On 9th September 1974, a boy-child was born in the quiet village of Bandlaghon—Vikram Batra, whose name will be eternally enshrined in the pages of Indian military history as the ‘Lion of Kargil’.
From the very beginning of his life, Vikram grew up in an environment of kindness, ambition, and a background deep in patriotism. His parents, Shri Girdhari Lal Batra and Smt. Kamal Kanta, nourished his brain and spirit, rejoicing at the way he excelled at studies as well as sports. He enjoyed a close relationship with Vishal, his twin brother, with whom he had shared stories of India’s war heroes and whose curious minds were fired with example after example of bravery, Jaeh OUI Param Vir Chakra.
His attraction toward warfare grew stronger during his long years with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in college; he was judged as the best NCC cadet in the North Zone. Vikram, however, turned his back on the Merchant Navy and chose the way of the armed forces.
His path was clear, and he pursued it with single-minded determination. Clearing the Combined Defence Services Examination, he entered the hallowed halls of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, in 1994. Upon commissioning into the 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, he was thrust into the harsh reality of war in Sopore, a volatile region in Baramulla district. Here, he witnessed firsthand the perils of service and the devastating human cost. An incident he shared with his elder sister, about a bullet meant for him striking one of his men, weighed heavily on him. This close brush with mortality only strengthened his commitment to leading his men with courage and compassion.
The summer of 1999 brought the storm of the Kargil War. Vikram’s battalion, initially slated for a peaceful posting, was instead deployed to the treacherous heights of Drass. Under Operation Vijay, they were tasked with the daunting mission of recapturing Point 5140, a strategically vital peak illegally occupied by Pakistani forces.
Under the cloak of darkness on the night of June 19, Vikram, now code-named ‘Sher Shah,’ and his men began their arduous ascent. Facing a formidable enemy entrenched in fortified positions, Vikram Batra conceived a daring plan: a surprise attack from the steeper, more perilous rear slope. This bold strategy required immense courage and unwavering faith in his men. They climbed relentlessly, braving a barrage of bullets. When pinned down by intense machine gun fire, Vikram, with grenades in hand, charged forward, single-handedly neutralizing key enemy positions. Engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat, he eliminated three enemy soldiers despite sustaining injuries. Finally, at 4:35 AM on June 20, his voice, triumphant yet calm, crackled over the radio: “Chanakya, it’s Shershah reporting! We’ve captured the post! Yeh Dil Maange More!” (The heart wants more!).
These words became the rallying cry of the Kargil War, a testament to Vikram’s infectious enthusiasm and unwavering belief in victory. The capture of Point 5140, a direct result of his extraordinary leadership, paved the way for further successes. General Ved Prakash Malik, the Chief of the Army Staff, personally congratulated him, and his smiling face, a symbol of hope and courage, graced newspapers across the nation.
But the war continued, and once again he had a duty to fulfill. Just a fortnight later, the task of capturing Point 4875 was handed over to his battalion. By now, Vikram Batra had become a Captain and led his men in the fateful assault on the night of July 6. An injured officer had not been evacuated on time, leaving the entire team vulnerable at the foot of a heavily defended cliff when dawn broke; there was no time or reason to retreat. In plain view, Vikram launched a surprise assault on the enemy, taking them unaware. The fighting was grim, but his men captured the area in the end. All of a sudden, right in the middle of it all, he spotted a wounded soldier and, without a thought for himself, went out to drag him to safety. A sniper’s bullet hit him in the chest then. His last words resounding their truth and bravery echoed through the mountains: “Durga Mata Ki Jai.”
The charge that his men were on, with fury along with the willpower associated with their grief, did not stop till they tallied their hard-fought victory. But India had lost one of its bravest sons. For his courage, leadership, and unparalleled sacrifice, Captain Vikram Batra was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest award for bravery.
Part of the inspiration his story would impart to generations ahead would illustrate the abiding value of duty and commitment: courage and patriotism forever. There’s no more of him, but echoing in his parents’ minds is that voice of pride lying in those lofty hills of Kargil: “Daddy, I have captured the post.” The boy from Palampur had now become the Lion of Kargil, forever enshrined in the love of the grateful nation.