Param Vir Chakra: The Legacy of India's Bravest

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INDIAN ARMED FORCES

VANDE MATARAM

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Param Vir Chakra: The Legacy of India's Bravest

Over the course of this series, we travelled through some of the most difficult chapters in the military history of independent India - from the mountains of Kashmir in 1947 to the heights of Kargil in 1999.

We read about soldiers who fought while surrounded, officers who continued leading after being wounded, men who refused to abandon their positions, and warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live and fight another day.

These were not stories of victory alone. They were stories of courage, duty, leadership and sacrifice.

The 21 Param Vir Chakra Heroes

The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration for acts of exceptional bravery in the presence of the enemy. Since its institution, 21 soldiers have received the award.

Here are the heroes whose stories we covered throughout this series:

1. Major Somnath Sharma - Indo-Pak War, 1947- 48
2. Naik Jadunath Singh - Indo-Pak War, 1947- 48
3. Lance Naik Karam Singh - Indo-Pak War, 1947- 48
4. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh- Indo-Pak War, 1947- 48
5. Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane - Indo-Pak War, 1947- 48
6. Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria - Congo Crisis, 1961
7. Major Dhan Singh Thapa - Sino-Indian War, 1962
8. Subedar Joginder Singh - Sino-Indian War, 1962
9. Major Shaitan Singh - Sino-Indian War, 1962
10. Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore - Indo-Pak War, 1965
11. Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid - Indo-Pak War, 1965
12. Lance Naik Albert Ekka - Indo-Pak War, 1971
13. Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon - Indo-Pak War, 1971
14. Major Hoshiar Singh - Indo-Pak War, 1971
15. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal - Indo-Pak War, 1971
16. Naib Subedar Bana Singh -Siachen Conflict, 1987
17. Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran - Sri Lankan Conflict, 1987
18. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey - Kargil War, 1999
19. Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav - Kargil War, 1999
20. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar - Kargil War, 1999
21. Captain Vikram Batra - Kargil War, 1999

Different Wars. Different Generations. The Same Courage.

These 21 soldiers came from different backgrounds and served in different circumstances.

Some fought in Kashmir. Some fought on the western front. Some fought in the freezing heights of the Himalayas. One gave his life during a United Nations operation in Africa, while another sacrificed himself during India's involvement in Sri Lanka.

Their battlefields were different, but the quality that connected them was the same - the willingness to put duty before themselves.

The Param Vir Chakra therefore represents more than a medal. It represents the highest level of courage that a soldier can display when facing the enemy.

Beyond the Uniform

Behind every one of these names was a family.

A mother who raised a son. A father who watched his child leave for the armed forces. Brothers and sisters who waited for them to return. Wives and children who carried their memories after they were gone.

When we read a name in a history book, it is easy to forget that the person behind that name had a life, a family, dreams and people who loved them.

That is why remembering these soldiers should never be limited to remembering the battles they fought.

Why I Started This Series

I started Param Vir Chakra: Stories of Courage Beyond Limits because I felt that these stories deserved a place where they could be read simply and remembered easily.

We often know the names of actors, singers, athletes and other celebrities. There is nothing wrong with that. They have earned their place in popular culture.

But personally, when someone asks me which names I want to remember, there is another list that comes to my mind.

Major Somnath Sharma. Naik Jadunath Singh. Piru Singh. Abdul Hamid. Arun Khetarpal. Bana Singh. Vikram Batra.

And many others whose stories may not always receive the same attention.

“ Sabko celebrities yaad rahe toh chalega.
Mujhe hamesha ye log yaad rahenge. ”
- Hrishikesh Shahane

Because these are the people who stood in front when the country needed them most.

A Note from Hrishikesh Shahane

This series has been a small effort to document the stories of India's Param Vir Chakra heroes in a straightforward and accessible manner.

As a history researcher and Computer Science (AI & ML) student, I have always believed that history should not remain confined to textbooks. It should be read, discussed and remembered.

Through this series, I wanted to bring the stories of these 21 soldiers closer to readers - not simply as names attached to medals, but as individuals who made extraordinary decisions under extraordinary circumstances.

I hope that after reading this series, at least a few of these names stay with you.

The Stories End. The Remembrance Does Not.

From the defence of Badgam in 1947 to the heights of Kargil in 1999, these 21 soldiers became part of one of the most remarkable chapters in the military history of independent India.

Their stories remind us that history is not made only by generals, governments and great battles. Sometimes, history is shaped by one soldier standing his ground when everything around him tells him to retreat.

Their medals may have been awarded decades ago. Their battles may have ended long ago. But their courage does not belong to the past.

It belongs to every generation that remembers them.

To the 21 Param Vir Chakra heroes - we remember you.

Jai Hind 🇮🇳

About the Author: Hrishikesh Shahane is a history researcher and Computer Science (AI & ML) student who writes about Indian history, military history, geopolitics and mythology. His work includes the Bharat Dynastic History series, Nationalists Across the World, Treaties under the Maratha Empire, and Param Vir Chakra: Stories of Courage Beyond Limits.

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