Remembering the Bravery: Celebrating 25 Years of Kargil Victory

Lieutenant Balwan Singh, leading the Ghatak Platoon, played a crucial role in capturing Tiger Hill during the Kargil war. Honored with the Maha Vir Chakra, Singh and the 18 Grenadiers earned multiple accolades for their bravery. As the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas approaches, veterans recount their heroic tales.

Lieutenant Balwan Singh, nearly a novice with just four months of service, led the Ghatak Platoon in a daring offensive against Pakistani forces during the Kargil war, culminating in the capture of Tiger Hill on July 4, 1999.

Now a colonel with the esteemed 18 Grenadiers, Singh, who sustained injuries but pressed on in the battle, reflects on the triumphs following the significant conquest. 'It was victory after the capture of Tiger Hill,' he recalls.

The 18 Grenadiers, established in 1976, played an instrumental role during the war, receiving 52 honors, including the prestigious Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. Singh and other veterans commemorated their valor on Wednesday, recounting the war that officially ended on July 26, 1999, after India's forces repelled the Pakistani incursion.