Kargil War | Why it happened? | Real Story of Vikram Batra | Shershaah | Dhruv Rathee

Dhruv Rathee
13 Aug 202118:33

Summary

TLDRThe video script recounts the Kargil War of 1999, a pivotal conflict between India and Pakistan sparked by Pakistan's infiltration of Indian territory, leading to a full-scale war. Highlighting key figures like Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and war hero Captain Vikram Batra, the narrative details military operations, international diplomacy, and the bravery of soldiers. The script also touches on the aftermath, including political upheaval in Pakistan and the recognition of Indian soldiers' sacrifices, culminating in the declaration of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“… The Kargil War took place in 1999 between India and Pakistan, centered around the Kargil region and involving international intrigue.
  • πŸ”οΈ The conflict began when Pakistani soldiers infiltrated Indian territory, occupying over 130 posts and aiming to block the strategic NH 1 highway.
  • 🀝 The 1972 Simla Agreement was breached by Pakistan's actions, which was a peace agreement signed by both countries to not violate the Line of Control (LoC).
  • 🌐 India's restraint in not crossing the LoC during the conflict was a diplomatic strategy to show the world it was fighting a defensive war.
  • πŸ›« The Indian Airforce played a crucial role, with Operation Safed Sagar marking the first time India used air power in such a conflict.
  • πŸ”„ International support for India's stance grew, with entities like the European Union, ASEAN Regional Forum, and the United States backing India's cause.
  • 🏞️ The harsh weather and high altitude of the region posed significant challenges for the soldiers, with temperatures dropping to -40Β°C.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ The Battle of Tololing was a turning point in the war, with Indian forces facing difficult conditions to recapture the strategic hill.
  • πŸŽ–οΈ Captain Vikram Batra, known as Shershaah, was a prominent war hero whose story was later depicted in the film 'Shershaah' on Amazon Prime Video.
  • πŸ… The Indian Army's bravery was recognized with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry medal, awarded to four soldiers including Captain Vikram Batra.
  • 🏳️ The Kargil War officially ended on 26th July with the Indian Army announcing the complete eviction of intruders, now celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Q & A

  • What is the Kargil War?

    -The Kargil War was a conflict between India and Pakistan that took place in 1999. It started when Pakistani soldiers infiltrated Indian territory in the Kargil district of Kashmir, leading to a full-fledged war. The war is named after the Kargil district and is also known as the Kargil War of 1999.

  • What triggered the Kargil War?

    -The Kargil War was triggered by the infiltration of Indian territory by Pakistani soldiers. This was a well-planned attack by the Pakistani Army, with the aim of blocking the critically important national highway NH 1, potentially cutting off Kashmir from Ladakh. The operation was codenamed Operation Badr.

  • How did the international community react to the Kargil War?

    -The international community largely supported India in the Kargil War. The European Union, ASEAN Regional Forum, the United States, G8 Countries, and others backed India's stance. The then US President Bill Clinton pressured Pakistan to withdraw its soldiers, and the world saw India as being in the right and Pakistan in the wrong.

  • What was the significance of the Battle of Tololing in the Kargil War?

    -The Battle of Tololing was a turning point in the Kargil War. It was a difficult task for the Indian Forces to recapture the Tololing Hill, which was at a height of 16,000 feet and under constant enemy fire. The successful recapture of Tololing Hill marked a significant victory for the Indian forces.

  • What was Operation Vijay?

    -Operation Vijay was the code name for the counterattack launched by the Indian Army against the Pakistani intrusion. The operation aimed to push out the Pakistani troops from Indian territory and was a major military campaign during the Kargil War.

  • What was the role of the Indian Air Force in the Kargil War?

    -The Indian Air Force played a crucial role in the Kargil War. They launched Operation Safed Sagar (White Sea) on 26th May, aiming to drive out the Pakistani troops from Indian territory. It was the first time India had deployed air-power in such an environment, and the operation significantly contributed to the eventual victory.

  • Who was Captain Vikram Batra and why is he famous?

    -Captain Vikram Batra was one of the most famous war heroes of the Kargil War. Known by his code name Shershaah (Lion King), he led successful missions to capture strategic points in the war. His bravery and leadership were recognized posthumously, and his story was later depicted in the film 'Shershaah' on Amazon Prime Video.

  • What was the significance of the capture of Tiger Hill?

    -The capture of Tiger Hill was a major victory for the Indian Army during the Kargil War. It was a strategic point with a vertical cliff of 1,000 feet, and the Indian Army surprised the enemy by climbing this cliff using mountaineering equipment. The successful mission at Tiger Hill helped seal India's victory in the war.

  • What was the diplomatic victory for India in the Kargil War?

    -India's restraint in not crossing the Line of Control (LoC) into Pakistan during the Kargil War was a significant diplomatic victory. This restraint demonstrated to the international community that India was engaged in a defensive war, aiming only to protect its territory and not to escalate the conflict.

  • What is Kargil Vijay Diwas and why is it celebrated?

    -Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26th July every year to commemorate India's victory in the Kargil War. It marks the day when the Indian Army announced that all intruders had been completely evicted from the Indian territory, officially ending the war.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Kargil War: The Intrigue and Beginnings

The script introduces the Kargil War, a conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999. It recounts the initial intrusion by Pakistani soldiers into Indian territory, leading to a full-scale war. The war is named after the Kargil region, which became a focal point of international attention. The narrative highlights the strategic importance of the region and the breach of the 1972 Simla Agreement by Pakistan. The Indian response, Operation Vijay, is detailed, including the mobilization of troops and the crucial role of the Indian Air Force. The script also mentions the international geopolitical implications and the restraint shown by India by not crossing the Line of Control (LoC).

05:00

πŸ”οΈ The Battle of Tololing: A Turning Point

This paragraph delves into the challenges faced by the Indian Army during the Kargil War, particularly the battle for Tololing Hill. The harsh weather conditions and the strategic advantage held by the Pakistani forces are highlighted. The narrative focuses on the bravery of Indian soldiers, such as Captain Ajit Singh and Major Rajesh Adhikari, who led the assault on Tololing Hill. The successful recapture of the hill is described as a turning point in the war, showcasing the determination and resilience of the Indian forces in the face of adversity.

10:00

πŸ”₯ The Capture of Key Positions: Victories and Sacrifices

The script continues with the story of the Indian Army's efforts to recapture key positions in the Kargil War. It details the capture of Tololing Hill and the subsequent battles at Point 5140 and Tiger Hill. The role of Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi and Lieutenant Vikram Batra, who was later promoted to Captain, is emphasized. The paragraph also recounts the heroic actions of grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, who climbed a vertical cliff under enemy fire and survived multiple bullet wounds. The narrative underscores the strategic and diplomatic significance of these victories, as well as the personal sacrifices made by the soldiers.

15:01

🏁 Kargil Vijay Diwas: The End and Aftermath

The final paragraph summarizes the conclusion of the Kargil War and its aftermath. It describes the successful recapture of Point 4875, leading to the Pakistani Army's withdrawal and the official end of the war on July 26, celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas. The script also touches on the internal politics in Pakistan, revealing that General Pervez Musharraf was the mastermind behind the Kargil plan. The narrative concludes with the recognition of the soldiers' bravery, with the Param Vir Chakra being awarded to four soldiers, and a reflection on the broader implications of the war for India and Pakistan.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Kargil War

The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil Conflict, was a military conflict between India and Pakistan that took place in 1999. It was triggered by Pakistan's infiltration of Indian territory in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. The war is a central theme of the video, highlighting the bravery of the Indian Defence Forces and the geopolitical implications of the conflict.

πŸ’‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of India during the Kargil War. His leadership and commitment to peace are emphasized in the video, especially in the context of his Lahore visit and the Lahore Declaration. His statement about India's strength and resolve to protect peace is a key element illustrating India's diplomatic and military stance during the war.

πŸ’‘Captain Vikram Batra

Captain Vikram Batra, also known as Shershaah, was one of the most famous war heroes of the Kargil War. The video mentions his bravery and the film 'Shershaah' made about him, which serves as a narrative device to introduce the video's topic. His code name 'Shershaah' and his role in the capture of Point 5140 are significant in illustrating the valor and sacrifice of Indian soldiers.

πŸ’‘Operation Vijay

Operation Vijay was the code name for the Indian Army's counterattack against the Pakistani intrusions during the Kargil War. The operation aimed to recapture the lost territory and is a key concept in the video, showcasing the strategic response of the Indian military to the aggression.

πŸ’‘Simla Agreement

The Simla Agreement is a peace treaty signed in 1972 between India and Pakistan after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It is relevant to the video as it established the Line of Control (LoC) and is mentioned in the context of Pakistan's breach of the agreement during the Kargil War, which had significant diplomatic implications.

πŸ’‘Operation Badr

Operation Badr was the code name for the Pakistani military operation during the Kargil War, aimed at occupying strategic positions along the LoC. The video discusses this operation as a well-planned attack by the Pakistani Army, which is a critical aspect of understanding the origins and tactics of the conflict.

πŸ’‘Tololing Hill

Tololing Hill was a strategic location in the Kargil War and is highlighted in the video as the turning point of the conflict. The Indian Forces' efforts to recapture Tololing Hill, despite harsh conditions and enemy resistance, symbolize the determination and resilience of the Indian military.

πŸ’‘Tiger Hill

Tiger Hill was a significant strategic point in the Kargil War, known for its challenging terrain and high altitude. The video describes the Indian Army's daring assault on Tiger Hill, which involved climbing a vertical cliff and was a pivotal moment in securing victory.

πŸ’‘Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav

Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav is a war hero mentioned in the video for his bravery during the assault on Tiger Hill. Despite being hit by bullets, he continued to climb the cliff and played a crucial role in capturing the position. His story exemplifies the courage and determination of the Indian soldiers.

πŸ’‘Batra Top

Batra Top, formerly known as Point 4875, was renamed in honor of Captain Vikram Batra after his martyrdom during the Kargil War. The video recounts the capture of this point as a major landmark in the conflict, symbolizing the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers for the nation's security.

πŸ’‘Kargil Vijay Diwas

Kargil Vijay Diwas, or Kargil Victory Day, is celebrated on 26th July to commemorate India's victory in the Kargil War. The video concludes with the official end of the war and the announcement of the complete eviction of intruders from Indian territory, marking a significant moment of national pride and remembrance.

Highlights

The Kargil War of 1999 was a conflict between India and Pakistan centered around the Kargil region.

Pakistani soldiers infiltrated Indian territory, prompting a strong response from the Indian Defence Forces.

The war was a significant event in international geopolitics, revealing intrigue and conflict between the two nations.

The conflict began after a shepherd discovered armed men digging bunkers in the Batalik region, alerting the Indian Army.

Pakistan's intrusion was a well-planned attack, with over 130 posts occupied, aiming to block the strategic NH 1 highway.

The Pakistani operation, code-named Operation Badr, was a breach of the 1972 Simla Agreement.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's peace efforts with Pakistan were undermined by the intrusion.

The Indian Army launched Operation Vijay in retaliation, mobilizing thousands of troops to the Kargil sector.

The Indian Airforce played a crucial role, initiating Operation Safed Sagar without crossing the Line of Control (LoC).

India's restraint in not crossing the LoC was a major diplomatic victory, gaining international support.

The Battle of Tololing was a turning point in the war, with Indian forces facing extreme weather and enemy advantage.

Captain Ajit Singh's decision to carry ammunition over food exemplifies the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers.

The recapture of Tololing hill involved a strategic three-team attack, leading to its successful capture.

The capture of Point 5140 by Lieutenant Vikram Batra, later known as Shershaah, was a significant diplomatic and military achievement.

The daring cliff climb at Tiger Hill, where Yogendra Singh Yadav survived being shot and captured the peak, was a heroic act.

The capture of Point 4875, known as Batra Top, marked a major victory and the loss of two heroes, Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Anuj Nayyar.

The Kargil War officially ended on 26th July with the complete eviction of intruders and is now celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The internal politics of Pakistan were revealed when General Pervez Musharraf took power after the war, linked to the Kargil plan.

Four Indian soldiers were awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry medal, for their bravery in the war.

The war resulted in the martyrdom of approximately 527 Indian soldiers and left around 1,300 injured.

Transcripts

play00:00

Hello, friends!

play00:01

The year was 1999.

play00:02

Some Pakistani soldiers infiltrated Indian territory.

play00:06

And the Indian Defence Forces retaliated bravely.

play00:10

Soon, a full-fledged war ensued between India and Pakistan.

play00:15

The war is now known as the Kargil War.

play00:18

Kargil War of 1999.

play00:22

This place became the centre of much international intrigue and war.

play00:26

Between India and Pakistan.

play00:29

22 years ago, India was betrayed by its neighbour Pakistan.

play00:33

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,

play00:35

made it clear that India would emerge victorious.

play00:39

The world has seen that we want peace

play00:42

now the world will see that to protect our peace

play00:46

we can use strength if we need to.

play00:56

One of the most famous war heroes of the Kargil War

play00:59

was Captain Vikram Batra.

play01:01

Recently, a film has been made about him.

play01:02

Shersaah.

play01:04

On Amazon Prime Video.

play01:05

So I thought that this would be a good opportunity to make this video.

play01:09

What was the Kargil War?

play01:10

What were the reasons that led to it?

play01:12

And what happened exactly?

play01:14

The international geopolitics at play there

play01:16

is also very interesting.

play01:18

Come, let's find the answers to these

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in today's video on Kargil War.

play01:25

Our story begins on 3rd May 1999.

play01:28

In a small village in the Batalik region

play01:31

there was a local shepherd Tashi Namgyal.

play01:34

He had lost his yak.

play01:35

He went to look for his yak with a friend.

play01:38

While looking through the binoculars,

play01:40

he saw something strange.

play01:42

He saw that some armed men

play01:44

digging bunkers.

play01:47

He found it quite fishy.

play01:49

"There we saw around 6 men,

play01:52

they were in black outfits,

play01:54

so I continued looking for some time.

play01:56

They were breaking rocks.

play01:58

And digging."

play01:59

He got suspicious that those people were from the other side of LoC.

play02:03

So he went to the nearest post of the Indian Army.

play02:05

To inform the Indian Army.

play02:07

Thankfully, the Indian Army checked this information.

play02:10

And found that the information was correct.

play02:12

But this wasn't a minor intrusion.

play02:14

This was a well-planned attack

play02:16

by the Pakistani Army.

play02:18

Intrusions were reported in Dras Kaksar and Mushkoh sectors.

play02:22

Overall, they had occupied more than 130 posts.

play02:26

Their aim was to

play02:27

block the critically important national highway NH 1.

play02:32

By blocking it, they could've cut off Kashmir from Ladakh.

play02:36

The code name of this operation was Operation Badr.

play02:40

If we look at this action from the perspective of international relations,

play02:43

this was a direct breach

play02:45

of the 1972 Simla Agreement.

play02:48

That was signed by

play02:49

the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

play02:51

and the former Pakistani President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

play02:54

According to this agreement,

play02:56

both neighbouring countries had agreed

play02:58

to never violate the LoC.

play03:01

And in case of any issue between India and Pakistan

play03:04

a peaceful resolution would be worked out.

play03:06

Through bilateral approaches.

play03:08

The unfortunate thing was that, friends,

play03:10

only a few months before the intrusions,

play03:12

in February 1999,

play03:13

the former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

play03:16

had made a journey to Lahore in a bus.

play03:18

Where he had recited a poem,

play03:20

"Hum Jung Na Hone Denge" (We Will Not Let War Break.)

play03:22

And signed the Lahore declaration as well.

play03:25

Along with the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

play03:28

This was, in a way, a monumental effort by the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

play03:33

To establish peace between India and Pakistan.

play03:38

"We've been enemies for too long.

play03:39

Now, we should spend some time as friends."

play03:42

Only 3 months after this,

play03:44

this large-scale intrusion by the Pakistani soldiers,

play03:49

showed very clearly

play03:50

how there was someone in Pakistan

play03:53

that didn't want this peace to last.

play03:56

But anyway,

play03:57

to retaliate against this, the Indian Army launched a counterattack.

play04:01

That was given the code name Operation Vijay (Victory).

play04:04

Thousands of Army troops were mobilized

play04:07

and sent to the Kargil sector.

play04:08

Then the Chief of Army was General Ved Prakash Malik.

play04:11

The Indian Airforce played a very crucial role.

play04:14

On 26th May, they launched the Operation Safed Sagar (White Sea).

play04:17

That aimed at driving out the Pakistani troops from the Indian territory.

play04:21

Traditionally, whenever air-power is used in a conflict,

play04:26

It is considered that all-out war has been declared.

play04:30

It was the first time that India had deployed air-power in such an environment.

play04:35

The Indian Airforce had also planned that

play04:37

they'd cross the LoC into Pakistan

play04:40

and bomb a few targets.

play04:42

But as Air Chief Marshall Anil Yashwant Tipnis has later revealed

play04:46

Prime Minister Vajpayee was completely against it.

play04:50

He had firmly ordered that

play04:52

LoC should not be crossed.

play04:54

And there is a very interesting diplomatic reason for it.

play04:57

Friends, whenever any two countries

play05:00

go on a war against each other,

play05:02

looking at the war from the third perspective,

play05:04

it becomes quite difficult

play05:06

to judge who is right and who's wrong.

play05:08

Because often, both sides commit mistakes

play05:11

and violations are from both sides.

play05:15

Take your example.

play05:17

When we as Indians

play05:19

watch the war between Israel and Palestine

play05:21

or the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia,

play05:25

it becomes difficult for us to know

play05:26

who is in the right and who is in the wrong

play05:28

because often, both sides have good arguments to justify themselves.

play05:33

Similarly, in the Kargil War of 1999

play05:36

between India and Pakistan,

play05:37

it was difficult to judge from an international perspective

play05:40

who was right and who was wrong.

play05:42

Which country could be trusted?

play05:44

So India showed a lot of restraint.

play05:47

By not crossing the LoC.

play05:48

It showed the international public

play05:51

that it was a defensive war.

play05:53

"Pakistani soldiers had intruded in the Indian territory

play05:56

we want to push them out,

play05:58

and we are not interested in crossing the LoC

play06:00

and carrying out bombings in Pakistan."

play06:02

"We simply want to protect our country."

play06:05

Doing this was a major diplomatic victory for India.

play06:08

Within the next few weeks, the other countries

play06:11

European Union, ASEAN Regional Forum, the United States, G8 Countries,

play06:16

all of them supported India in this Kargil War.

play06:19

The then US President Bill Clinton pressured Nawaz Sharif

play06:24

to withdraw the Pakistani soldiers.

play06:26

The entire world could see

play06:28

that India was in the right and Pakistan was wrong.

play06:31

But talking about the ground situation,

play06:33

the Pakistani troops had an advantage.

play06:36

"Taking advantage of the geography of the region,

play06:38

which in many instances, favoured them,

play06:41

Pakistan Army regulars

play06:43

accompanied by fully armed and well-trained militants,

play06:46

sneaked into Indian territory."

play06:48

The Pakistani soldiers were in an advantageous position in this war

play06:52

because they were on higher grounds in the mountains.

play06:54

Additionally, this region gets very cold.

play06:57

The Dras region is considered to be the coldest inhabited region in India.

play07:02

Often, temperatures fall to -40Β°C.

play07:06

So it was immensely difficult for the soldiers to fight in such conditions.

play07:10

But there is a popular saying in the Indian Army,

play07:12

'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.'

play07:16

In the Kargil War, the Battle of Tololing is considered to be the turning point.

play07:20

When the war changed its course.

play07:22

To recapture the Tololing Hill, was a difficult task for the Indian Forces.

play07:27

At the height of 16,000 feet,

play07:29

temperature between -5Β°C to -11 Β°C,

play07:32

with blanket firing from above,

play07:35

because the enemies were placed higher in the hill.

play07:38

Because of all these reasons,

play07:39

for the Indian forces to move or try to climb that hill,

play07:43

was possible only in bad weather and moonless nights.

play07:47

The nights when the moon wasn't visible in the sky.

play07:50

So that there isn't much light

play07:52

and when they move, it doesn't alert the enemies.

play07:54

Captain Ajit Singh was among the officers who attempted this.

play07:58

He recalled how to carry even 1 gram of extra weight meant

play08:02

carrying an extra load.

play08:04

Often the soldiers had to choose,

play08:06

between carrying food rations with them

play08:08

or carrying ammunition.

play08:10

Food packet weighing 2 kg, or 100 bullets.

play08:13

Captain Ajit chose bullets.

play08:15

And he survived for 3 days by smoking cigarettes.

play08:18

Without any food.

play08:20

Considering all these conditions it was estimated that

play08:22

till will take a fit soldier 11 hours to reach the top of the Tololing hill.

play08:28

Major Rajesh Adhikari led the company that tried to climb the mountain.

play08:33

And his company was successful to quite an extent.

play08:36

But when they were about 15 meters from the top,

play08:39

Intruders saw them and started firing.

play08:42

Major Adhikari and two other soldiers were martyred in hand-to-hand combat.

play08:47

Because of heavy firing from the enemy,

play08:50

the rest of his company had to retreat,

play08:52

and the company took three positions behind huge rocks.

play08:57

But as soon as the soldiers tried to move from behind the rocks,

play09:01

firing would start from the top.

play09:03

So they were trapped in between.

play09:05

15,000 feet above the base,

play09:07

And approx 1,000 feet below the top.

play09:10

These soldiers were stuck in the middle.

play09:12

The situation was really bad.

play09:14

Because they did not have any more grenades with them.

play09:16

The Indian Army made it their current priority to recapture Tololing hill.

play09:20

Colonel Ravindranath handpicked 90 soldiers.

play09:24

To go help the soldiers stuck in between,

play09:27

and recapture the hill.

play09:29

Several washermen, cobblers and barbers in the battalion were also helping them

play09:34

because they had to carry the heavy ammunition to the top of the hill.

play09:39

So physical strength was needed.

play09:40

More people were needed.

play09:42

On 12th June they were successful at reaching the soldiers stuck in the middle.

play09:47

Around 8 pm.

play09:48

Only a thousand feet away from the enemy,

play09:50

Colonel Ravindranath gave a final pep talk to his soldiers.

play09:54

"I have given you what you wanted.

play09:55

Now you have to give me what I want."

play09:57

The heavy firing lasted for 4 hours.

play10:00

More than 10,000 shells

play10:01

and more than 120 artillery guns were fired.

play10:05

There was so much firing that

play10:06

later this ridgeline was named Barbaad (Destroyed) Bunker.

play10:09

The plan was to divide the soldiers into 3 teams.

play10:12

Arjun, Bheem and Abhimanyu. (Characters from the Epic Mahabharata.)

play10:14

The first team would lead the frontal attacks.

play10:17

The second team would move to the other side of the cliff to a lower ridge,

play10:21

And the third team will cover fire.

play10:24

The enemies were attacked from the back by the platoon led by Major Vivek Gupta.

play10:28

A hand-to-hand battle took place

play10:30

and unfortunately, Major Vivek Gupta along with 6 other soldiers was martyred.

play10:35

But these soldiers were eventually successful

play10:38

in capturing Tololing.

play10:40

Thankfully, the intruders had left behind butter, tinned pineapple and honey,

play10:46

so there were no problems with getting food supplies.

play10:49

For the Indian soldiers who reached the top of this hill.

play10:52

About 1.6 km to the North of Tololing hill,

play10:55

was the Point 5140.

play10:57

It was the highest point in the same ridgeline.

play11:00

At the height of 17,000 feet.

play11:01

Thus, higher than the Tololing hill.

play11:04

Between Tololing and Point 5140, there were 10 high grounds known as Humps.

play11:09

From Hump 1 to Hump 10.

play11:11

These Humps were easily captured by the Indian Army.

play11:15

And then the Indian Army reached the base of Point 5140.

play11:19

Known as the Rocky Knob.

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The task of capturing Point 5140 was assigned

play11:25

to the Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi.

play11:28

After this, two groups of soldiers were formed

play11:30

to climb the hill in two different directions.

play11:33

One group was under the command of Lieutenant Sanjeev Singh Jamwal.

play11:37

And the second group was led by Lieutenant Vikram Batra.

play11:41

Whose code name was Shershaah. (Lion King)

play11:44

That's why friends, the upcoming movie on Amazon Prime Video

play11:48

is named Shershaah.

play11:50

Both Lieutenants were told

play11:52

to choose a success signal.

play11:53

When they'd be successful in their mission,

play11:56

how will they signal the others?

play11:57

Lieutenant Sanjeev chose the signal

play12:00

"Oh! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!"

play12:01

And Lieutenant Vikram Batra chose the signal

play12:04

"Yeh Dil Maange More." (lyrics of a song; this heart desires for more)

play12:05

"The other company's success signal, Oh, yeah, yeah

play12:08

which was passed to our Colonel Joshi on the radio set.

play12:11

After that, another bunker was captured.

play12:13

My company's success signal was 'Dil Maange More.'

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The guys were so highly charged up that

play12:17

they're wanting that some more bunkers should have been there

play12:20

and we would have got more chaps."

play12:22

In the early hours of 20th June,

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Both groups started the climb.

play12:26

And both groups were successful.

play12:28

There were no casualties.

play12:30

And both sent their success signals to the command post.

play12:33

Lieutenant Vikram Batra was promoted

play12:36

because of the successful mission.

play12:37

To the rank of Captain.

play12:39

He called his father and told him, "Daddy, I have captured."

play12:43

On capturing this point, India got its diplomatic victory.

play12:47

Because at this point, several Pakistani documents were recovered.

play12:51

"What you heard right behind you

play12:53

was the sound of Bofors guns

play12:54

directly targetting the top of Tiger hill.

play12:56

Prelude to the final assault."

play12:58

Another major point was Tiger Hill.

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One side of Tiger Hill is a vertical cliff of 1,000 feet.

play13:06

And the Indian Army decided

play13:08

to surprise the enemy by climbing this cliff.

play13:11

By using mountaineering equipment.

play13:15

So between the nights of 3rd and 4th July,

play13:18

a group of 22 brave soldiers undertook this mission.

play13:22

One of the soldiers was 19-year-old grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.

play13:26

He had volunteered for this mission.

play13:29

They had reached halfway on this 1,000 feet high vertical cliff,

play13:33

when the enemy found out about them.

play13:35

Machine guns, as well as rockets, were fired on them from above.

play13:40

platoon commander along with 2 others were martyred then.

play13:43

But grenadier Yogendra Singh continued climbing despite the firing.

play13:49

He climbed 940 feet.

play13:51

He was only 60 feet away from the top.

play13:54

When three bullets hit him.

play13:56

In his legs and shoulder.

play13:58

But even after being hit by three bullets,

play14:00

he continued climbing.

play14:02

And he climbed to the top,

play14:04

threw a grenade and killed 4 enemies.

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He attacked another bunker with the soldiers.

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And the remaining soldiers of his platoon,

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were so motivated by his bravery, that they completed the climb to the top as well.

play14:18

And attacked Tiger Hill.

play14:20

And this mission was successful.

play14:22

Perhaps the most shocking part of this entire mission was

play14:25

despite being hit by multiple bullets,

play14:27

grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav survived.

play14:30

He was admitted to the hospital

play14:32

And later he was given the title of Honorary Lieutenant.

play14:45

Do you remember Hrithik Roshan's movie Lakshya?

play14:48

The vertical cliff that's climbed at the end of the movie

play14:51

and the capture of the Hill,

play14:53

was inspired by the story of Yogendra Singh Yadav.

play14:56

On the other hand, more missions were being conducted

play14:58

to recapture the remaining hilltops.

play15:00

Capturing Point 4875 was one of them.

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For this mission too, Captain Vikram Batra was assigned.

play15:08

This time his battle companion was

play15:10

Captain Anuj Nayyar.

play15:11

On the morning of 8th July,

play15:13

he was successful at his mission of capturing this peak.

play15:17

The mission was almost completed.

play15:19

Captain Vikram Batra came out of his bunker,

play15:22

to rescue a Lieutenant.

play15:24

Who had lost his legs because of an explosion.

play15:27

No sooner than he had gone out to help the Lieutenant,

play15:30

the enemy that was retreating

play15:33

fired a bullet

play15:34

that hit him in the chest.

play15:36

And unfortunately, he was martyred.

play15:39

India won at Point 4875,

play15:41

but had to lose two heroes Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Anuj Nayyar.

play15:46

Today, this point is known as Batra Top.

play15:49

The Battle at Point 4875

play15:52

was a major landmark of the Kargil War.

play15:54

That had almost sealed India's victory.

play15:57

Two days later, on 11th July, the Pakistani Army started to withdraw.

play16:02

And India had captured the remaining major points of the Batalik.

play16:06

On 14th July, Prime Minister Vajpayee declared Operation Vijay to be a success.

play16:12

And on 26th July, the Kargil War officially ended

play16:16

when the Indian Army announced

play16:17

that all the intruders had been completely evicted

play16:21

from the Indian territory.

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Now, 26th July is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil Victory Day).

play16:27

Some months later, in October 1999,

play16:30

a bloodless coup takes place in Pakistan.

play16:33

Nawaz Sharif gets detained

play16:35

and Pakistan's Army General Pervez Musharraf suspends the Constitution,

play16:41

declares an emergency in the country

play16:43

and takes over the control of the country.

play16:45

The internal politics of Pakistan

play16:47

becomes clearly evident here.

play16:49

Later it is revealed that Pervez Musharraf was actually the Chief Strategist

play16:53

of the Kargil plan.

play16:55

It was his idea to

play16:57

intrude into India dressed as Kashmiri militants.

play17:00

And do everything.

play17:01

All the peace talks between India and Pakistan,

play17:04

to end them all completely.

play17:06

On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif claims that he had no idea

play17:09

that the Pakistani Army had come up with the Kargil plan.

play17:12

In 2019, Pervez Musharraf was given a death sentence

play17:17

by a court in Pakistan.

play17:18

On the charges of treason.

play17:20

To act against his country.

play17:22

Although later, Lahore High Court overturns this.

play17:25

On the other hand, in India,

play17:27

India's highest gallantry medal,

play17:29

that is the Param Vir Chakra,

play17:31

is awarded to 4 soldiers.

play17:33

Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey,

play17:36

Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, and Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.

play17:40

Overall, it is estimated

play17:42

that around 527 Indian soldiers were martyred in the Kargil War.

play17:46

And around 1,300 were injured.

play17:49

Another unfortunate thing that happened was that

play17:51

all the efforts made by PM Vajpayee

play17:54

to maintain peace between India and Pakistan,

play17:57

all of it went in vain.

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I hope you'll find this video informative as always, friends.

play18:03

Share it if you liked it.

play18:05

Let me know in the comments below.

play18:07

On which other historical events would you like to see videos?

play18:10

Let's meet in the next video.

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Thank you very much!

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Related Tags
Kargil WarIndia-PakistanAtal Bihari VajpayeePakistan IntrusionOperation VijayIndian ArmyCaptain Vikram BatraTololing HillTiger HillInternational GeopoliticsWar Heroes