What exactly happened in KARGIL

Summary

Date	May-July

Days: 77

Indian Killed: 527

Pakistani Killed: 357–4,000+

Intrusion & War

There had existed a sort of "gentleman's agreement" between India and Pakistan that the armies of either side will not occupy posts from the 15 September to 15th April of each year. This had been the case since 1977, but in 1999 this agreement was cast aside by the Pakistani army in hopes of trying to gain the upper hand in Kashmir.

The Intruders

Initial Estimated Intruders - 500 to 1,000
Actual strength of the
intruders - Around 5000

The Intruders on the heights were an amalgam of professional soldiers and mercenaries. They included the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 12th battalions of the Pakistan Army’s Northern Light Infantry (NLI). Among them were many Mujaheddin and members of Pakistan's the Special Services Group (SSG).The intruders were also well armed with AK 47 and 56, mortars, artillery, anti aircraft guns, and Stinger missiles.

Operation Vijay

Indian Army’s offensive named Operation Vijay was launched on May 26, 1999.

Batalik Sector

This sector is located between the Shyok and Indus rivers. This sector was responsible for about half of the Indian casualties.

The Battle for Chorbat La, Turtuk & Eastern section

The Eastern section of the Batalik sector consists of Chorbat La (mountain pass), Turturk and Pt 5287.This sector was recaptured on June 16,1999 by 11 Rajputana Rifles. Pt 5287 was recaptured on July 5th by the Ladakh Scouts. The Eastern section was recaptured on July 6th after 38 days of war.

Jubar Ridge

Jubar Ridge is located on the western end of the sector and is several km from the LOC. Initial Army patrols to this area were killed by the inturders.The first attack on the ridge was unsucessful. In the next attacks, the Indian Army decided to cut supply routes and encircle the enemy camps.The battle raged for 40 days ending on July 8, 1999, involved hand to hand combat and heavy casualties. Eventually, 1 Bihar of the Indian Army revailed
over the enemy forces.

Central Section

The Central Section of Batalik Sector consists of Munthu Dhalo, Kokarthang and Pt 5285. Intial attacks in this area were unsuccesful. 1 Paras and 11 Gorkha Rifles pressed on and were able to take back all of the peaks in the region.

Dras Sector

This sector is the Western most of the inturders positions. Dras Sector is adjacent to the Srinagar - Leh Highway (NH 1), making this sector strategically important as traffic on the highway was vulnerable to the enemy firing. The main positions of the intuders were the Tololing Top, Tiger Hill, Pt 4875, Pt 4590, Pt 5100 and Pt 5140.

Tololing

Tololing Peak was the dominant position in the sector as it directly overlooked the highway. The Battle of Tololing was intially carried out by 18 grenadiers on May 22, 1999 and was unsucessful. Subsequently, 1 Naga Regiment, 15 Garhwal and the Grenadiers took up the task but also failed to beat back the intruders. Eventually 2 Rajput, a fresh battalion, was given the task of capturing the peak. 2 Rajput prevailed on the June 13, 1999. The same battalion was sucessful in capturing Pt 4590 on June 14, 1999. Pt 5410 located east of Tololing and closer to the LOC was captured by 1 Naga Regiment. Pt 5100, located close to the LOC was a major supply route for enemy forces. The capture of this on July 1, 1999 was instrumental in the recapture of Tiger Hill.

Tiger Hill

Initial attempts by 8 Sikh were unsucessful.Eventually Tiger Hill fell due to a combined attack from three sides which resulted in the cutting of supply lines of the intruders. Tiger Hill was recaptured on July 3, 1999 and cleared on July 9, 1999. Pt 4875, the third of the major peaks located along the highway, was taken by 8 Jat and 16 Grenadiers on July 5, 1999.

Kaksar Sector

This sector is located in between the two dominant sectors of Batalik and Dras.Operations in this sector were undertaken after the Dras sector was secured. 1 Naga and 16 Grenadiers were tasked with the recapture of the Bajrang Post and were sucessful on July 12, 1999.

Maskoh Valley & Other parts of the LOC

Operations to recapture the area were mobilized after the Dras sector was retaken. On July 9, 1999, Pakistan agreed to pull back the intruders and the Indian Army moved forward to reoccupy the vacated land.

Pakistani troops shelled the bordering villages and destroyed houses and schools. Approximantly 100,000 civilians were evacuated. Also Pakistan had amassed a large number of terrorists at select points along the LOC for infiltration. It is estimated that several hundred of these terrorists were pushed across the LOC during the conflict.Pakistan also made an attempt to capture the Indian post in the Naushera sectorof Jammu but failed to do so.

Pakistan issued statements condemning India's counter attack and falsely claiming that the fighters were the mujaheddin and or Kashmiri freedom fighters.Pakistan tried to use kargil as a way to project the Kashmir conflict as a potential nuclear showdown thereby encouraging international intervention that might favor Pakistan.

Featured Collections

Lt. Colonel Vishwanathan "We grieve the loss of our son. But we are also proud he has dedicated his life to the nation," - V Ramakrishnan, 60, the father of Lt. Colonel Vishwanathan.		Lt. Colonel Vijayraghavan The brave man of the 15 Kumaon Regiment made the supreme sacrifice of his life on June 25 while leading counter-insurgency operations near Machchal near the LoC.

Lt. Colonel Sachin Kumar Kanderiya Lt Col Sachin Kumar Kanderiya was killed when a shell fired by the Pakistani troops exploded near his post on the glacier.		Major Ajay Singh Jasrotia

Major Kamlesh Pathak There's still some pain, but the injury is healing fast," wrote Major Kamlesh Pathak. He was writing to his family in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh about the bullet wounds he sustained earlier. Yet he insisted on rejoining his unit and fell to enemy bullets.		Major Padmaphani Acharya "I am prepared to sacrifice my other son also for the sake of our motherland," his proud father said. Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Padmaphani Acharya on 15th August 1999.

Major Mariappan Saravanan Major M Sarvanan, the hero of Batalik, was finally among friends. Martyred on May 29 after wresting two bunkers from the enemy, Maj Sarvanan's mortal remains lay out of the reach of his men until July 3. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Mariappan Sarvanan on 15th August 1999.		Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari Adhikari was leading the central arm of three 10-man teams trying to capture a bunker at 16,000 ft. He died in the bloody assault but the bunker was won. Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari on 15th August 1999.

Major Harminder Pal Singh Major Harminder Pal Singh proved to be a true follower of Sikh gurus, when in a heroic act he laid down his life for the defence of his motherland on the very day the nation was celebrating tercentenary celebrations of the founding of Khalsa.		Major Manoj Talwar A third generation officer, Maj Manoj Talwar, left the more lucrative option of becoming an army doctor when he chose to join the National Defence Academy. His father, Capt (Retd) P L Talwar, is sad but proud that his son fought for the motherland.

Major Vivek Gupta There was pride in her salute and sorrow in her eyes as Capt Jayshree Gupta bid a final farewell to her slain husband Maj Vivek Gupta, the hero of the first major victory achieved by the Indian forces in Kargil. Maj Gupta and six others from his team captured the Pt 4950 peak at Tuloling before they were killed in fierce combat.		Major Sonam Wangchuk A soft-spoken Buddhist soldier gives India one of its major footholds in the icy mountains. Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Sonam Wangchuk on 15th August 1999.

Major Ajay Kumar Major Ajay Kumar belonged to 13 Mechanised Infantry. He was killed in the Avantipur area when leading a search operation.		Captain Amol Kalia The recapture of a key position in the Batalik sector by Capt Amol Kalia and 13 of his men, all of whom died, was one of the bravest acts seen in the Kargil sector. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Amol Kalia on 15th August 1999.

Lt. Kieshing Clifford Nongrum Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Kieshing Clifford Nongrum on 15th August 1999.		Captain Sumeet Roy Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Sumit Roy on 15th August 1999.

Captain Amit Verma The 23-year-old soldier was the only son of his proud parents and a third generation army officer. His grandfather is a retired major and the father a retired colonel. Both had been in battles but Amit was the only one on whom martyrdom was bestowed in Kargil.		Captain Pannikot Visvanath Vikram "My son has accomplished what I could not. I am really proud of him," was the immediate reaction of Lieutenant Colonel (retired) P K P Viswanatha Panickar when he heard about the death of his son, Captain Pannikot Visvanath Vikram, 25, in a shell attack at Kargil.

Captain Anuj Nayyar Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Anuj Nair on 15th August 1999.		Deputy Commandant Joy Lall Lall (36), a valiant officer, was among the three ITBP personnel killed at Gund in Jammu and Kashmir in a powerful landmine blast triggered by terrorists.

Captain Vikram Batra Nation's highest wartime gallantry award PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Captain VIKRAM BATRA on 15th August 1999.		Naik Digendra Kumar Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Naik Digendra Kumar on 15th August 1999.

Captain Jintu Gogoi The men of 17 Garhwal had charged into battle shouting 'Badri Vishal', their battle cry. Of the four companies that went into battle one officer and eleven jawans did not return. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Captain Jintu Gogoi on 15th August 1999.		Lt. Vijayant Thapar Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Vijayant Thapar on 15th August 1999.

Lt. N. Kenguruse Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. N. Kenguruse on 15th August 1999.		Captain Haneef Uddin Attacked by intruders and bombarded by artillery, he and his unit, equipped only with small arms, fought to the end. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Hanif-u-din on 15th August 1999.

Lt. Saurav Kalia		Lt. Amit Bharadwaj Lt Bharadwaj and his men were among the first to encounter the enemy in the Kargil sector. He led the patrol after Captain Saurav Kalia and his men from the same unit went missing in the Kaksar area on May 8 near Bajrang post.

Lt. Balwan Singh Nation's second highest wartime gallantry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Balwan Singh on 15th August 1999.		Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey Nation's highest wartime gallantry award PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey on 15th August 1999.

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja Made the supreme sacrifice for his country while remaining over infiltrators-held positions to help coordinate rescue attempts to locate Flt. Lt. Nachiketa, who had baled out after his plane stalled due to an engine trouble. Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Squadren Leader Ajay Ahuja on 15th August 1999.		Squadron Leader Rajiv Pundhir, Flight Lieutenant S. Muhilan, Sergeant Raj Kishore Sahu and Sergeant PVNR Prasad Four crew members of the MI-17 helicopter gunship that was shot down by an American Stinger Missile in Kargil.

Flight Lieutenant S. Muhilan The young officer from Karnataka's Belgaum district made the supreme sacrifice during the air-to-ground rocket attack against a heavily missile defended area. >>>		Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa Rao This work explains the most timeless question of all existence, "What lies beyond Death"? And it was Nachiketa who had the courage to confront even Death in his pursuit of the answer.

Sergeant and Flight Engineer Raj Kishore Sahu		Naik Chaman Singh

Naik R. Kamraj Kamraj was looking forward to returning for good, after completing the mandatory service period on January 3, 2000. Fate willed otherwise.		Naik Kudeep Singh A choked Swaran Singh told senior Army officials that he was ready to send his other three sons to the Army if the country needed their services.

Naik Birendra Singh Lamba		Major Manoj Talwar, Rifleman Bachhan Singh and Rifleman Jasvir Singh Behind the saga of gallantry of the Indian armed forces are little known tales of a cruel and abrupt end to beautiful relationships.

Lance Naik Shyam Singh Nand Ram, father of the martyr, said his son was one of many who had laid down their lives and he was proud of his son. Shyam Singh was one of the three jawans who were killed along with Captain Vikram Batra on the night of July 6.		Naik Surendra Pal

Lance Naik Shatrughan Singh Hit by a hail of enemy bullets, Lance Naik Shatrughan Singh crawled 10 eerie nights with the maggot-infested wound in his right leg surviving on a handful of boiled rice and snow before being rescued and shifted to a medical facility. >>>		Lance Naik Ghulam Mohammed Khan Nation's third highest wartime gallantry award VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Lance Naik Gulam Mohammed Khan on 15th August 1999.

Lance Naik MR Sahu God willing peace would come soon," Sahu had written to his friend. But death came first.		Lance Naik Ahmed Ali "I am proud of my son as he sacrificed his life while protecting his country," said Abdul Majid Khan, father of Lance Naik Ahmed Ali, who died fighting the intruders in Batalik sector on July 2.

Havaldar Major Yashvir Singh Tomar Atop Tololing, he charged an enemy bunker and threw 18 grenades. He was found dead later, rifle in hand. No Tears: Yashvir's father says his grandsons too will serve the Indian army. >>>		Naik Ganesh Yadav Although his death's left Ganesh's young wife Pushpa Rai dazed, she is confident of sending their 18-month-old son Abhishek to complete the "unfinished task of my husband".

Lance Naik Vijay Singh, Naik Kishan Lal, Naik Rampal Singh		Naik Sumer Singh Rathore

Naik Surendra Singh		Naik Sucha Singh Naik Sucha Singh was killed in a blast in the Kargil area on July 15. Naik Sucha Singh leaves behind his wife Jasbir Kaur and four sons.

Naik Surjeet Singh, Rifleman Rattan Chand, Naik Jugal Kishore, Havildar Abdul Karim, Havildar Daler Singh Bahu, Rifleman Mohammad Farid, Rifleman Mohammad Aslam Seven martyrs of 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI), who laid down their lives fighting intruders in the Batalik sub-sector in Kargil.		Sepoy Dineshbhai, Sepoy Harendragiri Goswamy, Naik S.N. Malik, Sepoy Amrish Pal Banghi, Lance Naik Satpal Singh, Rifleman Satbir Singh, Rifleman Jagmal Singh Seven Army personnel who died while fighting Pakistani infiltrators in Kargil sector.

Naik Raj Kumar Punia Punia was part of a frontal attack stalled by a machine-gun nest. While crawling up he was hit, but before he died he hurled a grenade and silenced the nest.		Havaldar Baldev Raj Havildar Baldev Raj of 7 Dogra Regiment, a resident of Benewal village in Hoshiarpur district died in a mine blast in Chhamjorian sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Havaldar Jai Prakash Singh Attacked on the ridges, he kept fighting and tried to evacuate injured colleagues before blown up.		Havaldar Mahavir Singh Havildar Mahavir Singh of Jat Regiment and a resident of Ghirai village in Hansi subdivision of the district laid down his life in the Kargil sector.

Havaldar Mani Ram The Intelligence Corps described Mani Ram as a "Tiger Hill martyr who rose against the wind." He died on July 3 while fighting Pakistan regulars and Mujahideens in the Kargil sector.		Havaldar Rajbir Singh Havildar Rajbir Singh died on May 15 while recapturing the Bajrang post in Kaksar sector from the Pakistani intruders. He belonged to 4 Jat Regiment.

Havaldar Satbir Singh Then Havildar Satbir Singh came, the last one to return after capturing Black Rocks. His colleagues' hands and legs moved out of sync. Probably because they didn't want to welcome the hero this way. Satbir Singh was dead. Four jawans of the unit climbed the Shaktiman truck and brought him down.		Subedar Bhanwar Singh Rathod A shell from a Pakistani artillery gun tore open the entrails of Subedar Bhanwar Singh Rathore of 1871 medium artillery regiment in Kargil sector on June 17. That was 44 days before he was to put on the olive green uniform for the last time, get a warm send-off from his unit, and return home at this village in Pali district of Rajasthan and prepare for his daughter's wedding.

Rifleman Linkon Pradhan Linkon, in his 20s, died on June 8 while assaulting Tiger Hills at Kargil. Two bullets in the chest put paid to a brave life. As also the lives of a 20-year-old wife of two years, a year-old son, schoolteacher father Harinarayan, brother Alanja, 16.		Rifleman Yogendra Singh "I'm going home soon". He did. But in a coffin, escorted by mate Joginder to his village in Johragaon, near Aligarh. He died while stalking militants in Kupwara forests.

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar Killing five enemy personnel, lifting a machine gun while hit by a bullet in thigh muscle, lobbying a grenade and clearing a important army post. It is not a narration of any popular bollywood film but a real life scene enacted by Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of the 13 JAK Rif in "Operation Vijay" while capturing army post in the Mushkoh Valley. Nation's highest wartime gallantry award PARAM VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Rifleman Sanjay Kumar on 15th August 1999.		Grenadier Manohar Singh Grenadier Manohar Singh was one of the several soldiers who had charged up the Tuloling peak on the intervening night of 12 and 13 June. He was one of the 13 killed in an artillery burst which also left six others injured.

Gunner Uddabh Das He was martyred on the Tiger Hill in the Kargil sector while trying to position an artillery gun. Mrs Khageswari Devi, Udhab's mother, refused to shed tears. "I am proud my son laid down his life for his country", she said.		Sepoy Amardeep Singh He and a colleague were part of an ambushed patrol. They were killed trying desperately to reach the dead.

Sepoy Vijay Pal Singh On June 12, 7.30 am, a hand grenade tore Vijaypal's head apart while he was returning army fire from his post 10 km from the LoC. "Main barah ki subah phone karta raha, ghanti bajti rahi," says his inconsolable father. "Mujhe kya pata tha woh sari baat kar chuka tha."		Sepoy Virendra Kumar Sepoy Virinder Kumar of 17 Jat Regiment hailing from Mohna village, near here, was killed while fighting against the Pakistani intruders in the Mushkoh valley during the successful capturing of the Tiger Hill.

Sepoy Yashwant Singh 20-year-old Yashwant Singh laid down his life for the motherland in the Kargil sector. "I am proud that he gave his life in honour of his motherland, but my only regret is that he was too young to die," his father said in a voice choked with emotion.		Sepoy Santokh Singh Mortal remains of Sepoy Santokh Singh (28), of 20 J and K Rifles were consigned to flames yesterday at his native village Jatoli with full military and state honours.

Sepoy Raswinder Singh Part of the first column given the task of taking the crucial Tiger Hill overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway, he killed three intruders before he was shot in the head.		Constable Suraj Bhan (SPG) The father of Suraj Bhan Sh Jamna Das is a tall and tough person. 'I know he has died a lion's death and it is a matter of pride for me inspite of the blow which his death has inflected on us'. Suraj Bhan was just 22.

Sepoy Bajindra Singh While military honour is accorded to officers who lay down their lives fighting for the nation, no military or civil official bothered to even lay a wreath on the mortal remains of 24-year-old soldier, Bajinder Singh, who died fighting infiltrators, in the Dras sector, on the Indo-Pak border.		Sepoy Deep Chand Slogans of "Deep Chand, amar rahe, amar rahe" and "Pakistan of barbad, ho barbad", rent the air as Mr Vinod Kumar, cousin of the martyr, lit the pyre.

Sepoy Dondibha Desai Hope shattered for the family of 22-year-old Sepoy Dhondiba Desai who died in a mine blast at Kargil.		Sepoy Keolanand Dwivedi The brave soldier probably knew he'd never come back. He died on June 6 of bullet wounds, having surprised and taken on five infiltrators in their hideout in Kargil.

Sepoy Harjindra Singh The soldier laid down his life while fighting Pak intruders in Sambha sector in Jammu and Kashmir. "Our son has made the supreme sacrifice for the nation and we are proud to be his parents", said Mr Kesar Singh and Mrs Harbhajan Kaur, father and mother of the martyr.		Sepoy Jaswant Singh Sepoy Jaswant Singh of 10 Sikh Light Infantry, laid down his life on July 6, in Kargil in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Pakistani intruders. His father Swaran Singh, said he was proud of his son's bravery.

Sepoy Jaswinder Singh Injured, he crawled on, firing buying time for his patrol till he was shot dead. His family is stoic. "Someone has to die to stop the enemy," whispers his father.		Sepoy Lal Singh As the body of the martyr was brought to the village a large number of villagers raised slogans "shaheed Lal Singh amar rahe".

Sepoy R. Selva Kumar He bravely fought the enemy in the Kargil sector and laid down his life for the country on May 29 when he was hit by the enemy shells.		Sepoy Rakesh Kumar (16 Dogra) Sepoy Rakesh Kumar of 16 Dogra, was killed in artillery firing by Pakistan in Naushahra sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The 22-year-old soldier was the only son of his parents.