Param Vir Chakra: Somnath Sharma
Param Vir Chakra : Manoj Pandey
Maj.Gen.Ian Cardozo
Rishi Kumar
The 1999 Kargil War brought out the best in Indian soldiers. Amongst them were four heroes whose actions helped to turn the tide in India's favour. These four were awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award in the face of the enemy. They were Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar and Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav. Lieutenant Manoj Pandey was instrumental in throwing the enemy forces out from the Batalik sector. Lieutenant Manoj Pandey could always be counted upon as someone who took up the most difficult challenges in the Army. His unmatched daredevilry is what enabled him to destroy four Pakistani posts during this war. He charged towards the last bunker with a grenade in his hand and the war cry ayo gorkhali' on his lips... the many guns that pointed at him ineffective in inciting any fear in the braveheart.
Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St Xavier’s School and College. In July 1954, he joined the Joint Services Wing which later became the National Defence Academy. Here he was the first cadet to win the gold medal for being the best all-round cadet, and the silver medal for being first in order of merit. He was commissioned at the Indian Military Academy into the 1st Battalion the Fifth Gorkha Rifles (FF) in 1958, and was the first officer of the Army to be awarded the Sena Medal for gallantry on a patrol in NEFA in 1959. Wounded in the battle of Sylhet in Bangladesh in 1971, he overcame the handicap of losing a leg and became the first war-disabled officer to be approved for command of an Infantry Battalion. He retired in 1993 from his appointment as Chief of Staff of a Corps in the East. Author of The Sinking of INS-Khukri: Survivor’s Stories and Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle, he has worked with the Spastics Society of Northern India and was chairman of the Rehabilitation Council of India for nine years. At present he is the Vice President of the War Wounded Foundation.
Rishi Kumar is a graduate from Delhi College of Art in the Applied Art course. He has worked as an illustrator with various advertising and publishing companies. He is currently working as a freelance illustrator. Besides art he has an interest in computer gaming. His name has been acknowledged in the Limca Book of National Records 2016 for his work.
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