Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Nine Army personnel from Madhya Pradesh had laid down their lives defending the country in Kargil War. They included two majors, three lance naiks, two havildars, one naik and one gunner.
Their valour is commemorated at memorials across the state including Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on July 26 to mark India's victory in the 1999 conflict, fought from May 3 to July 26. The day honours the bravery of the armed forces and remembers those who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
Major Ajay Prasad: A father remembers a hero's joyful spirit
RN Prasad, the 89-year-old father of Major Ajay Prasad, who was martyred in the Kargil War, recalled that Ajay was a good student and sportsperson from childhood.
"He could not see anyone sad. He did not rest until he made people around him smile and laugh," he said.
Major Ajay’s mother, Kusum Prasad, passed away on July 1 this year. She could never recover from the shock of his death. "She used to stand before his photograph and ask, 'Ajay, tum mujhe apne paas kab bula rahe ho?'" RN Prasad recalled.
Prasad said that before being posted to Kargil, Major Ajay had fought insurgents in Sri Lanka and Mizoram. The unit led by him managed to capture three outposts in Kargil, and he was martyred while attempting to capture the fourth, he added.
RN Prasad noted that he and his wife were invited to the golden jubilee celebrations of Major Ajay’s Mechanised Infantry Regiment last year.
"We felt so proud to see that the Regiment maintains an archive of him. Every new officer or jawan who joins the Regiment is told about his valour and sacrifice," said RN Prasad, a psychologist who served as a member of Army, Navy and Air Force Services Selection Boards.
Major Ajay’s younger brother has retired from the Navy and works in a senior position with the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai.
Major Kamlesh Pathak: Refused evacuation to lead from the front
A native of Rewa who served with Kumaon Regiment, he displayed extraordinary courage. Despite sustaining bullet wounds early in the battle, he refused medical evacuation and rejoined his troops on the front lines, where he was ultimately martyred by enemy fire.
Havildar Sarman Singh Sengar: Fearless assault on Tiger Hill
Hailing from Gwalior, Havildar Sarman Singh Sengar served with 2 Rajputana Rifles. He displayed immense bravery during the assault on Tiger Hill before succumbing to injuries caused by an enemy hand grenade on June 28, 1999.
Naik Kalu Prasad Pandey: The precision marksman of Tiger Hill
He hailed from Andwa village in Jawa tehsil of Rewa district. An expert marksman, he provided vital artillery support during the intense battle for Tiger Hill before making the supreme sacrifice on June 27, 1999.
Gunner Chhote Lal Singh: Inspiring the next generation
A native of Rewa district, he made the supreme sacrifice on July 13, 1999, while fighting valiantly in treacherous high-altitude terrain. His son, Amar Bahadur Singh, currently serves as a gunner in the Indian Army.
Kalicharan Tiwari: Braving freezing altitudes & heavy shelling
Hailing from Sagar, he fought under freezing high-altitude conditions and braved relentless enemy shelling before laying down his life for the nation.
Hemant Kataria: Standing firm at 18,000 feet
Also from Sagar, he fought alongside his comrades at an altitude of 18,000 feet. He took direct bullet fire to the chest while holding key strategic ground to protect his fellow soldiers and secure the peak.
