The Kargil war was won with the supreme sacrifice of brave Indian soldiers who showed indomitable guts on the field to remind the enemy of what India was capable of. One such brave heart was Manoj Kumar Pandey whose story of conspicuous courage will fill your heart with pride.

Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey,(25 June 1975 – 3 July 1999), was an Indian Army officer of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, posthumously awarded the India’s highest military honour, Param Vir Chakra for his audacious courage and leadership during adverse times. He died during the attack on Jubar Top, Khalubar Hills in Batalik Sector, Kargil.

Early life

Captain Manoj Pandey, PVC belonged to Vill Rudha – Post – Kamlapur District-Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. He was the son of Shri Gopi Chand Pandey, a small time businessman living in lucknow. He was eldest in his family. He was educated at Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School. He had a keen interest in sports with boxing and body building in particular. Subsequently, he got selected to join the National Defence Academy in his pursuit of realizing his dream of donning the Army uniform as an officer. He passed out from National Defence Academy in 90th course and stayed in MIKE squadron. He wanted to join Gorkha Rifles and got commissioned in the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army, a unit known for its gallant soldiers and various heroic exploits.

Prior to his selection, during his Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, the interviewer had asked him, “Why do you want to join the Army?” He had immediately replied, “I want to win the Param Vir Chakra.” True to his words, Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey did win the country’s highest gallantry award but unfortunately did not live to receive it in person. After commissioning, his first assignment was in the Kashmir valley and thereafter he was posted to Siachen. Whilst in Siachen he received orders to move to Batalik sector, where the first intrusions by the Pakistani forces were detected and the Army was preparing for a well-coordinated retaliatory action.

Kargil

He forced back the intruders on 11 June 1999 at Batalik Sector in the Kargil War. He led his men to capture the Jubar top which was considered as important due to its strategic location. Quickly sizing up the situation, the young officer led his platoon along a narrow, treacherous ridge that led to the enemy position. While still short of the objective, the enemy fired upon the Indian soldiers effectively stalling the Indian attack. Displaying great courage, he surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full-throated battle cry through a hail of bullets.

Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with grim determination, until he closed in on the first bunker. Then in ferocious hand-to-hand combat, he killed two of the enemy and cleared the first bunker. It was the turning point. Inspired by their leader’s spontaneous valour, the troops charged at the enemy and fell upon them. Unmindful of his grievous wounds, he rushed from bunker to bunker urging his men on. Critically injured, he collapsed at the final bunker and finally succumbed to his injuries. But by this time he had already captured the bunker with his men.

Operation Vijay

Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey took part in a series of boldly led attacks during Operation Vijay; forcing back the intruders with heavy losses in Batalik including the capture of Jubar Top.

On the night of 3 July 1999 during the advance to Khalubar as his platoon approached its final objective, it came under heavy and intense enemy fire from the surrounding heights.Captain Pandey was tasked to clear the interfering enemy positions to prevent his battalion from getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. He quickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position under intense enemy fire, sent one section to clear the enemy positions from the right and himself proceeded to clear the enemy positions from the left.

Death

Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyed the second position by killing two more. He was injured on the shoulder and legs while clearing the third position. Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injuries, he continued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal burst on his forehead.

His last words were “Na chhodnu” (“Don’t Spare Them” in Nepali language).This singular daredevil act of Captain Pandey provided the critical firm base for the companies, which finally led to capture of Khalubar. The officer, however, succumbed to his injuries. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, thus, displayed most conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.

Last Letter

The citation for the Param Vir Chakra awarded to him reads

Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, a young officer of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, took part in a series of boldly led attacks during Operation Vijay, forcing back the intruders with heavy losses in Batalik including the capture of Jaubar Top.

His finest hour was during the advance to Khalubar, when he was Number 5 Platoon Commander. On the night of 2/3 July 1999, as the platoon approached its final objective, it came under heavy and intense enemy fire from the surrounding heights. The officer was tasked to clear the interfering enemy positions, so as to prevent his battalion from getting day lighted, being in a vulnerable position. The officer quickly moved his platoon to an advantageous position under intense enemy fire and sent one section to clear the enemy positions from the right, while he himself proceeded to clear four other enemy positions on the left. Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and proceeded to assault the second and destroyed it by killing two more enemy personnel. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey was injured on the shoulder and legs by enemy fire while clearing the third position. Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injury, he led the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal Medium Machine Gun burst on his forehead. It is this singular daredevil act of the officer, which provided the critical firm base for the companies, which finally led to capture of Khalubar.

Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, thus, displayed most conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, exemplary personal valour, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty of an exceptionally high order, in the face of enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Army.

Legacy

• Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow has its main gate and assembly hall named after Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey.
• Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow conducts an inter school football tournament annually as ‘ Late Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey memorial inter school football tournament’ in school itself.
• The Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) designed and constructed an apartment complex for veterans in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, and named it after him as “Manoj Vihar”.
• The Army quarters near the Cardio Thoracic Center(CTC) hospital in Pune is named after Martyr Capt Manoj Pandey as ‘Capt Manoj Pandey Enclave’
• The National Defence Academy named the science block as the ‘Manoj Pandey Block’.
• A roundabout is also named after him as “Captain Manoj Pandey Chowk” in his home district Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh and in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.
• An assembly hall has been made in sainik school lucknow where he was educated to motivate the school cadets.
• A hall is has been named after him at Service Selection Center Allahabad as “Manoj Pandey Block”.
• A gallery in the Kargil War Museum at Drass is named after him.
• In the memory of his greatest efforts to save the nation from the enemy forces, Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School constructed an auditorium in his name, which was inaugurated by his parents.

Quotes

• In his personal diary he wrote “Some goals are so worthy, it’s glorious even to fail“.
• In the memory of his mother : “She is the star which shines brightly in the darkness, some one who will always give and bless.“
• In his diary these lines were written in bold letters: “If death strikes before I prove my blood, I promise (swear), I will kill death.“