Lieutenant Balwan Singh led the Indian Army’s Ghatak Platoon in an assault on Pakistani intruders during the Kargil war.
Notably on July 4, 1999, he was among the brave soldiers who captured Tiger Hill. Singh, now a colonel with the 18 Grenadiers, recalls the win and his injury during the battle. He was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery.
On June 12-13, 1999, the Indian Army achieved a victory by capturing Tololing. This success boosted the morale of both the armed forces and the country while demoralising the Pakistani side. Brigadier (Retd.) Khushal Thakur, who commanded the battalion during these crucial battles, stated that after Tololing, they continued capturing peaks in Mushkow and Batalik sectors. The next target was Tiger Hill.
Colonel Singh highlighted that Tololing and Tiger Hill were decisive battles. Tololing is close to NH-1 Alpha National Highway-1A, just 3 km away. Similarly, Tiger Hill offers a view of an 8-10 km stretch of NH-1 Alpha. The infiltrators had various weapons, including automatics and anti-aircraft guns, making these locations critical to capture.
On July 3, 1999, soldiers from the 18 Grenadiers, also known as the Pole Star Battalion, started their mission to capture Tiger Hill. By the next morning, they had accomplished their task. Brigadier Thakur mentioned that he had adequate time for reconnaissance and access to artillery guns and high-altitude warfare equipment. Despite losses, the morale of the men remained high as they planted the Indian flag on top of Tiger Hill.
The Indian Army will mark 25 years of Kargil victory on July 26. Many programmes have been held leading up to this commemorative event in Kargil later this month. Colonel Sachin Annarao Nimbalkar, who served with the 18 Grenadiers as a captain during the conflict, was honoured with a Sena Medal for his bravery during the war.
The war officially ended on July 26, 1999, after Indian forces successfully pushed back Pakistani troops who had occupied strategic heights in Ladakh. The defining images of Indian soldiers celebrating their conquest became symbols of bravery despite limited media coverage at that time.
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