30 June,1999: Remembering Kargil War Martyr Captain KC Nongrum (MVC) who despite being severely wounded, refused to be evacuated and fought valiantly till his last breath to secure a victory

 

Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum, MVC,(7 March 1975 – 1 July 1999) was an Indian Army-Officer of 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for exemplary valor in combat during operations in the Kargil war in 1999.

 

Nongrum was born and brought up in Shillong, Meghalaya, India, in a Christian family. He was a bright student who consistently performed well in academics and sports. He graduated from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai and commissioned into the 12th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.

 

 

At the outbreak of Kargil war, his battalion was posted in the Batalik sector. On the night of June 30, 1999, Captain Nongrum’s unit 12 JAK LI was given the responsibility of securing Point 4812, a peak whose strategic location made it a top priority for the army. In this operation, Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum was assigned the task of executing the assault on the cliff feature of Point 4812. Climbing the vertical peak from the south eastern direction was nearly impossible, but Lt Nongrum and his determined platoon took up the challenge. They steadily and stealthily clambered up the steep slopes to reach the enemy bunkers at the top.

 

On the peak, Pakistani infiltrators had entrenched themselves in interconnected bunkers carved out of boulders. This had made them immune to even artillery fire. As a result, on completing their ascent, Lt Nongrum and his battalion had to face strong enemy opposition in the form of heavy mortar and automatic machine gun fire.

 

With utter disregard for his personal safety, he charged through the fire zone, firing and lobbing grenades at the enemy bunkers. His grenades killed six enemy soldiers holed up in the bunkers, but while throwing them, Nongrum was hit by several bullets.

 

Severely injured, Nongrum continued to fight hand-to-hand with the Pakistani soldiers in an attempt to snatch the machine gun in the remaining bunker. The audacious action of Captain Nongrum not only stunned the enemy but also gave valuable reaction time to his troops to close in and finally clear the position.

 

In a supreme sacrifice, he chose to fight till his last breath and refused to be rescued. He kept fighting valiantly till he finally succumbed to his injuries on the battlefield. This courageous act of Captain Nongrum finally paved the way for the ultimate capture of Point 4812.

 

For his selflessness, dogged determination and raw courage in the face of the enemy, Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum was posthumously awarded the Nation’s second highest wartime gallantry award, Maha Vir Chakra, on August 15, 1999.