This is a story of three living legends of Indian Army who received Param Veer Chakra. Param Veer Chakra is country’s highest Gallantry decoration, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or pre-eminent act of highest degree of valour or self sacrifice, exceptional courage and determination in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously. It can be awarded to officers, soldiers or any other enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian Armed Forces.
Param Vir Chakra medal has mostly been awarded posthumously because our brave army often sacrifices their life for the security of the country, rarely awarded to the living personals.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav, Subedar Major Honorary Captain Bana Singh are the only serving personnel of the Indian defence establishment with a Param Vir Chakra Award.
Naib Subedar Bana Singh
During June 1987, the 8th Jammu & Kashmir LI, was deployed in the Siachen area. The Pakistani intrusion had taken place at a height of 6500 metres, the highest peak in the Siachen Glacier area. Naib Subedar Bana Singh led his men through an extremely difficult and hazardous route. He and his men crawled and closed in on the adversary. Lobbing hand-grenades, charging with a bayonet and moving from trench to trench, he cleared the post of all intruders.For this dedicated act of his, He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, The peak which he captured was renamed Bana Top in his honour. At the time of the Kargil War, he was the only PVC awardee who was still serving in the Army.
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav
Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav of 18 Grenadiers battalion tasked to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill along with his Ghatak Commando Platoon in the early morning hours of July 4, 1999 during Kargil War.The approach was a vertical cliff face, snowbound at 16,500 feet. Grenadier Yadav, who volunteered to lead the assault, was climbing the cliff face and fixing the ropes for further assault on the feature. Half-way up, an enemy bunker opened up machine gun fire and rocket fire. His Platoon Commander and two others fell to the heavy fire. Realizing the situation, in spite of having been hit by three bullets in his groin and shoulder, he climbed the remaining 60 feet and reached the top. He crawled up to the bunker and lobbed a grenade into the which killed four Pakistani soldiers.
By this act of his he allows the rest of the platoon in climbing up the cliff face easily. Grievously injured but with reckless disregard to personal safety, Grenadier Yadav now charged on to the second bunker Seven went up for this task only Grenadier Yoginder Singh Yadav came back with fifteen bullet injuries, two hand-grenade wounds and an arm hanging limply from tendons and skin. Wounds of the flesh which took sixteen months in hospital to heal. And conveyed the enemies next plan of action to his Commanding officer.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK Rifles, was the leading Scout of a team tasked tocapturing Area Flat Top on 04 July 1999 being held by Pakistani-backedmilitants. Having scaled the cliff, the team was pinned down by automachine gun fire from an enemy bunker, 150 meters away.Rifleman Kumar, realizing the magnitude of the problem and the detrimental effect this bunker would have in the capture of Area Flat Top, displayed extraordinary courage. Without concern for personal safety, he crawled alone up the ledge, along a flank, and charged towards the enemy bunker, through a hail of automatic fire. Almost instantly, he took two bullets in his chest and forearm. Bleeding profusely from the bullet wounds, he continued the charge towards the bunker. Unhesitant, he then picked up the enemy machine gun and crept towards the second enemy bunker. Three enemy soldiers, taken completely by surprise, were killed by him on the spot. Inspired by his dare devil act, the rest of the platoon, emotionally charged, assaulted the feature and captured Area Flat Top.
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