Vir Chakra (VrC)

On 31 May 1948 at Pandu in Jammu & Kashmir, Lieutenant N A Sallik's company was given the task of capturing a particular feature 6873 feet high and shaped like a pyramid. It was extremely steep and could be climbed only from two points, one on the enemy side and one on our own. The route was hardly six feet wide with little cover while the rest of the feature was thickly covered with pine trees and had a gradient of 1 in 2. It was held by one company of regular troops and one company of irregulars with two MMGs and mortar. The first attack failed and the company suffered nine casualties including two lulled.

During the second attack, personally controlling his assault group, Lieutenant Sallik charged the enemy's position with bayonets and sten guns and captured it without a single casualty, his bag being thirty killed, forty wounded being carried away, one MMG, one 2 inch mortar, two Bren guns, three discharger cups, dozen rifles, signals and web equipment, 78 3-inch mortar bombs, 12 two inch mortar bombs, 3000 SAA and other smaller equipment and clothing.

This young Lieutenant with only 2 1/2 years service and with no previous experience of a company, proved himself to be courageous, bold and determined young officer.