Captain Vikram Batra was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest Indian military decoration, for his actions during the Kargil War; on 7 July 1999, Batra was killed while fighting Pakistani troops around Area Ledge, Point 4875, in the Kargil district of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir.
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Captain Vikram Batra was the third child of Girdhari Lal Batra, a government school principal, and Kamal Kanta Batra, a school teacher.
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Captain Vikram Batra was the eldest of twin sons, and was born fourteen minutes before his brother, named Vishal.
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Captain Vikram Batra received his senior secondary education at Central School, Palampur.
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Besides his academic excellence, Captain Vikram Batra played sports and represented his school at the national level during the Youth Parliamentary competitions at Delhi.
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Captain Vikram Batra represented his school and college in table tennis, Karate and other such games.
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Captain Vikram Batra was a green belt holder in Karate and went on to attend a national level camp in Manali.
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Captain Vikram Batra was selected and underwent a 40-day paratrooping training with his NCC Air Wing unit at Pinjore Airfield and Flying Club, about 35 kilometres away from Chandigarh.
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Captain Vikram Batra's maternal grandfather was a soldier in the Indian Army.
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Captain Vikram Batra attended evening classes at the University and worked part-time in the morning as a branch manager of a travelling agency in Chandigarh.
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Captain Vikram Batra was among the top 35 candidates in the Order of Merit.
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In one of those encounters when Captain Vikram Batra was leading an ambush with his platoon into an area of dense forest, he escaped when bullet fired by a militant grazed his shoulder and struck one of Captain Vikram Batra's men behind him, who was killed.
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Captain Vikram Batra ordered his men to fire on the militants, and by morning all of the militants were killed.
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Captain Vikram Batra believed that the bullet was meant for him and not his colleague.
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Captain Vikram Batra last came home on leave from the army in 1999, during the Holi festival for a few days.
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Captain Vikram Batra informed his parents about his movement and assured them they need not worry about him.
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At the Hump Complex, the two officers, Jamwal and Captain Vikram Batra, received their briefing about the mission from Joshi.
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Captain Vikram Batra decided to approach the hill from the rear, aiming to surprise the enemy, and to cut off their withdrawal route.
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Captain Vikram Batra fired three rockets towards the bunkers on the east side of the feature, before attacking them.
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Captain Vikram Batra then killed three enemy soldiers single-handedly in close combat.
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Captain Vikram Batra was seriously injured in the process, but insisted on regrouping his men to continue with the mission.
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Captain Vikram Batra continued to lead his troops, and then charged at the next enemy position, capturing Point 5140.
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The next assignment for Captain Vikram Batra's battalion was to capture the Point 4875, a strategically important peak located in the Mushkoh Valley.
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Captain Vikram Batra was lying in a sleeping bag near the Mushkoh nullah, and was down with fever and fatigue.
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Captain Vikram Batra's commanding officer had ordered him to rest even though his battalion, 13 JAK Rifles, had launched its attack on Point 4875.
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Captain Vikram Batra had a small force but he fought ferociously to beat back the offensive.
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Captain Vikram Batra, who was observing the situation from base, went to his commanding officer and volunteered.
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Captain Vikram Batra, who was still recovering from his own wounds he received in the battle of Point 5140, wanted to reach the top to rescue his fellow soldiers and carry out reconnaissance of the ledge where the enemy soldiers were.
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En route to the top, Captain Vikram Batra spotted a Pakistani machine gun position firing at the trapped Indian soldiers.
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Captain Vikram Batra, accompanied by Subedar Raghunath Singh and Major Bhat, his artillery observation officer, took out a patrol to recce a route to re-inforce Naveen from a flank.
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Captain Vikram Batra located the position of the enemy sangar on the ledge from which enemy machine guns were holding up the advance of his company.
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At this juncture, Captain Vikram Batra, realizing there was no way from the left or right, decided to make a direct assault in daylight itself.
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Captain Vikram Batra sustained grievous injuries in the process, yet he continued his charge, with supporting fire from the rest of the patrol, and upon reaching the very narrow entrance of the sangar and taking the enemy by complete surprise, he killed 5 Pakistani soldiers in a close-quarter battle.
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Captain Vikram Batra charged forward alone, killing all four members of the crew.
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Captain Vikram Batra resolved to evacuate him with Subedar Raghunath Singh.
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Captain Vikram Batra exposed himself to enemy fire to drag the injured soldier to safety, and in the process was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper from very close range, and a split-second later, by a splinter from an RPG which hit him in the head.
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Captain Vikram Batra collapsed next to the injured soldier, succumbing to the fatal wounds.
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Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honour on 15 August 1999, the 52nd anniversary of India's independence.
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Captain Batra reorganized his column and motivated his men to physically assault the enemy positions.
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For speedy operation, Captain Batra assaulted the enemy position along a narrow ridge and engaged the enemy in a fierce hand –to-hand fight and killed five enemy soldiers at point blank range.
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Captain Vikram Batra, thus, displayed the most conspicuous personal bravery and leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
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Captain Vikram Batra is known for an interview in which he stated that Pakistani soldiers were aware of him.
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Captain Vikram Batra was honoured with several landmarks being named after him: the historic capture of Point 4875 led to the mountain being named Batra Top in his honour.
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Bust of Param Vir Chakra Captain Vikram Batra was unveiled at Palampur military station on the eve of R D '22.
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