NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday conferred the rank of Honorary Captain upon Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav, said the Ministry of Defence.
“On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day, Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav, Param Vir Chakra, was conferred the rank of Honorary Captain by the President of India,” read a statement released by the ministry. It further stated that Military Secretary and Colonel the Grenadiers Lt Gen Rajeev Sirohi honoured the braveheart by putting on the rank badges on him at the army headquarters in New Delhi.
According to the ministry, Yadav was awarded for his gallant act during the Kargil war on July 4, 1999, when he volunteered to lead a Ghatak commando platoon of 18 Grenadiers to capture three strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill. “He started climbing the cliff face which had a vertical snowbound approach. Halfway up, an enemy bunker spotted him and opened up machine gun and rocket fire. Despite being hit by three bullets, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav kept climbing and reaching the top, he crawled up to the Pakistani bunker, lobbed a grenade, killing four Pakistani soldiers on the spot,” said the ministry. “His charge cleared the way for the rest of the platoon to climb up the cliff face. Despite being grievously injured, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav charged towards the second bunker along with seven soldiers. The bunker was captured but only Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav survived with 15 bullet injuries, two hand-grenade wounds and an arm hanging from tendons and skin,” it added.
This unparalleled act of bravery earned Yadav the country’s highest wartime gallantry decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, making him one of the rare living legends in the Armed Forces.
Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Yogendra Singh Yadav is one of the 1695 Junior Commissioned Officers who were awarded the rank of Honorary Captain on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of the country.
