Captain Manoj Pandey

Born on 25 June 1975 in family of Shri Gopi Chand Pandey, Captain Manoj was a brilliant student & sportsman. He was always top in his academics & won hundreds of certificates and cups during his schooling. He cleared NDA in his first attempt, in his SSB interview his assessor asked why do you want to join army-he replayed, to get PARAM VIR CHAKRA.& he got it. He was awarded Param Vir Chakra for his courage and leadership during adverse times.

Captin Manoj Kumar Pandey's regiment was in Siachin from there they got order to move to Batalik sector. His commanding officer Colonel Lalit Rai gave him responsibility to re capture Khalubar post.Ealier, two petrol party belongs to 16 Grenadiers and 3 Punjab had gone but after 16 days there was no news of them, they all were killed by enemy's mortar and heavy machine gun fire. Here the enemy has sat on in advantageous high positions.Captain. Manoj moved to Kukarthan on where he faced heavy fire, then, he decided to get enemy in night. He halted there and waited till the night. As night falls, by taking advantage of darkness he attacked on the enemy, they fought whole night to take on the post. In the early morning hours, Capt. Manoj decided to end the night long battle, he, then, went up to the post without caring about thr possible dangers. He finally captured the post but lost 9 of his men.

Insatiable Capt. Manoj got yet another and difficult task to recapture Jubar post on 11 June 1999.Jubar task was critical as it was a very vulnerable area. He led his troops to the enemy position through a narrow ridge.He led his men to capture the Jubar top which was considered as important due to its strategic location. Quickly sizing up the situation, the young officer led his platoon along a narrow, treacherous ridge that led to the enemy position. While still short of the objective, the enemy fired upon the Indian soldiers effectively stalling the Indian attack. Displaying great courage, he surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full throated battle cry through a hail of bullets.Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with grim determination, until he closed in on the first bunker. Then in ferocious hand-to-hand combat, he killed two of the enemy and cleared the first bunker. It was the turning point. Inspired by their leader's spontaneous valour, the troops charged at the enemy and fell upon them. Unmindful of his grievous wounds, he rushed from bunker to bunker urging his men on. Critically injured, he collapsed at the final bunker and finally succumbed to his injuries. But by this time he had already captured the bunker with his men.

This singular daredevil act of Lieutenant Pandey provided the critical firm base for the companies, which finally led to capture of Khalubar.For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest medal for gallantry, posthumously. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, 1/11 GR, is the first and only recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (Posthumous) for the Regiment, in the 1999 Kargil conflict. He is the Indian Army's first Lieutenant to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

Manoj Pandey is considered a martyr for his sacrifice to his country. He remains as a role model to people everywhere.In his personal diary he wrote "Some goals are so worthy, it's glorious even to fail".The Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) designed and constructed an apartment complex for veterans in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh and named it for Pandey as Manoj Vihar.

The National Defence Academy named the science block as the 'Manoj Pandey Block'