Param Vir Chakra : Rama Raghoba Rane
Maj. Gen Ian Cardozo
Rishi Kumar
The state of Jammu and Kashmir was attacked by a newly established Pakistan from different directions on 22 October 1947. Unable to defend his state against the marauding tribesmen from the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, led by officers, JCOs and NCOs of Pakistan's regular army, the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) appealed to the government of India for help and signed the instrument of accession on 26 October 1947 and J&K became an integral part of the union of India. The INDO-PAK war of 1947“48 was fought across all the three districts of J&K Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh. The story of Rama Raghoba Rane relates to the fighting in the Jammu district. During December 1947, the enemy kept up the pressure against the Indian garrisons at Uri, Jhangar and Poonch. After fierce battles fought at Naushera and Jhangar, the advance for the capture of Rajauri and the relief of Poonch began on 08 April 1948. It was in this operation, that 2/Lieutenant Raghoba Rane distinguished himself by displaying cool courage for over 96 hours clearing enemy mine fields and dismantling obstacles despite heavy firing by the enemy. It was for this operation that he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. This is his story.
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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