Team News Riveting
New Delhi, January 1
“Param Vir” Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Yogendra Singh Yadav, who wreak havoc on Pakistani army despite receiving 17 bullets, was today accorded a heroic and tradition farewell by the Indian Army on superannuation.
“We salute the icon for his exemplary valour & wish him the very best for his next innings,” the Indian Army said in a tweet. Yadav was just 19 years old when his exemplary courage stunned the World.
Yadav, deployed with the 18 Grenadiers, was part of the Ghatak Force commando platoon, tasked to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill in the early morning hours of 4 July 1999. The bunkers were situated at the top of a vertical, snow-covered, 1,000 ft (300 m) cliff face. Yadav volunteered to lead the assault, climbed the cliff face, and installed ropes that would allow further assaults on the feature.
Halfway up, machine gun and rocket fire came from an enemy bunker, killing the platoon commander and two others. In spite of being hit by multiple bullets in his groin and shoulder, Yadav climbed the remaining 60 feet (18 m) and reached the top. Though severely injured, he crawled to the first bunker and lobbed a grenade, killing four Pakistani soldiers and neutralizing enemy fire.
It paved way for the rest of the platoon to climb up the cliff face bunker along with two of his fellow soldiers and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, killing four Pakistani soldiers. The platoon subsequently succeeded in capturing Tiger Hill. Though Yadav was hit by 17 bullets, he played a major role in its capture.
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav’s indomitable spirit and supreme determination under extremely difficult circumstances was the stuff that legends are made of. For most conspicuous courage well beyond the call of duty, Grenadier Yadav was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the nation’s highest gallantry award. He is the youngest soldier to receive the highest military award of India.
There was an interesting story related to the award. The Param Vir Chakra was announced for Yadav posthumously, but it was soon discovered that he was recuperating in a hospital, and it was his namesake who had been martyred in the mission.
Yadav receiving the honorary rank of Captain from Lieutenant General Rajeev Sirohi in 2021
