Vikram Batra: Difference between revisions
Chief Editor (talk | contribs) Created page with "{{Heading1|title=कैप्टन श्री विक्रम बत्रा, पीवीसी (बलिदानोपरांत)}} '''Captain Vikram Batra''' PVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) was an Indian Army officer. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration, for his actions during the Kargil War. On 7 July 1999, Batra was killed while fighting Pakistani troops at Point 4875 in the Kargil district of er..." |
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He afterward qualified for the 'C' certificate in the NCC and attained the rank of Senior Under Officer in his NCC unit. Subsequently, in 1994, he was selected and took part in the Republic Day parade as an NCC cadet, and when he came back home, he told his parents that he wanted to join the Army. His maternal grandfather was also a soldier in the Indian Army. In 1995, while still in college, he was selected for the merchant navy at a shipping company headquartered in Hong Kong, but ultimately he changed his mind, aspiring to do "something great, something extraordinary, which may bring fame to my country." That same year he completed his bachelor's degree, graduating from the DAV College in Chandigarh. | He afterward qualified for the 'C' certificate in the NCC and attained the rank of Senior Under Officer in his NCC unit. Subsequently, in 1994, he was selected and took part in the Republic Day parade as an NCC cadet, and when he came back home, he told his parents that he wanted to join the Army. His maternal grandfather was also a soldier in the Indian Army. In 1995, while still in college, he was selected for the merchant navy at a shipping company headquartered in Hong Kong, but ultimately he changed his mind, aspiring to do "something great, something extraordinary, which may bring fame to my country." That same year he completed his bachelor's degree, graduating from the DAV College in Chandigarh. | ||
[[File:2012 IMA POP.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Indian Military Academy]] | |||
Following completion of his bachelor's degree in 1995, he enrolled at Panjab University in Chandigarh, where he took admission in MA English course, so that he could prepare for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination. He attended evening classes at the university and worked part-time in the morning as a branch manager of a travelling agency in Chandigarh. | Following completion of his bachelor's degree in 1995, he enrolled at Panjab University in Chandigarh, where he took admission in MA English course, so that he could prepare for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination. He attended evening classes at the university and worked part-time in the morning as a branch manager of a travelling agency in Chandigarh. | ||
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=== Military career === | === Military career === | ||
[[File:Captain Vikram Batra.jpg|thumb|555x555px|Bust of Captain Vikram Batra at the National War Memorial, Pune]] | |||
Batra joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun, in June 1996 in the Manekshaw Battalion. After completing his 19-month training course, he graduated from the IMA on 6 December 1997 and was commissioned as a lieutenant into the Indian Army. He was commissioned into the 13th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif). After commissioning, he was sent to Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh for regimental training. The training lasted one month, from December 1997 to the end of January 1998. | Batra joined the Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun, in June 1996 in the Manekshaw Battalion. After completing his 19-month training course, he graduated from the IMA on 6 December 1997 and was commissioned as a lieutenant into the Indian Army. He was commissioned into the 13th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (13 JAK Rif). After commissioning, he was sent to Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh for regimental training. The training lasted one month, from December 1997 to the end of January 1998. | ||
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Beginning his service as a lieutenant, he rose to the rank of Captain. | Beginning his service as a lieutenant, he rose to the rank of Captain. | ||
[[File:Drass and Tololing Range.jpg|thumb|350x350px|The town of Dras, the second coldest inhabited place in the world after Siberia, where temperatures fall as low as −60 degrees Celsius in winter.]] | |||
=== Awards and decorations === | === Awards and decorations === | ||
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|50th Independence Anniversary Medal | |50th Independence Anniversary Medal | ||
|} | |} | ||
[[File:Kargil War Memorial, Kargil.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Kargil War Memorial with Tololing Ranges in the background at Dras]] | |||
=== Kargil War === | === Kargil War === | ||
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Batra realised one of his men had been shot. He resolved to evacuate him with Subedar Raghunath Singh. Batra exposed himself to enemy fire to drag the injured soldier to safety, and in the process was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper from very close range, and a split-second later, by a splinter from an RPG which hit him in the head. Batra collapsed next to the injured soldier, succumbing to the fatal wounds. | Batra realised one of his men had been shot. He resolved to evacuate him with Subedar Raghunath Singh. Batra exposed himself to enemy fire to drag the injured soldier to safety, and in the process was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper from very close range, and a split-second later, by a splinter from an RPG which hit him in the head. Batra collapsed next to the injured soldier, succumbing to the fatal wounds. | ||
== Param Vir Chakra == | === Param Vir Chakra === | ||
[[File:President K. R. Narayanan presenting the Param Vir Chakra (posthumous) to the father of Captain Vikram Batra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.jpg|thumb|President K. R. Narayanan presenting the Param Vir Chakra (posthumous) to the father of Captain Vikram Batra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.]] | |||
Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honour on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father G.L. Batra received the honour for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K. R. Narayanan. | Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honour on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence. His father G.L. Batra received the honour for his deceased son from the President of India, the late K. R. Narayanan. | ||
[[File:Vikrambatramess.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Vikram Batra Mess at the Indian Military Academy.]] | |||
The Param Vir Chakra citation reads as follows:<blockquote>'''CITATION''' | The Param Vir Chakra citation reads as follows:<blockquote>'''CITATION''' | ||
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Captain Vikram Batra, thus, displayed the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.</blockquote>— Gazette of India Notification: No. 16 – Press/2000, | Captain Vikram Batra, thus, displayed the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.</blockquote>— Gazette of India Notification: No. 16 – Press/2000, | ||
[[File:A memorial for war veterans including Capt. Vikram Batra at DAV College, Chandigarh, India (2015).jpg|thumb|335x335px|A memorial for war veterans including Batra at his alma mater DAV College, Chandigarh.]] | |||
== In popular culture == | === In popular culture === | ||
* In the 2003 Hindi film, ''LOC: Kargil'', based on the entire Kargil conflict, Abhishek Bachchan played Batra. It was directed by J. P. Dutta. | * In the 2003 Hindi film, ''LOC: Kargil'', based on the entire Kargil conflict, Abhishek Bachchan played Batra. It was directed by J. P. Dutta. | ||
* In the 2021 Hindi film, ''Shershaah'', Sidharth Malhotra played Batra. It was directed by Vishnuvardhan . | * In the 2021 Hindi film, ''Shershaah'', Sidharth Malhotra played Batra. It was directed by Vishnuvardhan . | ||
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* A graphic novel titled ''Param Vir Chakra Vikram Batra'' by Roli Books written by Ian Cardozo and drawn by Rishi Kumar in 2019 | * A graphic novel titled ''Param Vir Chakra Vikram Batra'' by Roli Books written by Ian Cardozo and drawn by Rishi Kumar in 2019 | ||
* A biography titled ''The Shershah of Kargil Captain Vikram Batra, PVC'' by Natraj Publishers written by Deepak Surana in 2019 | * A biography titled ''The Shershah of Kargil Captain Vikram Batra, PVC'' by Natraj Publishers written by Deepak Surana in 2019 | ||
[[File:Relief Vikram Batra.jpg|thumb|387x387px|Relief of Vikram Batra at Balidan Stambh, Jammu]] | |||
=== Legacy === | |||
Vikram Batra is also well known in India for using the slogan;<blockquote>"Yeh Dil Maange More"</blockquote>He is also known for an interview in which he stated that Pakistani soldiers were aware of him. | Vikram Batra is also well known in India for using the slogan;<blockquote>"Yeh Dil Maange More"</blockquote>He is also known for an interview in which he stated that Pakistani soldiers were aware of him. | ||
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On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, Indian Government announced that its naming 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. As a Param Vir Chakra Awardee, an island is named after Vikram Batra as '''Batra Island'''. | On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, Indian Government announced that its naming 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees. As a Param Vir Chakra Awardee, an island is named after Vikram Batra as '''Batra Island'''. | ||
[[File:162497295022Capt-Vikram-Batra.jpg|center|thumb|950x950px|Vikram Batra's statue at ''Param Yodha Sthal'', National War Memorial, New Delhi]] | |||
== '''कैप्टन विक्रम बत्रा''', परमवीर चक्र (बलिदानोपरांत) == | == '''कैप्टन विक्रम बत्रा''', परमवीर चक्र (बलिदानोपरांत) == | ||