India’s living legend Honorary Captain Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) says, everyone is a soldier with or without uniform

He is the youngest recipient of Param Vir Chakra (PVC), the highest gallantry medal of the country. He got it for his unparalleled courage during the capture of Tiger Hill during Kargil war. Honorary Captain Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) is among the only three living awardees of PVC. Though he has recently retired from uniformed service, he keeps inspiring confidence among the youths about the Indian Armed Forces.

Since Kargil war, Hon Capt Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) said that a lot had changed in terms of technology, equipment, weapons, training, education. Also, there have been political and social changes. “All these have helped India’s rise on world map as a stronger nation. If the national leadership is strong, a nation also becomes strong to the extent that no one dares to challenge it,” he said, while interacting with mediapersons at Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) headquarters in Civil Lines here on Friday. He was in the city to perform bhoomipujan of Vande Mataram Udyan in Bajeriya here.

Replying to a query regarding Pakistan continuing with waging a proxy war against India, Yadav said that Pakistan was indulging in such acts as it was not strong enough to fight a full-scale face-to-face war. “But, it cannot continue with it eternally because of several factors. I am sure that a day will come when Pakistan shall not be there on world map. Woh waqt bhi aayega jab Hindustan toh hoga, par Pakistan nahi hoga!” he stressed. To a question regarding Pulwama attack and India conducting surgical strike at Balakot, the Kargil war hero (Contd from page 1)

replied that soldiers did not have to lie. “We had a mission, we accomplished it. India retaliated decisively,” he observed.

When mediapersons asked about the recent political debate over China grabbing Indian territory at some places, the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee replied that no one could grab Indian territory as long as Indian soldiers were fighting. “Whatever has happened earlier is there. But, no Indian soldier lets others grab even an inch of our land as long as he is alive,” he observed.

As far as other areas are concerned, the Indian soldiers are getting trained to respond to newer challenges including cyber warfare, psychological warfare, etc. Highly educated youngsters are joining the Armed Forces as jawans and they are adding strength with their handling of latest technological tools, said the Kargil war hero. Regarding the negative portrayal of the Armed Forces in web series etc, he felt that the makers should not create false propaganda material by way of such negative portrayals. He added, “One who works may commit mistakes too. But, in the Armed Forces, appropriate action is taken against those who commit mistakes. This does not mean that there is only negative side to highlight.”

Addressing the youngsters, Honorary Captain Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) said that there was a need for removing negativity among youth. “Often youngsters take to streets demanding their rights. What about responsibility? I wish to ask them how many of their responsibilities towards the nation are they fulfilling? You must discharge your responsibilities well and you will get your rights safeguarded automatically,” he observed. Also, he said, one can become successful in life if one does one’s job with interest and joy. Remember, he added, everyone is a soldier -- with or without uniform -- and contribute to making India stronger in respective capacity.

Asked about speculations about his foray into politics, Yadav said that a soldier belonged to nation and not to any political party or State. At the same time, he said, more needed to be done for ex-servicemen. There were issues relating to pension, facilities, etc that needed to be highlighted at proper forum. “Sportspersons and artists are nominated on Rajya Sabha to raise issues concerning respective fields. On the same lines, there has to be a quota for ex-servicemen in Rajya Sabha nominations,” he emphasised.

Dayashankar Tiwari, Mayor, was also present during the press interaction. Honorary Captain Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) was all praise for Tiwari and NMC for taking initiative for Vande Mataram Udyan in Nagpur to honour the valour of Param Vir Chakra awardees of the

country.

 

Honorary Captain Yogender Singh Yadav (Retd) is a living legend and the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee for his unparalleled courage during Kargil war. Then a Grenadier, Yadav was only 19 years old in 1999 when Kargil war broke out.

As the Param Vir Chakra citation for Yadav states, he was part of leading team of Ghatak Platoon tasked to capture Tiger Hill on the night of July 3/4, 1999. The approach to the top, at a height of 16,500 feet, was steep, snowbound and rocky. Yadav volunteered to be in the lead and fixed rope for his team to climb up. The enemy saw his team approaching the top and opened ‘intense automatic, grenade, rocket and artillery fire’. His team commander and two of his colleagues fell in the action, and further advance got stalled.

“Knowing the gravity of the situation, he crawled up to the enemy position to silence it, but sustained multiple bullet injuries. Unmindful of his injuries and hail of enemy bullets, he continued towards the enemy positions, and lobbed grenades inside; and fired from his weapon, killing four enemy soldiers in close combat and silenecd the automatic fire,” reads the citation. He sustained multiple bullet injuries but refused to be evacuated even in critical condition. Inspired by his gallant act, the rest of the Ghatak Platoon charged on to other positions and captured Tiger Hill Top. “I have lived those moments. That time, no other thought came to my mind except that the mission had to be accomplished. You must have seen it in movies that even a soldier whose head gets severed in action keeps firing for a while. I have seen these things happen during intense action. When in action, soldiers think only of contributing to victory and nothing else. Despite casualties, we mounted attack at Tiger Hill Top and captured it,” said Yadav, with a smile.