'Took 18 Bullets, Saw Fellow Jawans Dying, Blood All Over...': Youngest Param Vir Chakra Capt Yogendra Singh Yadav Shares Chilling Accounts From 1999 Kargil War

While many people know that India won the Kargil war in 1999, not everyone is aware of the adverse situations faced by the bravehearts of the Indian Army during the war.

India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav, shared chilling accounts of his wartime experiences while fighting for the country, in an interview with Republic at the Nationalist Collective Conclave 2.0.

He recounted the harrowing moment he took 18 bullets during the fierce assault to capture Tiger Hill in Drass during the 1999 war between India and Pakistan.

Revisiting the moments from the war, he said, "Seven jawans, including myself, were deployed at 17,000 feet above sea level on Tiger Hill. We were originally a team of 21, but only seven of us managed to climb to the top, as the enemy had opened fire. The battle lasted for five hours. There were 50 Pakistani soldiers on the other side, while we were only seven. Still, we fought fearlessly for those five hours. During the fight, we experienced situations and witnessed scenes that are usually only seen on television or in films. We didn’t just witness those moments, we lived them."

Recalling the experience of facing personal losses, he said, “I still remember those moments when I was soaked in blood from head to toe. I was bleeding profusely from my nose. My fellow jawan, who was giving me first aid, was shot at the head. The bullet hit him on one side of the head and went out from the other. I held his hand but he couldn't speak a word. Sitting beside me was my roommate from my training days. I told him about my fellow jawan's injury. He asked, 'What?', and that was the last word uttered by him as he was then shot in the chest. He started bleeding profusely from his lungs and lay his head in my lap."

He continued, “Within just a few moments, I lost two of my fellow warriors. Seeing this, another friend came from the back to help us. As he came closer, a bomb was dropped by Pakistan, and his head was severed from his body. There was blood everywhere. I was witnessing it. I couldn't even see where his severed head dropped."

Captain Yadav's testimony not only raises awareness about the difficulties and challenges faced by our brave jawans during war, but also inspires generations to come. It serves as a grim reminder of the sacrifices made by our soldiers to protect the nation's honour from its enemies.

Also Read: Have Told PM Modi These Two Reasons Behind Pahalgam Terror Attack, He Said Operation Sindoor Has Not Stopped: Shubham Dwivedi’s Wife