'Kargil gave many memories, few to cherish'

LUCKNOW: It's 11 years for Kargil war to have ended but the last minute palpitations of the 'martyrs' like captain Manoj Pandey still echo in their minds. While hundreds of Indians lost their lives defeating the Pakistani infiltrators, there were a few who came back alive.
"Chaalis din tak hum dushmano se bina kisi darr ke ladte rahe. Us samay bas jeet ka junoon thaa (We fought for 40 days with the enemies.There was only one thing that ruled our mind and that was to win the battle)," recalls Gyanendra Kumar Rai, who was awarded Vir Chakra for his courage.
He adds: "But we really miss our friends who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland. We can forget everything but the sound of the continuous firing and bullets piercing our bodies will never vanish from our minds." On July 3, 1999, Gyanendra sustained two bullet injuries. Despite that, he fought continuously and ended up in killing three soldiers with his khukri.
Another jawan who recklessly fought and is remembered for his heroic deeds is Mohan Kumar Pradhan. Mohan avers: "The biggest challenge for us was that the enemies were on the top of the peak. We had to climb the mountain and find the enemies before they could attack us. It was one of the most difficult times but yes we won. That is all what matters."
Sharing his unforgettable moment, Mem Kumar Rai, a native of Nepal says: "We fought the battle at the risk of our lives. But I think we had an advantage. We communicated in Gorkhali, which is the official language of Nepal and the opponent could not understand it. But yes, the battle gave me umpteen memories but few to cherish."
"Be it whatever, at times of stress, when we see a number of bodies around us, there is a driving force that binds us -- never ending love for our motherland that keeps us moving, for which we are ready to lay our lives anytime," says Major RS Rawat.