Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was born on 25 June 1975 in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. He was commissioned as an officer of the Indian Army in the regiment 1/11 Gorkha Rifles. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was one of the bravest men who had been honoured by the highest gallantry award the Param Vir Chakra for their indomitable bravery and courageous actions in the war or crucial times for the nation. He had showed an audacious courage at the time of the attack on the Jubbar Top situated in the Khalubar Hills in Batalik Sector, Kargil. His father’s name was Gopi Chand Pandey who used to own a small business in Lucknow once upon a time.
Manoj Kumar Pandey was the eldest son in the family and he did his initial schooling from the; Sainik School and his higher secondary schooling from Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Since his childhood he was a super active boy in sports activities particularly in boxing and body building. He always wanted to join the Indian Army. In fact he was too much determined about his thought that even in an interview he told the interviewer that he wanted to win the Param Vir Chakra. And perhaps destiny also accepted his great wish and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey won the Param Vir Chakra for his eminent leadership in the Kargil War. He took admission in the National Defence Academy where he stayed in the MIKE Squadron and passed out in the 90th course and finally he got selected in the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously, he died on 2/3 July 1999.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was an introvert person who used to pen down his thoughts and feelings in his personal diary. He wrote many inspirited poetries. In one of his poem he even wrote in few of the lines that conveyed that even if death comes before he proves himself then he would even kill the death. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey left a great legacy behind him; he would always be remembered as a Martyr who sacrificed his life for the motherland. He would always be recalled as the Role Model in the Indian Army Tradition.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey had been honoured in many ways and many a times. Like, the National Defence Academy named the science block as the; Manoj Pandey Block, another tribute was given by the Army Housing Organization by designing and constructing an Apartment complex for veterans in Ghaziabad district U.P and named it as ; Manoj Vihar. In the home district Sitapur U.P of Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey a roundabout was also named as the “Captain Manoj Pandey Chowk”. At the Service Selection Centre Allahabad, a hall was also made in his memory named as the Manoj Pandey Block. The Army quarters in Pune near the Cardio Thoracic Centre are also named after his name as Captain Manoj Pandey Enclave. At Drass in the Kargil War Museum, a gallery was also named after the name of Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey.
Operation Vijay, Kargil, 1999
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was actively and bravely facing the attacks from the enemies during the ‘Operation Vijay’. He was delegated the task to clear out the interference of the enemy’s positions in order to prevent the Indian battalion from getting into any vulnerable condition.
Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was able to force back the invaders on 11th June 1999 in the Batalik Sector during the Kargil War. He was leading his men to capture the Jubbar Top that was supposed to be a significant location of the strategy. Without wasting a single minute this brave hearted man led his platoon through an insidious and sneaky ridge. The enemy was constantly firing against the Indian soldiers from their positions. But here Captain Manoj Pandey displayed himself as a true leader and encouraged his crewmen to attack the enemy with full charged bullets and energy. Captain Pandey got his shoulder and leg severely injured but nothing could stop him now and he decided to confront the enemies in a hand-to-hand combat in which he bayoneted two of the enemy men. He cleared out the first bunker, this bravado of Capt. Pandey injected determination and enthusiasm in his troop who further advanced the enemy and crushed them up. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey was rushing bunker to bunker to motivate his crewmen despite of having severe injuries.
It was the night of 3 July 1999 while advancing to Khaubar the Indian platoon came under an intense enemy fire from the surrounding heights, however the Indian troops were almost accomplished their final objective. Captain Pandey quickly shifted his platoon to an advantageous position despite of the heavy firing. He very intelligently sent one section of the platoon to the right side to clear out the enemy position and himself moved into the left direction with the second left section to clear out the enemy in that very direction. He was dauntlessly facing the attacks from the enemy.
Captain Manoj Pandey succeeded in killing two of the enemy soldiers and trashed their positions on the left side of the location. Nothing could stop him now, thus being unmindful of his serious injuries he still went to clear the third and further the fourth enemy positions. He commanded his men to destroy all those trapped positions with the help of grenade due to which Captain Pandey also had an intense burst on his forehead. Captain Pandey was truly an epitome of courage and bravery; he in fact provided the critical firm base for the companies due to which the capture of Khaubar could actually be accomplished. Even the last words of his lion-hearted soldier were; “Na chhodnu” (In Nepali Dialect) means; do not spare them. His miraculous leadership and determination and utmost devotion for the service of his motherland made him a true Param Vir indeed.
