Manoj Kumar Pandey Explained

Honorific Prefix:Captain
Manoj Kumar Pandey
Honorific Suffix:PVC
Birth Date:1975 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Death Place:Bunker Ridge, Khalubar, Batalik Sector, Kargil, Ladakh, India
Branch: Indian Army
Serviceyears:1997–1999
Rank: Captain
Servicenumber:IC-56959W
Awards: Param Vir Chakra
Unit:11th Gorkha Rifles
Battles:
Allegiance: Republic of India

Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, PVC (25 June 1975 – 3 July 1999) was an Indian military officer posthumous recipient of India's highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, for his audacious courage and leadership during the Kargil War in 1999. An officer of the first battalion in the 11th Gorkha Rifles (1/11 GR), he died in battle on the bunker hill edge of the Khalubar Hills in the village of Garkon Aryan Valley in Kargil.[1] [2]

Early life

Manoj was born on 25 June 1975 in Rudha village, in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh. He was born to Gopi Chand Pandey, a small-town businessman living in Lucknow, and Mohini.[3] He was the eldest child, and was educated at Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow and Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School. He had a keen interest in sports with boxing and body building in particular. He was adjudged the best cadet of junior division NCC of Uttar Pradesh directorate in 1990.[4]

Prior to his selection, during his Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, the interviewer asked him, "Why do you want to join the Army?" He replied, "I want to win the Param Vir Chakra." Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey did win the country's highest gallantry honour but posthumously.[5]

Military career

He graduated from the National Defence Academy in 90th course and belonged to Mike Squadron (Mustangs). Pandey was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1st battalion, 11th Gorkha Rifles on 7 June 1997.[6] [7]

Kargil War

In early May, the intrusion in the Kargil sector was reported.[8] The 1/11 Gorkha Rifles battalion had finished a one-and-a-half year tenure in the Siachen Glacier and was on-the-move to its peace-time location in Pune. The battalion was asked to move to the Batalik sector in Kargil. It was among the first units to be inducted into this sector. The unit, commanded by Colonel Lalit Rai, was assigned responsibility of the Jubar, Kukarthaam and Khalubar areas and their battalion headquarters was in Yeldor.[9]

Pandey, as part of the battalion, was involved in a series of attacks, including those which led to the capture of Jubar Top.[10] [11] Manoj Pandey died securing the Dras Valley.[12]

Param Vir Chakra action

In early July, 'B' Company of 1/11 GR was assigned the task to capture Khalubar top. Pandey was commanding a Platoon in this company.[13] Quickly sizing up the situation, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyed the second position by killing two more.

Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with serious determination, until he closed in on the first bunker. The two armies engaged in a ferocious, hand-to-hand combat. The troops charged at the enemy and fell upon them. Undaunted and without caring for his grievous injuries, he continued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal burst on his forehead. He collapsed at the final bunker and succumbed to his injuries.[11]

Citation

The Param Vir Chakra citation reads as follows:[14] [15]

Gallantry award ceremony

On the occasion of Independence Day 1999, a month after the war ended, the President of India approved the award of the Param Vir Chakra to Pandey and three others - Captain Vikram Batra, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar and Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.[16] His father, Gopichand Pandey, received the award from the President of India K. R. Narayanan during the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on 26 January 2000.

Honours and legacy

Pandey is one of the 21 individuals who have been decorated with India's highest military honour. As a PVC awardee, his statue is at the Param Yodha Sthal at the National War Memorial.After his death, multiple places have been named after him including his almae matres.

Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School

UP Sainik School

National Defence Academy

Services Selection Board, Allahabad

Capt. Manoj Pandey Memorial Sports Stadium, at Garkon

Roads and buildings

In popular culture

He was portrayed by Ajay Devgn in the film .[25]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cardozo . Ian . Manoj Pandey: a braveheart of operation Vijay who forced enemy forces to retreat at(Garkon) Batalik sector and captured Jubar top during the Kargil War in 1999 . Kumar . Rishi . The Lotus Collection, an imprint of Roli Books Private Limited . 2013 . 978-81-7436-900-0 . New Delhi . English.
  2. Book: Mishra, Pawan Kumar . Hero of Batalik: Param Veer Chakra : Capt. Manoj Kr. Pandey . VL Media Solutions . 2015 . 978-93-85068-26-3 . en.
  3. News: रायकवार . अमित . Captain Manoj Pandey: लखनऊ के 'परमवीर' मनोज पांडे के पार्थिव शरीर के साथ लौटी थी बचपन की बांसुरी . 14 August 2023 . . 25 June 2022 . hi.
  4. Book: National Cadet Corp, Youth in Action. Directorate General National Cadet Corps. 2003. 8170622980. New Delhi.
  5. Web site: rediff.com: The Republic Special, Tribute to Param Vir Chakra winner Captain Manoj Pandey . m.rediff.com.
  6. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 1110 . 1 August 1998. The Gazette of India.
  7. News: May 31 . TNN . 'He died the most glorious death' Pune News - Times of India . The Times of India . 31 May 2004 . en.
  8. Web site: The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Opinions . www.tribuneindia.com.
  9. Web site: 20 years after Kargil: The Gorkha Rifles' Pune-to-Kargil about turn, a move for the nation . Hindustan Times . en . 26 July 2019.
  10. News: Rai . Sumit . Shaurya: परमवीर चक्र के लिए जॉइन की सेना, गोली खाकर भी पाकिस्तान को किया पस्त; पढ़ें कैप्टन मनोज पांडे की कहानी . 14 August 2023 . . August 7, 2023 . hi.
  11. "Profile" and "Citation" tabs.
  12. News: Shukla . Prateek . Kargil Vijay Diwas: 'If I come back, we would have lots to talk about - were his last words to me' . 14 August 2023 . . 26 July 2023 . en.
  13. Web site: Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey PVC Honourpoint . 3 July 1999 .
  14. Web site: MANOJ KUMAR PANDEY Gallantry Awards . gallantryawards.gov.in.
  15. Web site: Param Vir Chakra (PVC), Awardee: Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey, PVC @ TWDI . twdi.in.
  16. Web site: INDEPENDENCE DAY GALLANTRY AWARDS FOR OPERATION VIJAY . pibarchive.nic.in . 14 August 1999.
  17. Web site: RLB CHINHAT . rlbcn.org.
  18. Web site: CAPTAIN MANOJ KUMAR PANDEY U.P. SAINIK SCHOOL, LUCKNOW – We Prepare Best Army Men .
  19. Web site: Infrastructure & Facilities U.P. SAINIK SCHOOL. www.upsainikschool.org. 2016-07-27.
  20. Web site: Trophies U.P. SAINIK SCHOOL. www.upsainikschool.org. 2016-07-27.
  21. Web site: National Defence Academy, NDA Pune | Places of Interest in and around NDA, Khadakvasala . Nda.nic.in . 2011-10-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110929182600/http://nda.nic.in/html/nda-other-tourist-places.html . 29 September 2011 . dmy-all .
  22. Book: Cardozo . Ian . Manoj Pandey: a braveheart of operation Vijay who forced enemy forces to retreat at Batalik sector and captured Jubar top during the Kargil War in 1999 . Kumar . Rishi . The Lotus Collection . 2013 . 978-81-7436-900-0 . New Delhi, India . English . 903247695.
  23. Web site: Drass memorial: Invoking memories of Kargil war.
  24. Web site: COAS Gen MM Naravane pays tribute to Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey.
  25. Web site: L.O.C Kargil - Movie - - Box Office India . . 14 August 2023.

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