New Delhi: Even as the nation is fed-up with the age row of Indian Army Chief Gen.VK Singh, we are hearing the story of valour and supreme sacrifice of Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, who will get the Nation’s highest peacetime Gallantry award, ‘Ashok Chakra’ on Republic Day by the President, Smt Pratibha Devisingh Patil, on behalf of a grateful Nation. It was not long ago when Lieutenant Navdeep Singh of 15 Maratha Light Infantry, killed in a gun battle with militants along the LoC.
Even as his family members and some locals broke down at the time of his last rites, Navdeep’s father Joginder Singh, a retired Subedar Major, was a picture of as he lit the pyre of his son who was commissioned in the Army last year. The 26-year-old Navdeep had planned and led the operation that saw the Army killing 12 infiltrating militants at the Line of Control in Bagtor area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Gurez sector. Lt Navdeep went down fighting upholding the values and ethos of service before self.
An alumni of Army School, Tibri, and Institute of Hotel Management, Gurdaspur, Navdeep was a bright student and sports person. Though he completed MBA from Army Institute of Management, Kolkata, he always wanted to join the Army in line with the family traditions. His grandfather Ajit Singh is a veteran of the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and his father, a retired Subedar Major, is currently re-employed with MES.
Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, unhesitatingly sacrificed his young life in the service of the Nation, on 20th August 2011, in a fierce anti-infiltration operations on the Line of Control, in the remote Gurez Sector of North Kashmir.
Lieutenant Navdeep, a third generation soldier and an alumnus of the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, was commissioned on 19th March 2011. A born leader, Navdeep’s intrinsic talent and raw fighting spirit soon shone through with his Battalion entrusting him with the coveted leadership of its crack Commando Platoon, which he trained and honed into a superbly fit fighting unit. Raring to go and seeking challenges at every step, Navdeep was deployed with his crack team to destroy infiltration attempts by hardcore terrorists from across the Line of Control.
On the fateful night of 19th August 2011, Lieutenant Navdeep Singh and his Commando Platoon were deployed in the Kanzalwan Sub Sector in response to intelligence inputs about a desperate bid by a large group of highly trained terrorists, fully equipped and armed to the teeth with deadly weapons.
Leading from the front and demonstrating the highest standards of tactical acumen, field craft and fire control, this brave heart quickly sited his ambush, correctly appreciating the path that the terrorists would adopt. In a display of sheer unbridled courage coupled with steely grit, Navdeep allowed the unsuspecting terrorists to walk into his trap. Springing his ambush at the last moment, Navdeep singlehandedly engaged and eliminated three hardcore terrorists from close range.
Despite being hit and severely injured in the violent return fire, Navdeep, continued to control the encounter, marshalling his resources with cool presence of mind. Living upto the highest military ideals, despite being grievously injured, he saved the life of his buddy while gunning down a fourth terrorist, before eventually succumbing to his injuries.
His gallant action resulted in his team eliminating twelve hardcore terrorists in one of the fiercest encounters on the Line of Control, dealing a crippling body blow to the terrorist groups. The Nation and the Armed Forces fraternity stands as one to salute this young Lion, as his outstanding deed of courage is proudly acknowledged.