On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 126th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Andaman and Nicobar’s largest 21 unnamed islands to be named after Param Vir Chakra Awardees.
PM Modi on Monday unveiled in a virtual meeting, a model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.
21 Bravehearts who laid their life for the nation
Naik Jadunath Singh
Jadu Singh enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1941 and served in the Second World War, fighting against the Japanese in Burma. He later took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 as a member of the Indian Army. For action on 6 February 1948 at Tain Dhar, to the north of Naushahra, Though heavily outnumbered by advancing Pakistani forces, Singh led his men in defending against three attempts to overtake the post. He was wounded during the second assault. Armed with a Sten gun, he single-handedly charged the third assault with such determination as to cause the attackers to withdraw. In doing so, he was killed. Naik Jadu Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
Major Somnath Sharma
He is the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration, which he was awarded posthumously. He was commissioned into the 8th Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment, in 1942. He served in Burma during the Arakan Campaign of World War II, for which he was mentioned in despatches. Fighting in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-1948, Somnath Sharma was martyred in action on 3 November 1947 while repulsing Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport.
Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane
In April 1948, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Rane played a key role in the capture of Rajauri by Indian forces by being instrumental in clearing several roadblocks and minefields. His actions helped clear the way for advancing Indian tanks. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra on 8 April 1948 for his gallantry. He retired as a major from the Indian Army in 1968.
Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhawat
He took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, serving with the Indian Army’s 6th Rajputana Rifles. During the battle, Singh was part of the leading section of a company that was assigned to capture a Pakistani post at Tithwal, in Jammu and Kashmir. In time, Singh successfully occupied a Pakistani medium machine-gun post. But, by that time, the entire company lay dead or wounded. Singh was left alone to achieve the objective. He moved out and lobbed grenades at the next enemy post. Before moving to another trench, he received a mortal bullet wound to the head.
Lance Naik Karam Singh
He also fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his role in saving a forward post at Richhmar Gali, south of Tithwal. He was also one of the five soldiers chosen to raise the Indian flag for the first time after independence in 1947. Singh later rose to the rank of subedar and was conferred the rank of honorary captain before his retirement in September 1969.
Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria
Salaria’s battalion was tasked to clear a roadblock of two armored cars manned by 150 gendarmes of the secessionist State of Katanga on the way to the Elizabethville Airport. The plan was that Salaria and his men were to block their retreat. His rocket launcher team attacked and destroyed the Katangese armored cars. Despite being wounded in the neck, continued fighting, till he succumbed to his injuries.
Major Dhan Singh Thapa
Major Dhan Singh Thapa’s checkpost was surrounded by better-armed Chinese forces. Major Thapa Magar and his men held the post and repelled three attacks before eventually being overrun. The survivors, including Thapa Magar, were taken as prisoners of war. For his gallant actions and his efforts to motivate his men under fire, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
Subedar Joginder Singh
During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, he was commanding a platoon at the Bum La Pass in the North-East Frontier Agency. Though heavily outnumbered, he led his troops against a Chinese assault and defended his post until he was wounded and captured. Singh died from his injuries while in Chinese custody. He single-handedly killed more than 50 Chinese soldiers and became a war hero within the Indian Armed forces.
Major Shaitan Singh
Major Singh was commanding the 13th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment was stationed in the Chushul sector. In the morning hours of 18 November 1962, the Chinese attacked. Despite being grievously wounded, continued to encourage and lead his men who inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. For his actions on 18 November 1962, Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore
He was commissioned in April 1951 and was posted to the Poona Horse regiment, 17th Battalion. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, 17 Horses saw action in the Sialkot sector. Tarapore led the regiment in several tank battles between 11 and 16 September and was killed in one such battle at Butur-Dograndi on 16 September.
Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid
Havildar Abdul Hamid served 4 GRENADIERS in Khem Karan Sector. the 4 Grenadiers battalion was entrusted with a vital position before the village of Chima on the Khem Karan–Bhikhiwind line. At the Battle of Asal Uttar on 9–10 September 1965, Hamid destroyed eight Pakistani tanks and was killed destroying the ninth tank.
Lance Naik Albert Ekka
He was martyred in action in the Battle of Gangasagar, during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest award for valor in the face of the enemy.
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was an officer of the Indian Air Force. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration during wartime, in recognition of his lone defense of Srinagar Air Base against a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) air raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He is the only member of the Indian Air Force to be honored with the Param Vir Chakra.
Major Hoshiar Singh
Major Hoshiar Singh, on December 15, 1971, was ordered to capture the enemy locality of Jarpal when his company came under intense shelling. He led the charge and captured an objective after a fierce hand-to-hand fight.
Naib Subedar Bana Singh
As a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, he led the team that wrested control of the highest peak on the Siachen Glacier in Kashmir from Pakistani forces as part of Operation Rajiv. Following his success, India renamed the peak (previously designated as Quaid Post by the Pakistanis) to Bana Post in his honor.
Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal
He was an officer of the Indian Army and a posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration for valor in face of the enemy. He was killed in action in the Battle of Basantar on the Battlefield of Shakargarh during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 where his actions earned him his honor.
Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran
On 25 November 1987, when Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran was returning from a search operation in Sri Lanka, late at night, his column was ambushed by a group of militants who had five rifles. With a cool presence of mind, he encircled the militants from the rear and charged into them, taking them completely by surprise. During the hand-to-hand combat, a militant shot him in the chest.
Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey
Manoj Kumar Pandey was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1st battalion, 11 Gorkha Rifles on 7 June 1997. was tasked to clear Khalubar Ridge in Batalik, Jammu & Kashmir. On July 3, 1999, as his company was advancing, it came under heavy enemy fire responding to which he fearlessly assaulted the enemy, killing four enemy troops and destroying two bunkers.
Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav
Yogendra Singh Yadav PVC is a retired commissioned officer in the Indian Army, who was awarded the highest Indian military honor decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, for his action during the Kargil War. Aged 19 when he received the decoration, he is the youngest person to be awarded the medal.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar
13 JAK RIF, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, was assigned to capture the area Flat Top on July 4, 1999, in Mushkoh Valley, Jammu & Kashmir. The area was held by Pakistani troops. Having scaled the cliff, the team was pinned down by machine gun fire from an enemy bunker, about 150 meters away. Almost instantly he took two bullets in his chest and forearm that left him bleeding profusely. Though bleeding from the bullet wounds, he continued the charge toward the bunker. In hand-to-hand fighting, he killed three enemy soldiers.
Captain Vikram Batra
He was commissioned into the 13th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif). He killed four enemy troops in a close combat battle. On July 7, 1999, in a fierce hand-to-hand fight, he killed five enemy soldiers. On 7 July 1999, Batra was killed while fighting Pakistani troops around Area Ledge, Point 4875, in the Kargil district of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir.
