Bravery Beyond Measure: The Heroic Tale of Param Vir Chakra Awardee Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of Kargil War

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of 13th Battalion the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles was awarded Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award for decisive action and unparalleled determination in the face of enemy on 04 July, 1999 during Operation Vijay in Kargil War.

Sanjay volunteered to be the leading scout of the attacking column tasked to capture area Flat Top of Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley on 4 July. The area was held by Pakistan military. Having scaled the cliff, the team was pinned down by machine gun fire from an enemy bunker, about 150 meters away.

Sanjay Kumar, realizing the magnitude of the problem and the detrimental effect this bunker would have in the capture of Area Flat Top, 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 that left him bleeding profusely.

Though bleeding from the bullet wounds, he continued the charge towards the bunker. In hand-to-hand fighting, he killed three enemy soldiers. He then picked up an enemy machine gun and crept towards the second enemy bunker. The enemy soldiers, taken completely by surprise, were killed by him as they fled their post. Inspired by his act the rest of the platoon charged, assaulted the remaining Pakistani soldiers, and captured Area Flat Top.

Since 1950, only 21 soldiers have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra. Sanjay was only 23 when he received India's highest wartime gallantry award along with Capt.Vikram Batra (Posthumously) and Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav.