Vir Chakra (VrC)
Awardee: Amol Kalia VrC
Citation
On 08 June 1999, during "Operation Vijay" Captain Amol Kalia along with his men were tasked to capture an enemy post at Point 5203 in the Batlik-Yaldor Sector at a height of 17,000 feet Leading from the front, Captain Kalia selected the least likely approach, which was tough and difficult He assaulted the enemy position with a handful of men and managed to capture the height against heavy volume of enemy artillery and small arms fire Soon the enemy launched counter-attack supported with heavy volume of fire of artillery, Universal machine guns and rocket propelled guns form two different directions, Captain Kalia led his men from the front and held on to the position
In a hand to hand fight, which followed, his light machine gun crew was killed. Captain Kalia took over the light machine gun himself and killed three enemy personnel and injured three others. In the action he was hit by a burst of bullets and breathed his last on 09 June 1999, but not before the enemy was repulsed and the post reinforced by own troops.
Captain Amol Kalia thus showed raw courage, dynamic leadership and devotion to duty with utter disregard to his own safety in the face of the enemy and made supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
In a hand to hand fight, which followed, his light machine gun crew was killed. Captain Kalia took over the light machine gun himself and killed three enemy personnel and injured three others. In the action he was hit by a burst of bullets and breathed his last on 09 June 1999, but not before the enemy was repulsed and the post reinforced by own troops.
Captain Amol Kalia thus showed raw courage, dynamic leadership and devotion to duty with utter disregard to his own safety in the face of the enemy and made supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.