Vir Chakra (VrC)

Second Lieutenant Rajiv Pandey, deployed in the difficult Siachen Glacier, was tasked to recapture a feature called "Left Shoulder" at a height of 21000 feet lying between two Indian posts. The task involved negotiating a stretch of 3 kilometers in the open on the glacier face and thereafter a climb of a near vertical ice wall of 12000 feet. The patrol of one officer and eight other I ranks was inducted at the Post on 23 May 1987, for the operation. Second Lieutenant Rajiv Pandey using all his skill and motivation took his party inch by inch, crawling, traversing the unknown and impassable ice ridge within 25 metres of the adversary's first bunker and personally led his men to charge on the adversary. On 29 May 1987, the final assault of the young officer came under intense automatic fire of the adversary lulling all the five personnel including the leader. However, the courage and endurance shown by the officer and his men made subsequent capture of the adversary's position on 26 June 1987, possible. Thus Second Lieutenant Rajivzandey showed unparalleled courage and leadership and made the supreme sacrifice of his life.