The name in itself takes us back to the time of the 1999 Kargil War when thousands of our soldiers caring less for their personal safety and more for the motherland courageously walked face to face with death and fought for India. For any defence brat this a familiar name but for others Captain Vikram Batra, PVC was an officer in The Indian Army. Born on 9 September 1974 in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India, Captain Batra is an inspiration to every person who aspires to join The Armed Forces.
Batra did his schooling from D.A.V Public School, Palampur and represented his school in table tennis at All India KVS nationals. He graduated in B.Sc. Medical Sciences and while at it was part of the Air NCC wing of his college. Batra led the NCC contingent in the Republic Day parade.From then onwards he decided that he wanted to join The Indian Army.
If you think success comes easy you might be wrong because it took him more than ten attempts to clear the Services Selection Board. Determination and hard work kept him going and the passion to do something extraordinary for the country. Batra joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. He was, after the completion of his coursecommissioned in the 13th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. From then, his career as an Army officer truly began.
The name Sher Shah (Lion King) was given to him by the enemy country and rightly so. He was indeed one. Captain Batra was a true leader and a man of extreme courage and devotion for his country. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra,India’s highest and most prestigious award for valor, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil war. His words “I would either hoist the Tricolor or I would come back wrapped in it but I will come back for sure”, raises Goosebumps on one’s skin. He was hit by a sniper and laid down his life then and there while saving a fellow soldier as they say, “Leave no man behind”. He led his troop from front like a true leader would and sacrificed his future, his life like a true soldier would. Batra indeed is an inspiration.
Today, at IMA Dehradun not one cadet picks up his spoon leave alone eats a bite before dinner is served in front of Late Captain Vikram Batra’s seat. That is the legend of Late Captain Batra, who even though now gone for eighteen long years still lives on in the hearts of people that he continues to inspire. For the youth inspiration and moral values today play a vital role for success in life and who better can be examples of that than our very own soldiers. Life is so much more than petty fights and break ups. Life is what you make it. On all the posters of The Indian Army are the words, ‘Live a life less ordinary’. Will you?