Himachal Pradesh has 52 Kargil martyrs

Our Bureau
Dharamshala

Kargil war between India and Pakistan held between May to July in 1999. It was on July 26 that India achieved victory over Pak forces. In this war country lost 527 jawans out of which 52 were from Himachal. Four Param Veer Chakras were awarded out which two were for martyrs from this hill state.

Kangra district has maximum 15 martyrs followed by Mandi which has 11. District Hamirpur and Bilaspur have 7 each. Hill capital Shimla has four martyrs, District Una has two, Solan has two, Sirmaur has 2, Chamba and Kullu has one each.

The families of Kargil martyrs are satisfied but have only one grievance that state governments create some models to keep the story of the braveries of these soldiers alive among coming generations.

Major (retired) Vijay Singh Mankotia, president of ex-servicemen league of Himachal Pradesh said that most of the families are of this view that there should be something about martyrs of this state in study books of the school children.

The chairman of the school education board, Suresh Kumar Soni when contacted said that they are making attempts to include the chapters in the study books of the schools in Himachal Pradesh.

“We are considering this fact of including bravery of martyrs from state in curriculum of children in Himachal Pradesh. They should know about the contribution of this hill state in armed forces of the country” he added.

Names of the martyrs from Himachal Pradesh:

Kangra district:

1. Captial Vikram Batra (PVC)
2. Lt. Saurabh Kalia
3. Grenadier Vijender Singh
4. Rifelman Rakesh Kumar
5. Lance Naik Veer Singh
6. Rifleman Ashok Kumar
7. Rifleman Sunil Kumar
8. Sepoy Lakwir Singh
9. Nayak Braham Das
10. Rifleman Jagjeet Singh
11. Sepoy Santokh Singh
12. Hawaldar Surinder Singh
13. Lance Naik Padam Singh
14. Grenadier Surjeet Singh
15. Grenadier Yoginder Singh

District Hamirpur

1. Hawildar Kashmir Singh (VC)
2. Hawildar Rajkumar
3. Sepoy Dinesh Kumar
4. Hawildar Swami Das Chandel
5. Sepoy Rakesh Kumar
6. Sepoy Sunil Kumar
7. Rifelman Deep Chand

District Bilaspur:

1. Hawildar Udham Singh
2. Naik Mangal Singh
3. Rifleman Vijay Pal
4. Hawildar Rajkumar
5. Naik Ashwani Kumar
6. Hawildar Pyar Singh
7. Naik Mast Ram

District Mandi

1. Naid Subedar Khem Chand Rana
2. Hawaldar Krishan Chand
3. Naik Sarwan Kumar
4. Sepoy Tek Singh Mastana
5. Sepoy Rakesh Chouhan
6. Sepoy Naresh Kumar
7. Sepoy Hira Singh
8. Grenadier Pooran Chand
9. Lance Naik Gurdas Singh
10. Naik Mehar Singh
11. Lance Naik Ashok Kumar

District Shimla:

1. Grenadier Yashwant Singh
2. Rifelman Shyam Singh (VC)
3. Grenadier Naresh Kumar
4. Grenadier Anant Ram

District Una:

1. Captain Amol Kalia (VC)
2. Rifleman Manohar Lal

District Solan:

1. Sepoy Dharmendera Singh
2. Rifelman Pardeep Kumar

District Sirmaur:

1. Rifleman Kulwinder Singh
2. Rifleman Kalyan Singh (SM)

District Chamba:

1. Khem Raj

District Kullu:

• Hawaldar Dola Ram (SM)