Tales Of Valour

The battle of Badgam was a defensive encounter which took place when Pakistani raiders invaded Kashmir in Oct 1947. Badgam was recaptured on 5th November 1947 and close to 300 enemy bodies were counted but the fleeing Pakistani raiders picked up none.

In the Indo-Pak war of 1947-48, the defence of Naushera and Jhanger against Pakistani raiders was led by the 50 Para Brigade under the command of Brig Usman. Indian troops were to defend the towns of Kotli, Mirpur, Jhanger, Naushera, Bhimber and Poonch.

Indo-Sino war of 1962 when an unprepared army was sent in to fight a war in unfamiliar terrains and against an enemy superior in position i.e. China.

One of the toughest battles fought in the highest of mountains: The battle of Rezang La in 1962. Rezang La was the last stand of the C Company of 13 Kumaon, during the Sino-Indo War in 1962 when only about 120 Indian soldiers went up against Chinese Troops.

In August 1965 Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar to infiltrate Jammu & Kashmir and incite the locals to start a rebellion against India. The Battle of Asal Uttar was one of the largest tank battles fought during the Indo-Pak War of 1965.

In the second Indo-Pak war, India launched many aggressive operations to push the enemy out. The courageous capture of Haji Pir Pass and the Battle of Dograi was part of it. The Indo-Pak war of 1965 ended in a stalemate as India returned all captured strategic points to Pakistan.

The Battle of Longewala was fought in the western theatre during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri and his brave band of soldiers from the Punjab regiment lead the defence at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert against assaulting Pakistani forces.

The Battle of Basantar was one of the vital battles fought as part of the Indo-Pak War of 1971 in the western sector of India. The Indian troops won a hard-fought battle against Pakistan and secured Indian territory in the Punjab/Jammu sector.

A military conflict between India and Pakistan over the disputed Siachen Glacier region in Kashmir turned into another battle with Pakistan in 1984. Indian soldiers proved their superiority once more by taking control of this strategically important glacier and capturing the highest point on the glacier, Quaid Post.

During the Kargil conflict of 1999, when Pakistan had strategically taken over crucial sectors connecting the Siachen glacier in Turtuk, a young soldier named Capt Haneef Uddin uprooted the enemy from the icy cold terrain.

The continuous infiltration of Pakistani soldiers disguised as militants across LoC resulted in the Kargil conflict. During this conflict, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogender Yadav displayed exemplary valour in the face of the enemy.

During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla who was commanding a type 14 frigate, INS Khukri chose to go down with the ship after it was hit by a Pakistani submarine. During the same war in the eastern theatre, a young officer in the Gorkha regiment Ian Cardozo chose to cut off his leg with a Khukri after he stepped on a landmine by accident.