Monday, September 21, 2009
Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav, Ghatak Commando, PVC
Like I mentioned a few days back, most people don't know that India has had a turbulent history with invaders coming from across the world. These have been coming for silk, spices, religion and a plethora of reasons. So we've seen the Mongols, Mughals, Afghans, English, French, Portuguese and more recently Chinese, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and even Sri Lankans wage wars, invasions and terrorist attacks. Though India hasn't really attacked any nation ever... well, unless you count Goa, Pondicherry and Daman/Diu, where the Portuguese and French had small colonies, which were liberated in the 60's, she certainly has been at the recieving end often. For this reason the Indian defense forces are always involved in border "skirmishes". This is the story of the Kargil War, fought over the line of control in Kashmir.
So, let's go to 1999. India and Pakistan were already getting all pissy with each other. Pakistan crossed the line, literally, by entering the Kargil district in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. This act escalated things and both countries were at war for about 3 months between May-July 1999. One of the things India needed to do to regain advantage was to recapture strategic peaks like Tiger Hill on the NH 1A (National highway 1A) route. This sounds easy, but let me explain Tiger Hill to the uninitiated. This "hill" is 18,000 feet high, that is about 5,500 meters. Denali is about 20,000 feet high, which is the tallest mountain in North America. So, obviously the Indians have a sense of humor, Tiger "Hill" my ass.
So, on 4rd July 1999, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav a Ghatak Commando was tasked to scale a "hill" and win a war. Now, Ghatak translates to "lethal" in Hindi. So, obviously, some serious badassery is involved to get on this unit. Their role is to act as shock troops and conduct assaults against enemy positions, usually without support from the rest of the battalion. These crazies carry the INSAS assault rifles and stainless steel nuts.
So, let's call him Yogi bear cause he just sounds snuggly like a cuddly bunny. Yogi bear, is a commando in the 18th Grenadiers, a unit which has the distinction of the highest number of "Param Vir Chakras", the highest medal of gallantry, among all Indian Army's Infantry Regiments. Screw it, I'm going to call him Grenadier Yadav, he deserves that.
Grenadier Yadav, offered to lead the assault up the 17,000 odd feet to the first bunker. His job was to not only take over the bunkers filled with Pakistani soldiers armed to the teeth, but also to set up the ropes to ensure the rest of his platoon could follow him up. Yup, piece of cake says he, as he prepares to climb in the -30 degrees Celsius, about -22 degrees Fahrenheit. So, yeah it was nippy outside, and yes there was a whipping wind. Lastly this was at 11pm. Sounds like a fun day hike to me.
He was working his way up with his platoon commander and a squad of other commandos following him as he'd fix the ropes on the cliff face. They were most of the way up and hear the unmistakable sounds of an RPG. Yup, the Pakistani soldiers were shelling them with a few rocket-propelled grenades and followed that up with heavy machine guns. The Pakistanis were bang on. His entire squad including his commander lost their lives. Grenadier Yadav was shot several times in his shoulder and his groin. Ordinary men would have given up at that point, but not our vsevolod here. He just gets really really upset and pretty much scales the rest of the "hill" like Spiderman. He gets to the top of the cliff, flips his rifle on full auto and charges the bunker, screaming bloody murder, rifle blazing while lobbing grenades. The Pakistanis to thier credit are trying really hard to stop him with more RPG and other heavy artillery fire. Grenadier Yadav, silences all of them, then rather than rest on his laurels, he pulls out his ice axe and charges bunker #2 of 3. He takes over bunker #2 with some serious hand to hand combat. None of that pansy Karate Kid nonsense, ice axes and lethal blows to the larynx.
The rest of his platoon joined him, after scaling the ropes he had set up and suggested that he be taken to safety considering the gushing blood from his groin. He looks at them like they're off their rocker and charges at full tilt towards bunker #3. His platoon follows him and in minutes Tiger Hill was back in the control of the Indian Army. This was a divisive victory and turned the war in India's favor.
The President of India awarded the "Param Vir Chakra" to Grenadier Yadav posthumously for his show of gallantry and selflessness on Tiger Hill. But here is the problem. He um, wasn't dead. They just assumed that after being shot several times and breaking multiple bones in the hand to hand combat, nobody would survive. Nope, not this guy... he was at the military hospital in New Delhi recovering. Getting ready for another tour of duty.
So, let's go to 1999. India and Pakistan were already getting all pissy with each other. Pakistan crossed the line, literally, by entering the Kargil district in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. This act escalated things and both countries were at war for about 3 months between May-July 1999. One of the things India needed to do to regain advantage was to recapture strategic peaks like Tiger Hill on the NH 1A (National highway 1A) route. This sounds easy, but let me explain Tiger Hill to the uninitiated. This "hill" is 18,000 feet high, that is about 5,500 meters. Denali is about 20,000 feet high, which is the tallest mountain in North America. So, obviously the Indians have a sense of humor, Tiger "Hill" my ass.
So, on 4rd July 1999, Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav a Ghatak Commando was tasked to scale a "hill" and win a war. Now, Ghatak translates to "lethal" in Hindi. So, obviously, some serious badassery is involved to get on this unit. Their role is to act as shock troops and conduct assaults against enemy positions, usually without support from the rest of the battalion. These crazies carry the INSAS assault rifles and stainless steel nuts.
Most Ghatak Commandos are also paratroopers
So, let's call him Yogi bear cause he just sounds snuggly like a cuddly bunny. Yogi bear, is a commando in the 18th Grenadiers, a unit which has the distinction of the highest number of "Param Vir Chakras", the highest medal of gallantry, among all Indian Army's Infantry Regiments. Screw it, I'm going to call him Grenadier Yadav, he deserves that.
Grenadier Yadav, offered to lead the assault up the 17,000 odd feet to the first bunker. His job was to not only take over the bunkers filled with Pakistani soldiers armed to the teeth, but also to set up the ropes to ensure the rest of his platoon could follow him up. Yup, piece of cake says he, as he prepares to climb in the -30 degrees Celsius, about -22 degrees Fahrenheit. So, yeah it was nippy outside, and yes there was a whipping wind. Lastly this was at 11pm. Sounds like a fun day hike to me.
He was working his way up with his platoon commander and a squad of other commandos following him as he'd fix the ropes on the cliff face. They were most of the way up and hear the unmistakable sounds of an RPG. Yup, the Pakistani soldiers were shelling them with a few rocket-propelled grenades and followed that up with heavy machine guns. The Pakistanis were bang on. His entire squad including his commander lost their lives. Grenadier Yadav was shot several times in his shoulder and his groin. Ordinary men would have given up at that point, but not our vsevolod here. He just gets really really upset and pretty much scales the rest of the "hill" like Spiderman. He gets to the top of the cliff, flips his rifle on full auto and charges the bunker, screaming bloody murder, rifle blazing while lobbing grenades. The Pakistanis to thier credit are trying really hard to stop him with more RPG and other heavy artillery fire. Grenadier Yadav, silences all of them, then rather than rest on his laurels, he pulls out his ice axe and charges bunker #2 of 3. He takes over bunker #2 with some serious hand to hand combat. None of that pansy Karate Kid nonsense, ice axes and lethal blows to the larynx.
The rest of his platoon joined him, after scaling the ropes he had set up and suggested that he be taken to safety considering the gushing blood from his groin. He looks at them like they're off their rocker and charges at full tilt towards bunker #3. His platoon follows him and in minutes Tiger Hill was back in the control of the Indian Army. This was a divisive victory and turned the war in India's favor.
Indian flag on Tiger Hill
The President of India awarded the "Param Vir Chakra" to Grenadier Yadav posthumously for his show of gallantry and selflessness on Tiger Hill. But here is the problem. He um, wasn't dead. They just assumed that after being shot several times and breaking multiple bones in the hand to hand combat, nobody would survive. Nope, not this guy... he was at the military hospital in New Delhi recovering. Getting ready for another tour of duty.
Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav in the center
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Vsevolod Indians
Most people don't think the Republic of India is filled with badass crazies who have protected the country from the baddies. This goes back hundreds of years back to Alexander the Great's days to the World Wars and wars with Pakistan.
Not all of us are call center agents or farmers or engineers.
I will choose a Vsevolod ("ruler of all" in Russian) at random every other week or so and talk about their badassery and balls out insanity.
Not all of us are call center agents or farmers or engineers.
I will choose a Vsevolod ("ruler of all" in Russian) at random every other week or so and talk about their badassery and balls out insanity.
