8 July,1999: Saluting Kargil War Hero Sepoy Imliakum for demonstrating exemplary courage in the face of the enemy.

Sepoy Imliakum Ao was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for showing exemplary courage in the face of the enemy during the Kargil War of 1999. He was promoted to the rank of Subedar after the Kargil War. He was born on July 25, 1976 in the village of Chuchuyimpang in Mokokchung, Nagaland. He belongs to the 2nd Naga Battalion of Indian army.

During the Kargil War in 1999, Naga Battalion was the first of many regiments to be posted as the first line-of-defence against Pakistani infiltrations.

 

 

 

 

 On 8 July,1999, Sepoy Imliakum volunteered to raid an enemy mortar position at a height of 15,000 feet in Mushkoh Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. Sepoy Imliakum formed part of the assault group and was tasked to stealthily silence the enemy sentry who was on duty on the outer perimeter of enemy mortar position. Sepoy Imliakum approached the enemy sentry during broad daylight and killed him. Thereafter, he kept moving forward and killed one more sentry and subsequently stormed the mortar position along with the assault group.

 

Sepoy Imliakum showed exemplary courage and determination in personally killing two enemy soldiers. All through it was his determination, grit, cool confidence and raw courage in the face of the enemy which was instrumental in eliminating the enemy from the almost indomitable mortar position. The elimination of enemy personnel by Sepoy Imliakum was a big success wherein three 120mm and two 81mm mortars were captured along with a huge stockpile of ammunition. The valiant action by Sepoy Imliakum, which was a true demonstration of valour in the presence of a well-entrenched enemy, was the sole factor which paved the way for a successful raid on the enemy mortar position which led to the destruction of the enemy dump.