Jubar Top - Na Chodnu
Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey - The Gorkha Way
Lt Manoj Pandey led multiple assaults in Kargil with 1/11 Gorkha Rifles. At Jubar Top, he charged into machine gun fire, destroying bunkers. Wounded in the shoulder and legs, he kept fighting until shot in the head. His last words: 'Na Chodnu' (Don't leave them).
The Boy Who Dreamed of the PVC
Most children dream of becoming doctors, engineers, or cricketers. Manoj Kumar Pandey dreamed of winning the Param Vir Chakra.
Born in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, young Manoj would tell anyone who would listen that he wanted to be a soldier and win India's highest gallantry award. His school diary contained a remarkable entry: "I will become an officer and get a PVC."
Most would dismiss this as a child's fantasy. For Manoj Pandey, it was destiny.
The Making of a Gorkha Officer
Manoj Pandey joined the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into 1/11 Gorkha Rifles - one of the most decorated regiments in the Indian Army. The Gorkhas have a warrior tradition spanning centuries, famous for their courage, their kukris (curved knives), and their battle cry: "Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali!" (Victory to Goddess Mahakali, the Gorkhas are here!)
As a young lieutenant, Pandey quickly earned the respect of his Gorkha soldiers. He led from the front, shared their hardships, and embodied the Gorkha spirit. They would follow him anywhere.
In the summer of 1999, that loyalty would be tested in the most brutal way imaginable.
The Battle for Batalik
The Batalik sector was among the most challenging in the Kargil War. Pakistani intruders had occupied multiple peaks, each one a natural fortress. The terrain was so difficult that simply reaching the enemy positions was a victory in itself.
Lieutenant Manoj Pandey led his platoon in assault after assault. He wasn't just directing his men - he was at the front of every charge, kukri in hand, embodying the Gorkha tradition of leading by example.
Between June 11 and July 3, 1999, he participated in clearing Khalubar, Jubar Top, and surrounding positions. Each battle added to his legend among his men.
Jubar Top - The Final Assault
On the night of July 2-3, 1999, Lieutenant Pandey led the assault on Jubar Top. The position was heavily fortified, with interlocking fields of machine gun fire designed to cut down any approaching force.