India News | Many IMA 1999 Batch Cadets Were Eager to Join Action in Kargil War: Ex-army Officer

New Delhi, Jul 26 (PTI) When IMA cadets of the 1999 batch were on the cusp of graduation, India was fighting a war at the icy heights of Kargil and the feeling of patriotism was running high in the sylvan campus of the famed military academy.

Imbued with this patriotic fervour and moved by the news reportage of the conflict, a "bunch of enthusiastic cadets" at the threshold of taking the 'Antim Pag' (final step), were eager to join action in the Kargil conflict zone "before officially finishing the training", recalls a former Indian Army officer who belonged to this batch.

Major (retd) Manik M Jolly, 43, a Sena Medal recipient, reminisces the summer of 1999 at the iconic Indian Military Academy (IMA) campus in Dehradun, saying, "the excitement was in the air".

Jolly tool early retirement from the Indian Army.

"We were reading about the Kargil War in newspapers in our mess, and watching TV reports, though just a couple of Indian channels were there, and the stories of valour and supreme sacrifices would push us on the edge, with excitement and patriotic fervour," he told PTI on Monday.

Jolly, who had moved to the IMA in 1998 from the National Defence Academy (NDA) said, it has been 22 years, but the memories of that unforgettable time are still quite afresh.

"A media crew had come to the IMA campus and some of the cadets were interviewed by it. A bunch of enthusiastic cadets were eager to join action in the Kargil conflict zone before officially finishing the training. And, I must admit, that I too had desired to be send to Kargil," he recalled.

One cannot choose where one will be posted after the end of training, but it was "our wishful thinking to be part of Kargil war", Jolly said.

Monday marked the 22nd anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the victory achieved through 'Op Vijay' of the armed forces, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other leaders joining the nation in paying homage to the martyrs of the war.

Operation Vijay refers to the Indian Army's limited war against Pakistan's infiltration in 1999 fought at the icy heights of Kargil, including super-high-altitude locations such as Tololing and Tiger Hill.

The Kargil War will always be remembered for its strategic and tactical surprises, the self-imposed national strategy of restraint in keeping the war limited to Kargil-Siachen sectors, and the swiftly executed tri-services military strategy and plans, says the Indian Army.

The battle of Tiger Hill, the valour and supreme sacrifices made by Capt Vikram Batra, Capt Vijayant Thapar and so many other heroes in the service of the nation, still inspire all, men in uniform or civilians, said Jolly, who was commissioned into a unit of the Gorkha Rifles after graduating from IMA.

"We were all preparing for our passing out parade in front of the iconic Chetwode Building, but thoughts of the Kargil War were weighing heavy on our minds. We were just itching to be sent there as soon as possible," he said.

Jolly said, in a lighter vein, some of the cadets would say sometimes, "'kahin ceasefire na ho jai' (lest there is a ceasefire)" before we get a chance.

On June 24, 1999, Mirage jets had bombed Tiger Hill using laser-guided precision bombs, and eventually recaptured the strategic position.

During an event held at the Gwalior base in June 2019 to mark 20th anniversary of the Kargil War, the then IAF chief, Air Marshal B S Dhanoa, who was the commanding officer of the 17 Squadron at the time of the war, had said that deploying Mirage 2000 jets and air support to ground forces had turned the tide of the 1999 war in favour of India.

Jolly said that, "Even though, we were not part of the war, when we graduated from IMA, the kind of respect, we men in uniform received from people was extraordinary. Because of those heroes, who fought or fought and laid down their lives, we got respect."

At IMA, there is a war memorial in honour of martyred soldiers, including those who died in Kargil War, and various commemorative events are held from time to time. Gurgaon-based Jolly, who hails from Rohtak city, said that "whenever I see Kargil War or other war memorials, I often halt and just salute the bravehearts who have made us proud with their valorous acts".

Jolly said that Capt Vijayant Thapar was his "next door neighbour at IMA" with whom he would have long chats and "what a wonderful person and a gentleman he was".

Asked, how as a cadet, he used to handle news of death of Indian officers and soldiers in 1999, Jolly said, "It was at three levels. Immediate feeling was of anger, then a desire to avenge, but it was eventually a lot of pride in our heroes, and officers who faced the bullets, putting the nation first, soldiers next and themselves at the end".

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)