The 19-year-old soldier who won India's highest military honour

Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav is the youngest person to ever be honoured with the Param Vir Chakra. He was just 19 when he was awarded the country's highest military award.

What Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav accomplished was no small feat. The indomitable spirit he displayed on the fourth of July, 1999, can never be forgotten.

That day, the Ghatak commando platoon was tasked with capturing three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill.

The approach was a vertical snowbound cliff face.

Grenadier Yadav, who volunteered to lead the assault, started climbing the cliff face and fixing the ropes for further assault on the feature. 

Halfway up, an enemy bunker spotted him opened up machine gun and rocket fire. 

His platoon commander and two others fell to the heavy fire. Despite being hit by three bullets, Grenadier Yadav kept climbing. After reaching the top, he crawled up to the Pakistani bunker and lobbed a grenade. Four Pakistani soldiers were killed on the spot.

Grenadier Yadav's charge had cleared the way for the rest of the platoon to climb up the cliff face. 

Despite being grievously injured, Grenadier Yadav charged towards the second bunker along with seven soldiers. 

The bunker was captured, but only Grenadier Yadav survived. He returned with 15 bullet injuries, two hand-grenade wounds and an arm hanging limply from tendons and skin. 

He was hospitalised for the next year and a half until he recovered from his wounds.

Today, on his birthday, Flags of Honour salutes the Kargil war hero Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav for his selfless act of bravery.

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• Subedar Major
• Yogendra Singh Yadav
• Param Vir Chakra
• Tiger Hill