Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav awarded honorary Captain rank; Here's his story
The bravery that Subedar Major Yadav displayed on July 4, 1999, is etched in golden letters in the rich annals of Indian Army traditions.
FollowSubedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav, a Param Vir Chakra awardee, was awarded the honorary Captain rank on the eve of 75th Independence Day for his exemplary service and contribution to the Indian Army.
He was given PVC for his bravery during the 1999-Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan. Subedar Major Yadav was 19-year-old when he was awarded the country's highest military award, the Param Vir Chakra.
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The bravery that Subedar Major Yadav displayed on July 4, 1999, is etched in golden letters in the rich annals of Indian Army traditions.
On July 4, 1999, the Ghatak commando platoon was assigned the mission to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill. Their approach route was a vertical snowbound cliff face.
Grenadier Yadav volunteered to lead the assault. He started his ascent of the cliff face and along his way fixed the ropes for further assault on the feature.Â
Halfway up, the enemy spotted him; a hail of machine gun and rocket fire erupted. His platoon commander and two others soldiers fell.Â
Three bullets hit Grenadier Yadav, yet he kept climbing. Upon reaching the top of the feature, he crawled up to the Pakistani bunker and lobbed a grenade killing four Pakistani soldiers.
Even as the rest of the platoon climbed up the cliff face, a seriously-injured Grenadier Yadav charged towards the second bunker along with seven soldiers. The bunker was captured.Â
Grenadier Yadav, who returned from the battlefield with 15 bullet injuries, two hand-grenade wounds and a barely-attached arm, was hospitalised for well over a year until he recovered from his wounds.Â
This Independence Day, a total of 337 serving non-commissioned officers in the Indian Army have been awarded Honorary Captain rank while 1358 were given Honorary Lieutenant rank.Â
Since 1984, the ratio for grant of Honorary Commission for Honorary Lieutenants and proportionate vacancies for Honorary Captains has been 12:1000.  Taking into account the  Junior Commissioned Officers' contribution, that ratio has now been worked to 15:1000 for Honorary Lieutenants.
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