Shaheed Captain Vijayant Thapar

Shaheed Captain Vijayant Thapar (1977–1999) of the 2 Rajputana Rifles, Indian army was awarded the Indian military honour, Vir Chakra for his actions during the Kargil War.

Vijayant Thapar was born in 1977. His father Colonel V.N Thapar, is a retired officer, re-instated into the Jammu and Kashmir Light infantry. Vijayant always wanted to be in the Army. His favourite toys were guns. He would wear his father's peak cap, take his cane and march around like an officer. He studied at the prestigious Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, St. Mary's Academy (Meerut) (1993 batch).

He worked hard to fulfill his ambition. And one day his hardwork paid off. He got selected in Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

His lasting memory of his childhood was running around in the sprawling garden, with his two dogs, Hirni and Alca chasing butterflies, catching dragon flies and doing mock charges on Langoors (Baboons) who were actually friendly. In the evening he would be in the Paltan (Battalion), watching wrestlers, boxers and other sportsman. At the age of four or five he had already fired a pistol sitting in his dad's embrace.

Vijayant Thapar after getting commissioned on 12 December 1998 joined the 2 Rajputana Rifles at Gwalior. The battalion stayed barely for a month before they move to Kashmir to check counter insurgency.

The unit moved to Kupwara where it was involved in counter-terrorists operations. Here Vijayant was involved in two fierce encounters. While still involved in this counter insurgency tasks orders were received for the unit to move to Drass to evict the enemy who had occupied Tololing, Tiger Hill, and adjoining heights.

The Kargil War 1999

Captain Vijayant moved under the command of his CO Col. M.B. Ravindernath, VrC and his company commander Major P. Acharya. The battalion was then given the task of capturing Tololing. This was a God sent opportunity for Vijayant as he was an officer always looking for action. After the initial assault by Major Mohit Saxena was held up, on the night of 12 June 1999 Capt. Vijayant Thapar led his platoon to capture Barbad Bunker.

After the successful capture of Tololing he was given the task of capturing Three Pimples, Knoll and Lone Hill area. The attack started with Vijyant's platoon leading on a full moon night along a razor sharp ridge with no cover to offer. There was intense and accurate artillery shelling and heavy enemy fire. He lost some of his dear men and some more were injured causing the attack to be disrupted. However with his indominable spirit and tremendous urge to capture Knoll he got together, the remnants of his men and moved through a ravine to face the enemy. It was a full moon night . Moreover this was an impossible position to capture. The troops of 6 Northern Light Infantry had all the advantages. Strongly prepared positions one narrow knife edge ridge, with precipitous slopes on both side, ravines thousands of feet deep, devoid of cover and almost vertical climbs at places.

While the exchange of fire was going on, full of excitement Vijayant reached his company which had already secured a foothold on Knoll. By this time his company commander Major P. Achrya had been killed. At this news Vijayant's anger was explosive. He surged ahead with his colleague Naik Tilak Singh. Both of them started engaging the enemy merely 15m (50 feet) away. There were two enemy machine guns firing towards them. After about an hour and a half of fierceful exchange of bullets and abuses Vijayant decided that he had to end the enemy. As he moved up to do so a burst of fire struck him on his head. He fell in the arms of his comrade Naik Tilak Singh. It was after that the men of his company charged and fully captured Knoll.

For this act of bravery and his ultimate sacrifice, Capt. Vijayant Thapar was awarded the Vir Chakra.

 

Captain Vijyant Thapar's father makes pilgrimage to war zone; son had asked him to be there.

Captain Vijayant Thapar's Father climbs 16,000 ft to fulfill son's last wish

It was Captain Vijyant Thapar's last wish- before he fell after taking the 4,700 Peak in the Drass sector. Vijyant, 22, wanted his father to visit the height where the army jawans sacrificed their lives. That was on June 28. Yesterday, Vijyant,s 58- year-old father Colonel Vijendra Thapar fulfilled that wish. It was a climb to the peak at an altitude of 16,000 feet in the chilly September winds. The winds chilled him to the bone,his legs ached and breathing in rarefied air was laboured. But Thaper senior, despite his frail frame, continued to climb. For him it was pilgrimage. The body was not willing, but the spirit was, he said. " I had kept his last letter with me for inspiration. He had written it moments before he led the last assault that night. And he knew he was not coming back." Colonel Thaper said, trying hard not to let his voice waver.

" By the time you get this letter I'll be observing you all from the sky enjoying the hospitality of Apsaras," he wrote. Reading the first line of the letter from their son Vijyant from Drass heights, Colonel Thapar's heart sank. Little did the parents know that when they were reading this letter, their son had already killed several enemy soldiers, destroyed their position but fallen to an enemy bullet. Soon, they received his body. " If you can, please come and see where the Indian Army fought for your tomorrow," the letter read. And that was the time that Thaper senior made up his mind. Vijyant's mother Tripta, was supportive and so was the Army. The whole of July and August were, however, spent in religious rites and receiving a flow of letters, people and visitors all coming to pay homage to the " young son of India". " That to gave me strength. The nation was behind me. A young girl even wrote a letter in blood. And mainly because it was the wish of a soldier son to a father," says the Colonel who recently bid farewell to arms.

Young Vijyant of 2 Rajputana Rifles had passed out of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) last December and after two months in counter insurgency operations in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir was drafted for the recovery of crucial peaks in the Drass sector occupied by the Pakistani army. " Three of them died that night. Major Padmapani Acharya, young Captain Neikezhakuo Kenguruse and my son. Acharya and my son died within an hour of each other. I just had to see that pilgrimage spot," he adds. Even it meant climbing those inhospitable peaks. Thaper senior reached Drass on September 6 and then began the acclimatisation period. The Colonel spent time in the tent where his son and his buddies lived before.

Captain Vijayant Thapar's Last Letter to his parents

Moments before the final assault Captain Vijyant Thapar (Robin) left this letter at the war front base, to be handed over to his family.

source : www.captainvijayantthapar.com