The War Decorated India & TrustGallantry medals awarded by War Decorated India

“When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.” — U.S. Marine Corps

Param Vir Chakra (PVC)

Awardee: Vikram Batra PVC

Gazette Notification
16-Pres/2000, 15.8.99
Operation
Vijay - Kargil (1999)
Date of Award
26 Jan 2000

Citation

During “Operation Vijay”, on 20 June 1999, Captain Vikram Batra Commander Delta Company was tasked to attack point 5140. he skirted around the feature from the East with his company and maintaining surprise reached within the assaulting distance of the enemy. Reorganising his column, he motivated his men to physically assault the enemy positions. Leading from the front in a daredevil assault, he pounced on the enemy and killed four of them in a hand-to-hand fight. On 7 July 1999, in another operation in the area of Point 4875, his company was tasked to clear a narrow feature with sharp cutting on either side and heavily fortified enemy defences that covered the only approach to it. In a speedy operation, Captain Batra assaulted the enemy positions along narrow ridge and engaged the enemy in a fierce hand-t-hand fight and killed five enemy soldiers at point blank range. Despite sustaining grave injuries, he crawled towards the enemy and hurled grenades clearing the position. With utter disregard to his personal safety leading from the front he rallied his men and pressed on the attack the helped achieve a near impossible military task in the face of heavy enemy fire. The officer, however, succumbed to his injuries. Inspired by his daredevil act, his troops fell upon the enemy with vengeance, annihilated them and captured Point 4875

Captain Vikram Batra, thus, displayed the most conspicuous bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the India Army

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