PARAMVEER VIKRAM BATRA
Are some people born to be heroes? Are there men, who are destined for greatness? Men who in spite of having all the qualities that would ensure them success in the world sacrifice it all for others? Every once in while, there have been such men and women in this country's history, men who were born to do something extraordinary.
Captain Vikram Batra was clearly one such man – in a billion!
He was born in 9 September 1974 along with his twin brother Vishal Batra in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The twins were nicknamed "Luv" & "Kush" by their mother because she believed in Lord Rama. Captain Batra had two sisters. His Father was Government School Principal and his mother was a School Teacher.
Captain Vikram was a brilliant student always scoring very high grade in school and college. He happened to be an exceptional sportsman, excelling in sports, like table tennis and skating being his favorites. He even played nationals in table tennis during his school days.
As if these qualities were not enough in one man alone, he happened to possess a magnetic personality, an aura of positivity that everyone fell in love with. "His face always glowed, he always smiling and he had a very infectious laughter." Everyone in the small town loved him.
The infectious smiles of this extraordinary man was soon witnessed and felt by a nation in cries, and the nation too, fell in love.
During the Kargil invasion of 1999 by Pakistan Lt. Batra, 13 JAK Rifles, and his delta company were ordered to recapture peak 5140 on June 19, five weeks after the war began. Nicknamed "SherSha" of Kargil. Lt. Batra showed exceptional courage and intellect to capture the peak. He single handedly killed three enemy fighters in dangerous close-range combat.
Regardless of his injuries, Captain Batra regrouped his men to pave the way for Indian solider to advance further in Kargil war.
"Ye Dil Maange More" is our company's success signal, he said with a smile. It was the confident smiling visage of this hero that calmed the nation, which made its one billion people believe that everything will be okay.
The capture of point 5140 set in motion a string of success for the Indian Army. A few days later Lt. Batra was assigned an urgent mission to recapture peak 4875 with an 80 degree slope peak where the Pakistani army sat with a clear view of the climb. This was nothing less than a death trap. In the early morning hours of 7, July, 1999, he commanded a mission to rescue injured officer. During the rescue attempt, he pushed aside his subedar, saying "Tu Baal Bachhewala Hai, Hat Ja Peechhe" and was killed in action while clearing enemy positions. His last words were "Jay Mata Di".
It was Seventeen years ago that he lost his life fighting for our country, but heroes never die, and PARAMVEER CHAKRA(PVC) CAPTAIN VIKRAM BATRA lives on. His bravery, his sacrifice, his intelligence, his charm his infections smile, they all live in our hearts.
"I WILL EITHER COME BACK AFTER RAISING THE INDIAN FLAG IN VICTORY OR RETURN WRAPPRD IN IT, BUR I WILL COME FORE SURE", words of PARAMVEER VIKRAM BATRA and he was proved it.
This is a small effort on my side to remember PVC CAPTAIN BATRA who freed Kargil from attackers.
Some lines for our Nation's Pride Our Soldiers…..
ये शेरदिल किस मिटटी के बने होते है,
उन्हें किसी का दर ही नहीं लगता,
जान किसी और की खतरे में होती है,
सीना ये अपना आगे कर लेते है,
गज़ब के दीवाने होते है ये लोग,
आंच मिटटी पर आती है,
सींच देते है, अपने लहू से उसे.
We are Proud to be an INDIAN.
By,
Riddhi Patel
Educator
Rosary School Rajkot