On the website of the National War Memorial, a short description of barely 130 words sums up the action of July 4, 1999, which led to Param Vir Chakra (PVC) being awarded to Rifleman Sanjay Kumar of 13 JAK RIF. Incidentally, this is the only unit that got two PVCs during Operation Vijay during the Kargil war. The second PVC was awarded to Captain Vikram Batra posthumously for conspicuous bravery. Captain Batra is the man who immortalised himself by saying the words … Yeh dil maange more.
About him, some days later soon. But let’s revert to the heroics that Rifleman Sanjay Kumar displayed in Mushkoh Valley sector. The description at the memorial says: “During Operation Vijay, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar was the leading Scout of a company of 13 JAK RIF for the capture of area Flat Top on 04 July 1999 in Mushkoh Valley, Jammu & Kashmir. Having scaled the cliff, he came under effective enemy fire from a bunker. In the ensuing hand-to-hand combat, he killed three of the intruders and was himself seriously injured.
“Taken totally by surprise, the enemy left behind a Universal Machine Gun and started running. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar picked up the UMG and killed the fleeing enemy. The brave action on his part motivated his comrades to charge on to the enemy and capture area Flat Top. For exhibiting an act of indomitable courage and gallantry of the highest order, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.”
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Mushkoh valley is barely eight kilometres from the main town of Drass, which has a reputation for being the second coldest inhabited place on earth. The valley is breathtaking in its view because of the Drass river which flows through it and the wild flowers that grow in abundance here. During early summers, the valley is full of wild tulips of varied colours.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar worked as a taxi driver in Delhi for some time and it was in third attempt that he could join the Army. In February 2022, Sanjay Kumar was promoted to the rank of Subedar Major and may still be in service. Incidentally, the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles has a rich regimental history which is traced back to over 200 years ago. It is said that this has roots in a regiment raised by Gulab Singh in 1821, a year before he was annointed as Raja of Jammu by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore on June 17, 1822. Gulab Singh was considered one of the ablest Generals of that era.
The citation given along with PVC for Rifleman Sanjay Kumar reads:
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar volunteered to be the leading scout of the attacking column tasked to capture area Flat Top of Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley on 4 July 1999. During the attack when enemy automatic fire from one of the sangars posed stiff opposition and stalled the column, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, realizing the gravity of the situation and with utter disregard to his personal safety, charged at the enemy. In the ensuing hand-to-hand combat, he killed three of the intruders and was himself seriously injured. Despite his injuries, he charged onto the second bunker. Taken totally by surprise, the enemy left behind a Universal Machine Gun and started running.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar picked up the UMG and killed the fleeing enemy. Although bleeding profusely, he refused to be evacuated. The brave action on his part motivated his comrades and they took no notice of the treacherous terrain and charged onto the enemy and wrested the area Flat Top from the hands of the enemy.
Rifleman Sanjay Kumar displayed most conspicuous gallantry, cool courage and devotion to duty of an exceptionally high order in the face of the enemy.
Recipients of the Param-Vir Chakra are saluted irrespective of rank, which is alleged to have become a bone of contention between Kumar and senior officers in 2009-10, according to some reports available on the net. This controversy led to his demotion at one time but things have been sorted out and he got his due promotions on time in later years. At present, there is a convention in the Indian Army that nobody is retired on the rank of Subedar Major. As such, all Subedar Majors are promoted to the rank of Honorary Captain before they hang their boots.
