25 Years Of Kargil War: Remembering Odisha’s Bravehearts

Bhubaneswar: It has been 25 years since the mountains of Kargil—which falls under Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region—boomed with the sounds of war. With the passage of time, the memories of valour showcased by the personnel of Indian Army hasn’t been dimmed or faded. The years that rolled by may have lessened the pain of families—who lost their dear ones in the inhospitable terrain— but the sacrifices made by the martyrs remain unforgettable.

According to reports, 527 Indian soldiers were martyred and 1,363 wounded in the war spanning over two months. Odisha has its share of martyrs too. On the war’s 25th anniversary, here’s a list of martyrs from Odisha:

1) Major Padmapani Acharya: An Odisha native, Major Padmapani Acharya — as commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 2nd battalion, The Rajputana Rifles. For his brave actions during the war, he as awarded the second highest Indian military honour, Maha Vir Chakra posthumously. “On 28 June 1999, Major Padmapani Acharya as a Company Commander, was assigned the formidable task of capturing an enemy position which was heavily fortified, strongly held and covered with mines and sweeping machine gun and artillery fire. Success of the battalion and brigade operation hinged on the early capture of this position. However the company attack almost faltered at the very beginning when the enemy’s artillery fire came down squarely on the leading platoon, inflicting large numbers of casualties,” read the award’s citation. His family is settled in Hyderabad.

2) Lance Naik Sachidananda Mallick: A native of Kendrapada, Mallick laid down his life on June 28, 1999, while fighting at the icy heights of Drass.

3) Sergeant Raj Kishore Sahu: The sergeant, belonging to Cuttack, was part of 152 Heptr Unit at the time of war. He was the flight engineer, who was on board MI-17 that was shot down over Tololing.

4) Havildar Ganga Ram Das: Hailing from Harida village in Balasore district, he was part of 6121(I) Fd Wksp Coy, EME unit. He was in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME).

5) Naik Srinivas S. Patra: A Ganjam native, Patra was martyred while mopping up Tiger hill. He was posted in 12th Battalion, the Mahar Regiment.

6) Sepoy Gopinath Moharana: He attained martyrdom in the Kargil war at the age of 23. He hailed from Janardanpur village under Nischintakoili block in Cuttack. In an interview to a local channel, his mother had said: “I visit my son’s statue every day and recall his bravery. I am proud of my son.”

7) Signalman Manas Ranjan Sahu: Part of Corps of Signals, Sahu died at the age of 25. He was just three months into active service after finishing his training in Goa. He was killed on June 7, 1999, in shelling while he was repairing communication lines. He hailed from Angul.

8) Naik Niranjan Behera: He hailed from Panguda village under Chandbali block in Cuttack district. He laid down his life while fighting in the war as part of the Parachute Regiment

Another native of Odisha, Air Marshal Dilip Kumar Patnaik was awarded Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for his exceptional courage and bravery while flying the Mirage 2000 aircraft for bombing missions on the enemy positions at Muntho Dhalo, Tiger Hill and Muskoh Nala during the Kargil War in 1999. He was later appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command and became the first Odia officer to be chosen for the top post. He joined the BJP in Odisha ahead of the 2024 elections.