam Chand was alive, compensation could not be given to anybody. The name of Karam Chand would, however, be entered on the list of martyrs at Walong and Dharamsala.<br />
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1962 war hero's body identified after 48 years<br />
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TINSUKIA/ITANAGAR: The Army on Thursday identified the skull and bones of a jawan found in Arunachal Pradesh recently to be that of Sepoy Karam Chand of the 4 Dogra Regiment.<br />
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Arunachal government officials said labourers engaged in the restoration of Hayuliang-Walong road unearthed a disc badge, a silver ring and a rusted .303 ammunition on July 1. The disc badge bearing PIS No 3950976 belonged to the jawan. This was confirmed after verification with the martyrs' list of the 1962 India-China war.<br />
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The Army, in a statement, said Karam Chand was one of the unsung heroes missing since November 1962 after the Battle of Walong. A Border Road Task Force party, while clearing a landslide area, recovered two identity discs belonging to the soldier near Walong in Arunachal, said the Army. Sikh Regiment personnel recovered Chand's mortal remains along with personal belongings on July 5, after four days of digging in the landslide area under inclement weather conditions.<br />
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The mortal remains — along with identity discs of the soldier, a silver ring, a dilapidated cover of Soldier's Pay Book and a fountain pen recovered from the site — were handed over to the 4 Dogra Regiment on Thursday by Sikh Regiment commanding officer with military honours at the Hut of Remembrance at Walong.<br />
<br />
The Army said, "The 48-year-long sleep and sojourn of Sepoy Karam Chand on the banks of the Lohit river ended on July 9, as his remains started from Walong for the place where the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his Gods are located. With the last rites of the soldier to be performed later at his native place Gogar, Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, his soul will finally rest in peace."<br />
</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-31170537612704807822011-07-24T01:28:00.000-07:002011-07-24T01:28:12.924-07:00Major Mariappan Saravanan | Kargil War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JyiGlpHoWJavk3IRb7xm0faGeh5WxvqoH8VXZb880yUFhMZG27fhpJ8Ca6fLx1J0UbtznY_Q_S86Oq36DW1pFimor-uZ6_bXvsLRpz2Qr0kWvEm730p8iZkimZce3BQSPUubFUx8psdj/s1600/mariappan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JyiGlpHoWJavk3IRb7xm0faGeh5WxvqoH8VXZb880yUFhMZG27fhpJ8Ca6fLx1J0UbtznY_Q_S86Oq36DW1pFimor-uZ6_bXvsLRpz2Qr0kWvEm730p8iZkimZce3BQSPUubFUx8psdj/s1600/mariappan.jpg" /></a></div>Major Mariappan Saravanan (10 August 1972 – 29 May 1999), was an officer in the prestigious Bihar Regiment of the Indian Army who was killed during the Kargil War. He was killed in hand to hand combat with intruders after killing four intruders in the Batalik area of Kargil Sector on 29 May 1999, along with 33 soldiers and four other officers. Saravanan had just completed four years of service on 10 March 1999. <br />
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Major Sarvanan was possibly the first officer killed in the Kargil War. The attack led by him came in the early stages of the conflict when adequate information was not available. The men in 1 Bihar took an oath after Maj. Sarvanan’s fall to fight to the finish and recover the heights, to the battle cry of ‘Bajrang Bali ki Jai’, they launched subsequent offensives that saw it not just take the heights but drive the Pakistanis all the way across the Line of Control.[1] His actions have led to him being referred to as the "Hero of Batalik". <br />
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<strong>Childhood</strong> <br />
Born on 10 August 1972 on the island of Rameswaram in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Saravanan was commissioned into the famous Bihar Regiment on 11 March 1995 from OTA Chennai. He began his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Gaya district and later graduated from St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli in 1992. <br />
Saravanan was also the president of the student union at St. Joseph's College in 1992, an interesting development since the most popular candidate (Thirichelvam) could not stand for election that year and all support went to Saravanan. Saravanan at college had a thin body frame and is a C certificate holder of NCC INFANTRY UNIT. <br />
His father Lt. Colonel Adi Mariappan died in a road accident in Bangalore on 1989 while serving in the Indian Peace Keeping Force during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. Major M Saravanan was survived by Mrs A Mariappan, his mother, and two sisters. The elder one, Chitra, is a doctor whereas the younger one Revathi is a Computer Engineer. <br />
<br />
<strong>Military career</strong> <br />
The 27-year-old officer Saravanan, as a Major in the Indian Army fell defending the peaks of Batalik in the Kargil war. <br />
After completing his schooling in various places—Belgaum, Kannoor, Gurdaspur, Jorhat and Bihar, he joined St Joseph's College in Tiruchi which was founded in 1844. "After college he tried to get into the National Defence Academy and landed up in the Officers Training Academy," says his closest friend Amalraj. He graduated from the OTA in 1995 and joined the First Bihar regiment as a lieutenant. After joining the Army he had served at places like TAMILPUR, COOCH BEHAR and BHUTAN before moving to Kargil. He was made captain the following year and major in 1999. <br />
They were a bunch of three friends—Saravanan, Karthik and Amalraj. A few years ago, they had made a trip to Kanyakumari. On the way, their bus driver fell asleep on the wheel and crashed headlong into an incoming lorry. "Seven people died on the spot and many were injured. We students were in a shock. But not Saravanan, he was cool. He went about checking the dead. Then he helped the injured into passing vehicles and took them to hospital. It was his army background that made him react to an emergency so calmly and resolutely." Amalraj is an IPS officer now and the superintendent of police in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu. <br />
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<strong>The Kargil War</strong> <br />
The First Bihar Regiment was in Assam when the Kargil War broke out. They were ordered to move to Kargil, Jammu, and Kashmir. From the heat of Assam to the cold of Kargil wasn't an easy change. There wasn't enough protective weather gear. <br />
On the night of May 28, 1999, Major Sarvanan was assigned the task of capturing a well-fortified Pakistani position at 14,229 feet (4,337 m) in the Batalik sector. He and his men launched an attack at 04:00. Despite intensive firing from the enemy with artillery and automatic weapons, they charged into a volley of bullets. Saravanan fired a rocket launcher into the enemy position that killed two enemy soldiers. During the combat, he was hit by shrapnel and injured but continued fighting. His commanding officer ordered him to retreat because too many Indian soldiers had been injured. 'Ghenghis Khan fall back,' came the order. 'Not today sir, we are very close to the objective,' replied Sarvanan who was code named Ghenghis Khan. He killed two more invaders but this time he was hit by a bullet in the head at 06:30, his body nestled in the snow. A friend in Bangalore called his mother and told her Saravanan had died in Kargil. "We switched on the television and saw it in a news bulletin." Two days later, the official telegram arrived. "He was the first officer to fall". <br />
The Vir Chakra was awarded to Saravanan posthumously and presented to his mother by President K. R. Narayanan. Its citation reads: "For our tomorrow..... he gave his today......". <br />
<br />
<strong>War Memorial</strong> <br />
Major Saravanan, the legend, has been enshrined in the history of one of the most difficult and brutal wars ever fought by any Army. His name and his saga of extreme bravery has been etched in golden letters in the annals of the Indian Army as the entire nation stands as one to salute him, who was the first army officer to have shed his blood on the frontiers for the country and the last one to come back home. And whenever there is talk of bravery the Nation will talk of Major Mariappan Saravanan, he who enabled the country to climb the first pedestal of success in "Operation Vijay". <br />
The Historical Monument for the "Batalik Hero", at the heart of his home town, Trichy, has been inaugurated on his 8th Anniversary, 29-05-2007 by MAJOR GENERAL SIVA SANKAR, General Officer Commanding, TNAK&K Area. We strongly believe that the monument will blossom more Saravanan to the Pride Nation... <br />
Eight years post Kargil war, the memories of the gory battle fought on the inhospitable terrain of Dras and Batalik sectors in Jammu and Kashmir seem to be fading. Through the fading images of our heroes, one figure which looms larger than life is of Major Saravanan, the brave son of Tiruchirapalli city.</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-28405637098356165872011-07-24T01:26:00.000-07:002011-07-24T01:26:36.616-07:00Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey | Kargil War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_p92UHFrk1uDxN852YitnWPEl3i1TxBbHjQhyphenhyphenb9ImpLFLFcdE0DOnI5wqTWa6HmIB4EJpapz6gUIxfvAxzj0OYkfpf7D-BgLQc8Llb5otUF3jl-PEixzYsAvRD8s6GE-Y_SkP5l14uma-/s1600/manoj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_p92UHFrk1uDxN852YitnWPEl3i1TxBbHjQhyphenhyphenb9ImpLFLFcdE0DOnI5wqTWa6HmIB4EJpapz6gUIxfvAxzj0OYkfpf7D-BgLQc8Llb5otUF3jl-PEixzYsAvRD8s6GE-Y_SkP5l14uma-/s1600/manoj.jpg" /></a></div>He passed out from national defence academy and stayed in MIKE squardon He was commissioned in the 1/11 Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army. He forced back the intruders on June 11, 1999 at Batalik Sector in the Kargil war. He led his men to capture the Jubar top which was considered as important due to its strategic location. Quickly sizing up the situation, the young officer led his platoon along a narrow, treacherous ridge that led to the enemy position. <br />
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While still short of the objective, the enemy fired upon the Indian soldiers effectively stalling the Indian attack. Displaying great courage, he surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full throated battle cry through a hail of bullets. <br />
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Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with grim determination, until he closed in on the first bunker. Then in ferocious hand-to-hand combat, he killed two of the enemy and cleared the first bunker. It was the turning point. Inspired by their leader's spontaneous valour, the troops charged at the enemy and fell upon them. Unmindful of his grievous wounds, he rushed from bunker to bunker urging his men on. Critically injured, he collapsed at the final bunker and finally succumbed to his injuries. But by this time he had already captured the bunker with his men. <br />
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<strong>His Life</strong> <br />
IC 56959W Lieutenant Manoj Pandey, PVC belonged to Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. He was eldest in his family. He was educated at Uttar Pradesh RLB School Lucknow. He had a keen interest in sports, and Boxing and Body Building in particular.He graduated from national defence academy in 90th course from M sqn. <br />
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<strong>Operation Vijay</strong> <br />
Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey took part in a series of boldly led attacks during Operation Vijay; forcing back the intruders with heavy losses in Battlik including the capture of Jabbar Top. <br />
On the night of 2/3 July 1999 during the advance to Khalubar as his platoon approached its final objective, it came under heavy and intense enemy fire from the surrounding heights. Lieutenant Pandey was tasked to clear the interfering enemy positions to prevent his battalion from getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. He quickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position under intense enemy fire, sent one section to clear the enemy positions from the right and himself proceeded to clear the enemy positions from the left. <br />
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<strong> Death</strong> <br />
Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyed the second position by killing two more. He was injured on the shoulder and legs while clearing the third position. Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injuries, he continued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal burst on his forehead. <br />
<br />
His last words were "Na chodnu" (Don't Spare Them). <br />
<br />
This singular daredevil act of Lieutenant Pandey provided the critical firm base for the companies, which finally led to capture of Khalubar. The officer, however, succumbed to his injuries. <br />
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Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, thus, displayed most conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. <br />
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<strong>Legacy</strong> <br />
Manoj Kumar Pandey was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest medal for gallantry, posthumously. His father, Mr. Gopichand Pandey, received the award from the President of India on the 52nd anniversary of Indian independence. <br />
Manoj Pandey is considered a martyr for his sacrifice to his country. He remains as a role model to people everywhere. <br />
In his personal diary he wrote "Some goals are so worthy, it's glorious even to fail". <br />
The Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) designed and constructed an apartment complex for veterans in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh and named it for Pandey as Manoj Vihar. Jai Hind <br />
The National Defence Academy named the science block as the 'Manoj Pandey Block' <br />
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<strong>External links</strong> <br />
<a href="http://captainmanojpandey.tripod.com/papa.htm"> http://captainmanojpandey.tripod.com/papa.htm</a></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-55872092054965523712011-07-24T01:24:00.000-07:002011-07-24T01:24:46.960-07:00Captain Vikram Batra | Kargil War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTFLAKGqhtqv0GLp92LrKUICBxC761KGrYwVL4wcRLY-oUG0RdLyufZMEhi9XAMWIXn7VW_wfqQLLMrKrhifdMsZQ1CdB8e5hLBtPjnKZ0NY2c2qkFyNtYnJ_5lyWo_dUdRjfX9QQsR3i/s1600/vikram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTFLAKGqhtqv0GLp92LrKUICBxC761KGrYwVL4wcRLY-oUG0RdLyufZMEhi9XAMWIXn7VW_wfqQLLMrKrhifdMsZQ1CdB8e5hLBtPjnKZ0NY2c2qkFyNtYnJ_5lyWo_dUdRjfX9QQsR3i/s1600/vikram.jpg" /></a></div>Captain Vikram Batra PVC (September 9, 1974 – July 7, 1999) was an officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra[1], India's highest award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War in Kashmir between India and Pakistan. <br />
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Vikram Batra was born on September 9th, 1974 in Ghuggar village near Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, to Mr. G.L. Batra and Mrs. Jai Kamal Batra. Batra joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun in 1996 in Jessore company of Manekshaw Battalion, and was commissioned in the Indian Army as a Lieutenant of the 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles at Sopore, in Jammu and Kashmir. He rose to the rank of Captain <br />
<br />
<strong>Param Vir Chakra</strong> <br />
Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father Mr. G.L. Batra received the honor for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K.R. Narayanan. <br />
Captain Vikram Batra, 13 JAK Rifles, and his Delta Company was given the task of recapturing Point 5140. Nicknamed Sher Shah ('Lion King' in Hindi) for his unstinting courage, he decided to lead the rear, as an element of surprise would help stupefy the enemy. He and his men ascended the sheer rock-cliff, but as the group neared the top, the enemy pinned them on the face of the bare cliff with machine gun fire. Captain Batra, along with five of his men, climbed up regardless and after reaching the top, hurled two grenades at the machine gun post. He single-handedly killed three enemy soldiers in close combat. He was seriously injured during this, but insisted on regrouping his men to continue with the mission. Inspired by the courage displayed by Captain Batra, the soldiers of 13 JAK Rifles charged the enemy position and captured Point 5140 at 3:30 a.m. on 20 June 1999. His company is credited with killing at least eight Pakistani soldiers and recovering a heavy machine gun. <br />
The capture of Point 5140 set in motion a string of successes, such as Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak and Three Pimples. Along with fellow Captain Anuj Nayyar, Batra led his men to victory with the recapture of Point 4750 and Point 4875. He was killed when he tried to rescue an injured officer during an enemy counterattack against Point 4875 in the early morning hours of 7 July 1999. His last words were, "Jai Mata Di." (which means in Punjabi 'Hail the Divine Mother'). For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-37782168103396161002011-07-24T01:22:00.000-07:002011-07-24T01:22:37.048-07:00Captain Anuj Nayyar | Kargil War<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBVokOeCbZe8hlVT8TQrkPDcDSyn34sRm0HEcTNmy4XtDHwPXXDeavp_YFSkXSgejei8-eQoqtvyGaBG2EdIyW_9ADkAZq3PnvAqfo0zTZ3-CV27LkrAYxWmX87CzN0yCYFieJ-D2lNO6/s1600/anuj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBVokOeCbZe8hlVT8TQrkPDcDSyn34sRm0HEcTNmy4XtDHwPXXDeavp_YFSkXSgejei8-eQoqtvyGaBG2EdIyW_9ADkAZq3PnvAqfo0zTZ3-CV27LkrAYxWmX87CzN0yCYFieJ-D2lNO6/s1600/anuj.jpg" /></a></div>Captain Anuj Nayyar (1975 - July 6, 1999) was a junior officer of the 17 Jat Regiment of the Indian Army, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for his heroics during the Kargil War in 1999. <br />
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Known for:- Unmatched Bravery and Valour Anuj was born to a Punjabi Khatri family and grew up in Delhi, India. His father, S.K. Nayyar, worked as a visiting professor in Delhi School of Economics while his mother, Meena Nayyar, worked for the South Campus library of Delhi University. <br />
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Anuj received his high-school education from Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi (1993 batch). Anuj was a bright student who consistently performed well in academics and sports. He graduated from the National Defence Academy (90th course, Echo Squadron) and later was commissioned into the 17th Battalion JAT Regiment in June 1997 from the Indian Military Academy (100 Reg). <br />
<br />
<strong>Background</strong> <br />
In 1999, the Indian Army detected a massive infiltration by Pakistani military and paramilitary forces in the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir. The army quickly mobilized its forces to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators from Indian territory. Captain Anuj Nayyar, a junior commander in the 17 Jat Regiment, was one of the more than 500,000 Indian troops deployed in the region. His first major operation involved securing Pt. 4875, also known as Pimple II, a strategic mountain peak on the western side of Tiger Hill which was occupied by Pakistani infiltrators. <br />
<br />
Due to its strategic location, securing Pt. 4875 was a top priority for the Indian Army. The peak, which stood at 15,990 feet above sea level, had extremely steep slopes and capturing the peak without aerial support was considered near impossible. In a last ditch attempt, Nayyar's Charlie Company decided to secure the peak without waiting for any aerial support on July 6, 1999. <br />
<br />
<strong>Operation</strong> <br />
During the initial phase of assault on Pt. 4875, the Company Commander of the platoon was injured. After the initial setback, the assault team split into two groups, one led by Captain Vikram Batra and other by Captain Anuj Nayyar. The Pakistani infiltrators had constructed several bunkers on Pt. 4875. Nayyar's company, which consisted of 7 personnel, located 4 enemy bunkers. The company began to ascend Pt. 4875 during which it came under heavy artillery and mortar fire from Pakistani infiltrators. However, the team counter-attacked, which also included hand-to-hand combat, forcing the Pakistani soldiers to retreat. During the battle, Nayyar killed 9 Pakistani soldiers and destroyed three medium machine gun bunkers. <br />
Under Captain Nayyar's leadership, the company had successfully cleared three of the four bunkers and began its assault on the last remaining bunker. While clearing the fourth bunker, an enemy rocket propelled grenade fell directly on Nayyar. Despite being grievously injured, Nayyar continued to lead the remaining men in his company. He succumbed to his injuries but not before clearing the last bunker on Pt. 4875. <br />
None of the soldiers from Nayyar's team of the Charlie Company survived the battle.[5] Two days after Pt. 4875 was secured, it was counter-attacked by Pakistani infiltrators during which the second team of the Charlie Company, led by Captain Batra, successfully defended the peak.[6] During the entire battle for the Pimple complex area, 46 regular members of Pakistani Army, an unknown number of Pakistani paramilitary troopers and militants, and 11 Indian Army men, including Captain Nayyar and Captain Batra, were killed.[7] The securing of the Pimple Complex area paved the way for the recapture of Tiger Hill which finally forced Pakistan to retreat its forces to pre-conflict positions. <br />
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<strong>Recognition and legacy</strong> <br />
Anuj Nayyar was posthumously awarded Mahavir Chakra for his bravery and combat skills. S.K. Nayyar, Anuj's father, was allotted a gas station in Delhi by the Government of India in recognition of the services of his son. Tejbir Singh, a fellow soldier of the Jat Regiment, named his son Anuj in honour of Captain Nayyar.</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-86454519502860646322011-07-23T19:29:00.001-07:002011-07-23T19:29:33.050-07:00Major Laishram Jyotin Singh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2zBJgNUO8pPUXiFGisMstBUBiSzXhNgGdnZ6hxs2KVIWfof-x8UnhrqlEC8Pk1reNRSiJ69mYBxcJF-jK2xUXsMxH1cyU8-KafUoo_0X1ywrHloPW958aTPl28zX7heo9KQjatXCd4A4/s1600/jyotin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2zBJgNUO8pPUXiFGisMstBUBiSzXhNgGdnZ6hxs2KVIWfof-x8UnhrqlEC8Pk1reNRSiJ69mYBxcJF-jK2xUXsMxH1cyU8-KafUoo_0X1ywrHloPW958aTPl28zX7heo9KQjatXCd4A4/s1600/jyotin.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Major Laishram Jyotin Singh was an army doctor in the Indian Army Medical Corps, who died fighting a suicide bomber during the attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul. Major Singh was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award in the Indian Armed Forces on January 26, 2011<br />
<br />
Laishram Singh was born in 1972 in Manipur, India. He was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps in 2003, and was posted with the Indian Embassy in Kabul in 2010. Just thirteen days after his commissioning, a suicide bomber attacked the guarded residential compound where he was staying. Major Singh confronted the terrorist unarmed and forced him to detonate his vest, which resulted in his death. He was awarded the Ashok Chakra "For his act of exemplary courage, grit, selflessness and valour in the face of a terrorist attack, resulting in his sacrifice and saving 10 of his colleagues</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-8075552515589796352011-07-23T19:28:00.000-07:002011-07-23T19:28:33.681-07:00Captain Davinder Singh Jass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicrcpR1QzK49ZvnEl-UGzFzivjYJ_hkp_FaVDu33JtCOXSq6haCjEQ1KQImNiWBACd9MSQ0Q1B3WbZNr4a2iRdrkw0R1QibxN6Ji5hrDNclD9hXcTN70UQIThV6Dis4aDlXj0l5gA61KZ/s1600/jass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicrcpR1QzK49ZvnEl-UGzFzivjYJ_hkp_FaVDu33JtCOXSq6haCjEQ1KQImNiWBACd9MSQ0Q1B3WbZNr4a2iRdrkw0R1QibxN6Ji5hrDNclD9hXcTN70UQIThV6Dis4aDlXj0l5gA61KZ/s1600/jass.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">AT 23, Devinder Singh Jass had the world at his feet. Armed with an engineering degree and three months away from his MBA, Jass had already landed a job in one of the world's top accounting firms, Deloitte.<br />
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But fate, as they call it, had other ideas.<br />
<br />
Ever since childhood, Jass had wanted to join the army. Having completed his schooling from Guru Har Kishan Public School near India Gate, he enrolled for a degree in computer engineering at IIIT, Allahabad.<br />
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While pursuing engineering, he applied for the army but could not clear the test.<br />
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He then enrolled for MBA at GLA, Mathura.<br />
<br />
He tried once again to get into the army and a few months before getting his MBA degree, he joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA).<br />
<br />
From there on he volunteered for the special forces and after three months of gruelling training, he was inducted into the 1 Parachute Regiment. He was posted in Kupwara.<br />
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On Tuesday, 26-year-old Captain Jass along with Naik Selva Kumar and paratrooper Imtiyaz Ahmad Thokar died fighting terrorists in Sopore's Chinkipora area, 54 kilometres from Srinagar.<br />
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The only son of Dalbir Kaur and Bhupinder Singh, Captain Jass was supposed to be home for Holi at their Mahagun Mansion in Indirapuram.<br />
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Instead, his father will be receiving the body on Thursday.<br />
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"I am a believer in fate. If something has to happen, you can't prevent it," Bhupinder said philosophically.<br />
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Captain Jass's mother is sick and bedridden while his elder sister Harpreet is a professor of education at Jamia Millia University.<br />
<br />
"Very few people get to do what they want in life. That way, he was lucky to have achieved what he wanted," Bhupinder added.<br />
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"Since childhood he was very passionate about joining the Indian Army. We left the choice to him," he said.<br />
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A soft-spoken man, Captain Devender singh Jass was full of courage. "He was never afraid of taking risks. He opted to become a para-commando and went for training with 1 Para in J& K. He said he was very happy." Talking about his son, Bhupinder said, "He was so adamant to join the army that he took the entrance exam a second time and cleared it.<br />
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"He had three months to go for the completion of his MBA programme when a private firm selected him through campus placement." The last time his parents talked to him was on Saturday. He had also spoken to a friend of his on Monday before leaving for the operation to flush out terrorists hiding in a building in Chinkipora.<br />
<br />
"Since Tuesday morning, we had this intuition that something was wrong. We even tried to contact him but failed.<br />
<br />
"In the evening the Commanding Officer informed us about our son's death. What can we do, we have to accept the reality," Bhupinder said.<br />
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Captain Jass and his compatriots at 1 Para got information about the terrorists meeting in a building in Chinkipora. A search was launched and in the gunbattle, Jass, Kumar and Thokar died. Two militants were also killed in the encounter.</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-46086587504617486932011-07-23T19:07:00.000-07:002011-07-23T19:07:22.455-07:00Tukaram G. Omble Asst. Police Sub Inspector | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkQTiCo2npJQxnHElfy-nMPIC8OR3A4RUsMlOCjqBCOHTI90AbkrdYNlAPRI5I7EI6riBoqFZOdZHsQZqY4jh4oV016rd3jfRhdZsbisWHJGupV7XoIlLAunRmcLR5bMRAmjkv8lvTyd5/s1600/tukaram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkQTiCo2npJQxnHElfy-nMPIC8OR3A4RUsMlOCjqBCOHTI90AbkrdYNlAPRI5I7EI6riBoqFZOdZHsQZqY4jh4oV016rd3jfRhdZsbisWHJGupV7XoIlLAunRmcLR5bMRAmjkv8lvTyd5/s1600/tukaram.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Tukaram Omble was an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), and a retired army personnel who had entered the Mumbai police. He was killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks while fighting terrorists at Girgaum Chowpatty. The Indian government honored him with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009<br />
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Omble was an ASI with the Mumbai Police. His team was under-equipped for the attack, but managed to kill one terrorist and arrest the only terrorist taken alive. Unarmed, Omble held onto the gun of injured terrorist Ajmal Kasab, enabling other officers to arrest him. In the process, Ajmal fired several shots, killing Omble.<br />
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On the day terrorists attacked Mumbai, ASI Tukaram Omble, 48, was on the night beat. At 12.30 am on 27 November he had called his family and spoken to them.<br />
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Omble's senior told him to take up position on Marine Drive on Wednesday night, after the news of firings at Leopold Cafe, Oberoi and Taj Hotels came in. Around 12.45 am, he got an alert on his walkie-talkie that two terrorists had hijacked a Skoda car and were heading for Girgaum Chowpatty. Just minutes later, the Skoda whizzed past him.<br />
<br />
Omble jumped on to his motorcycle and chased the car. A team from DB Marg police station was setting up a barricade at the chowpatty signal. As the car approached the signal, the terrorists opened fire on the police, but had to reduce speed because of the barricades. Omble overtook the Skoda and stopped in front of it, forcing the driver of the car to swerve right and hit the divider. With the terrorists momentarily distracted, Omble sprang toward one of them, Ajmal Kasab, and gripped the barrel of the AK47 rifle with both hands. With the barrel pointing towards Omble, Kasab pulled the trigger, hitting Omble in the abdomen. Omble collapsed, but held on to the gun till he lost consciousness, which likely stopped Kasab from shooting others.<br />
<br />
The other police, who by that time had killed the other terrorist, Ismail, captured Kasab. The investigative agencies reportedly gathered much information from the sole terrorist captured.<br />
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"I saw terrorists firing on TV and came to the station. The inspector was outside the police station and he ordered us to immediately cordon off Girgaum Chowpatty," says Sanjay Govilkar, Assistant Police Inspector (API), Mumbai Police. "There were seven policemen in civil cloths at Girgaum Chowpatty. Only I was armed with a pistol while all others carrying lathis (sticks)," Bhaskar Kadam another reveals. It was in a silver-coloured Skoda that Kasab and Ismail Khan were racing down marine drive, but they were in for a surprise at Girgaum Chowpatty. "At around 0030 hrs IST a Skoda car stopped about 50 feet from the barricade," says Govilkar. "They tried to escape by taking a U-turn. But they hit the divider and the car stopped," says another Mumbai Police official Hemant Baudankar says. "Kasab started firing from his AK47 as soon as he saw that we were coming to catch him," says Govilkar. Baudankar says that Assistant Sub Inspector Tukaram Omble was hit by the bullets as he was the first to charge towards Kasab and his associate armed with just a stick. "All those who were with Omble survived as he stood like a shield," adds Kadam. "When we saw that Omble was not letting go of the terrorist's gun, we knew we could not let his sacrifice go in vain. He held on and we completed his unfinished task," his colleague Sanjay Govilkar said.<br />
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<strong>Awards</strong><br />
Tukaram Omble was awarded the Ashoka Chakra which is the highest peacetime gallantry award.<br />
He was also awarded CNN Indian of the year award under the category 'Extraordinary service to the nation'. </span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-15131125205899643202011-07-23T19:05:00.000-07:002011-07-23T19:05:06.212-07:00Shashank Shinde Police Inspector, C.S.T. Railway Police Station | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakvshKIuDef8b9QIc0M7uy8150XioE13XfQ8i7DSDJDEHFPQgcC4TQzJx_MzeV4rLZuJV_6XGfwey6tzPIduHYEbISlWuOV0K_g1fB0Tu2lp5BV1_BH-agi16V0Hm1oUeCi-xgqfNbe_D/s1600/shashank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakvshKIuDef8b9QIc0M7uy8150XioE13XfQ8i7DSDJDEHFPQgcC4TQzJx_MzeV4rLZuJV_6XGfwey6tzPIduHYEbISlWuOV0K_g1fB0Tu2lp5BV1_BH-agi16V0Hm1oUeCi-xgqfNbe_D/s1600/shashank.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Hardworking and sincere, that’s how most people, including former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Government Railway Police) Ramrao Pawar, describe Railway Police Inspector Shashank Shinde who lost his life during a scuffle with two terrorists inside Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), where he was posted.<br />
<br />
An officer of the 1987 batch, Shinde had worked with the Crime Branch for a few years. He was also with the Protection Department and the Traffic Police Department before being transferred to the GRP. His assistant, Pradeep, says, “He was a very helpful and dashing officer who would never hesitate to rush in for any kind of operation.” Asked about Shinde’s personal likings, he said with an obvious hint of fondness, “He used to like listening to old songs. I don’t know much about him as a person.”<br />
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ACP (GRP) Bapu Thomre informed that Shinde’s duty hours during the night had been reduced recently. “As two officers were not needed for the night shift, Shinde was told to go home and rest. Even as he was getting ready to leave, the sound of bullets was heard in the station.” According to the other police officials, Shinde, who always carried a revolver, rushed towards the spot from where the shots were being fired.<br />
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When the firing started, he pulled out his service revolver and fired two bullets. During the course of the fight, he was shot in the abdomen and dropped at the spot. “Though Shinde was an efficient policeman, a service revolver could not have been any match for two men armed with AK-47s. However, whatever Shinde did was very brave. He just rushed out, armed with only a service revolver to combat the threat,” said Thomre.<br />
<br />
At the funeral, one of his neighbours said, “The minute we heard that there was some disturbance at CST, we knew that Shashank would be leading from the front. That was his nature anyways. However, we did not expect to hear the news of his demise. Everyone is numb with shock.”<br />
<br />
Shinde is survived by his wife, Mansi, an LIC employee and two daughters- Nivedita, a 2nd year engineering student, and Aditi, an SSC student. Speaking in hushed tones about her husband at their residence in Atop Hill, Mansi said, “Last night, two police officials came to our house at Antop Hill and informed us about the incident. We were escorted to the hospital where his body was kept.”</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-52092397832879760462011-07-23T19:03:00.000-07:002011-07-23T19:03:35.249-07:00NSG Commando Havaldar Gajender Singh | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd14M6Z3iE_zBh4t_SObI1IlNl_DNRVeyCPE9JMAklVQ2B8XpHYfkwQGVYTkgapudkA9qva-4qun9RvZyiIctDzaCmbopkdrFOuYk0jsK2tNzz6X87_4vF-wgvbPVM1XZ5RYLpZnb9_nGK/s1600/gajender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd14M6Z3iE_zBh4t_SObI1IlNl_DNRVeyCPE9JMAklVQ2B8XpHYfkwQGVYTkgapudkA9qva-4qun9RvZyiIctDzaCmbopkdrFOuYk0jsK2tNzz6X87_4vF-wgvbPVM1XZ5RYLpZnb9_nGK/s1600/gajender.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Havaldar Gajender Singh Bisht (born 1972) was an NSG commando who died during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. His act of bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra award by the President of India on 26 January 2009.<br />
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Hailing from Ganeshpur in Uttarakhand, young Gajender Singh studied at the Janata Inter College in Naya Gaon. He was remembered by his teachers as a disciplined student who participated in every event organised in the school, be it sports or cultural activities. He had a particular interest in boxing.<br />
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<strong>Operation Black Tornado</strong><br />
Gajender Singh was a member of the National Security Guard’s 51 Special Action Group. Gajender Singh was part of the team of NSG commandos who were abseiled on the roof of Nariman House in an operation to neutralize the terrorists inside who were holding at least six hostages.<br />
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According to Jyoti Krishna Dutt, Director General of the NSG, Singh was leading one of the teams that entered the building. The team came under intense fire from the terrorists and returned fire, while trying to dominate the situation. The terrorists also hurled a few grenades at the commandos. At this point, Singh had the option of retreating with his team. However, he realized that they had to seize this opportunity to dominate and continued moving ahead. He didn't turn his back to the militants and created a way for the other commandos despite a grenade thrown at him. Despite sustaining multiple bullet injuries while doing so, he moved forward and ultimately succumbed to his injuries, making the supreme sacrifice. This selfless and brave gesture of his ensured that his team secured a dominating position in the encounter<br />
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<strong>Death</strong><br />
While securing the Nariman House during Operation Black Tornado, Singh, a member of the Parachute Regiment was fatally wounded while storming the Jewish center.</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-78107006459730794772011-07-23T19:01:00.000-07:002011-07-23T19:01:52.768-07:00ATS Chief Hemant Karkare | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJx0L1UbGQlg4gkzNT9h2JxXnASfbtFuIh-JlPUGxuDPMVfNwJ8XS2XfAhg0Anj9a8pKksmFEaVJciKJeCVU_PLTynmsGLXJ6WReGDl9SItyuNuHGw1Zh0tRXD7frI-zno1HnvCkMBkUp5/s1600/hemant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJx0L1UbGQlg4gkzNT9h2JxXnASfbtFuIh-JlPUGxuDPMVfNwJ8XS2XfAhg0Anj9a8pKksmFEaVJciKJeCVU_PLTynmsGLXJ6WReGDl9SItyuNuHGw1Zh0tRXD7frI-zno1HnvCkMBkUp5/s1600/hemant.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Joint Commissioner of Police Hemant Karkare (12 December 1954 – 26 November 2008) was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad. He was killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks after being shot three times in the chest. His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.<br />
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Karkare succeeded KP Raghuvanshi as the Chief of ATS in January 2008 and was eventually succeeded by Raghuvanshi after he was killed on 26 November 2008. He was also involved in the investigation of the serial bomb blasts in Thane, Vashi and Panvel, and led the investigation of the 29 September blast in Malegaon,he was investigating the possible and alleged links of saffron terror and the group Abhinav Bharat in these attacks<br />
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Karkare came from a Maharashtrian Karhade Brahmin family. Karkare obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur. After graduation he worked for National productivity council, Government of India and then Hindustan Lever Limited now Hindustan Unilever Ltd., India's largest FMCG company.<br />
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He joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) as a member of the 1982 batch. Before becoming ATS Chief of Maharashtra State in January 2008, he was Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration) of Mumbai Police. He served seven years in Austria in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency. According to former senior Mumbai Police officer Y.C. Pawar, Mr. Karkare was regarded as very influential officer in police circles.<br />
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At 9.45 p.m. while having his dinner at his Dadar residence, he received a call about a terrorist attack at C.S.T. (earlier V.T.) station. He switched on the TV for news and left at once with his driver and bodyguards for C.S.T. There he donned a bullet-proof vest and helmet (shown on news channels live), and went to Platform No.1, but found it deserted. He was then informed that the terrorists had moved to the Cama and Albless Hospital ("Cama") next to the Azad Maidan police station.<br />
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The operation was difficult as it was dark and the terrorists were well prepared and virtually on a fidayeen mission. The officers, with a few constables, went into Cama from the back and Kamte fired at the terrorist. A couple of constables were left stationed at the back entrance of Cama, while the rest boarded a Qualis jeep. Salaskar asked the driver to let him take over at the wheel. About that time, they heard on the wireless that the terrorists were hiding behind a red car.<br />
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As they turned from the Crime Branch office towards Rang Bhavan looking for the red car, near the Corporation Bank ATM, they saw a terrorist running. Kamte or Salaskar - or both - fired, the bullet hitting the terrorist on his arm, his AK-47 fell down. He was Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive later. As they were thinking of getting down, a second terrorist, Ibrahim Khan appeared and fired a volley of bullets at them. All but one Assistant Police Inspector Jadhav died. ( Times of India 19 Dec. 2008 )<br />
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Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Salaskar and others laid down their lives fighting terrorists during the Mumbai attacks, on 27 November 2008 in a narrow lane between St. Xaviers College and Rang Bhavan, just a stone throw away from the Crime Branch office.</span><br />
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Ashok Kamte was an international scholarship recipient at Camp Rising Sun in 1980. He attended The Rajkumar College, Rajkot, then Kodaikanal International School for five years, graduating from 12th grade with the Class of 1982. He completed his bachelor's degree from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai graduating in 1985 and post graduate degree in Arts from St. Stephen's College, Delhi 1985-87. An accomplished athlete, he represented India at the junior power-lifting championship in Peru in 1978.<br />
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Ashok Kamte was survived by his wife Vinita, two sons Rahul (15) and Arjun (8), his father Colonel M.R. Kamte (Retd.) of the Indian Army, mother, Prem and a sister, Sharmila. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Death</strong><br />
Ashok Kamte was killed in action by terrorists during the Mumbai attacks, on 26 November 2008 in a narrow lane between St. Xavier's College and the Rang Bhavan opposite Corporation Bank ATM just a stone away from Crime Branch office.<br />
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As Mr. Kamte was known for his cool temperament and negotiation skills he was summoned when attack began. He was the Additional Commissioner of East zone, an area not under attack. When he reached CST area, he met ATS Chief Hemant Karkare and others. They took a Qualis from the Azad Maidan Police Station (AMPS), with Kamte taking taking AK47 himself. When they reached rear entrance of the Cama and Albless Hospital ( Cama ) which is next to AMPS, Kamte fired at terrorists, to which the terrorists retaliated with handgranade so Kamte suggested to take on terrorists from front entrance of Cama. By then the terrorists had left Cama sensing trouble. As the cops were moving they received wireless message that terrorists were hiding behind a red car in the same lane. At that time they spotted a terrorist running, Kamte fired, injuring him. He was Kasab lone terrorist captured alive later that night. As they were about to get down another Pakistani terrorist, Ibrahim Khan fired volley of bullets killing all but Asst. Police Inspector Arun Jadhav. Kamte was hit in the head although he was wearing helmet ( but no bulletproof jacket )<br />
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The body of Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte, was cremated with State honours at the Vaikunth cremotorium on 27 November 2008. A large number of high-ranking police officers participated in the funeral procession, including: Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh, Joint Commissioner of Police Rajendra Sonawane and district collector Chandrakant Dalvi. Around 3,000 people were present.</span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9017186450388474903.post-25066209896999761532011-07-22T18:28:00.000-07:002011-07-23T18:58:21.471-07:00Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan | Mumbai 26/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg-_GA2fqbMgw4Dhu6BAtbOtW4KWGEkHsP_8NecvZRiHyNGBG4HGY3gq7lfNTCbs1YiWmFHz-x9D7Ia6Wi504UJhM7OdxLPeUjF6bW57S5voSV5nrHqQz_4aY-mxfstJeJ9t_sw2XtoE-/s1600/sandeep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg-_GA2fqbMgw4Dhu6BAtbOtW4KWGEkHsP_8NecvZRiHyNGBG4HGY3gq7lfNTCbs1YiWmFHz-x9D7Ia6Wi504UJhM7OdxLPeUjF6bW57S5voSV5nrHqQz_4aY-mxfstJeJ9t_sw2XtoE-/s1600/sandeep.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">Sandeep Unnikrishnan (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was a Major in the Indian Army serving in the elite Special Action Group of the National Security Guards (NSG). He was killed in action while fighting terrorists in the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peace time gallantry award, on 26 January 2009.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;">“Do not come up, I will handle them”, were the last words which Major Unnikrishnan told his men as he was hit by bullets while engaging well armed terrorists inside the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower during Operation Black Tornado, according to NSG officials. Later, NSG sources clarified that when a Guardsman got injured during the operation, Major Unnikrishnan arranged for his evacuation and started chasing the terrorists himself. The terrorists escaped to another floor of the hotel and during the chase Major Unnikrishnan was seriously injured and succumbed to his injuries.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>Operation Black Tornado</b><br />
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On the night of 26 Nov 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists. One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100-year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.<br />
Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostages. He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the stairs, they sensed the terrorists on the third floor. The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Yadav, who was Major Unnikrishnan's buddy partner.<br />
Major Unnikrishan led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight. He arranged for Commando Sunil Yadav's evacuation and regardless of personal safety, chased the terrorists who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the hotel, and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them. n the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back, seriously injured and succumbed to injuries. </span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285678260345852200noreply@blogger.com2