Sidh Kam Vashisht

Biography

Havildar Sidh Kam Vashisht hailed from Pur village in the Bawani Khera tehsil of Bhiwani district in Haryana. Born on 30 December 1962, he was drawn like many young men of his region to a life of service, and enlisted in the Army on 10 January 1981 at the age of nineteen. He was inducted into the 18 Grenadiers Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment, an infantry unit renowned for its brave soldiers and many battle honours. During the summer of 1999, the 18 Grenadiers were deployed along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir when Pakistani intrusions were detected in the Drass-Kargil heights overlooking the vital Srinagar-Leh highway. As part of Operation Vijay, the battalion was tasked with recapturing the formidable Tololing complex, the first major objective of the Kargil War. On the night of 13/14 June 1999, in the decisive Battle of Tololing, Havildar Sidh Kam Vashisht advanced up steep, exposed slopes under intense enemy fire and pressed home the assault with great courage. In the course of this hard-won victory, the first major Indian success of the conflict, he laid down his life for the nation. He is remembered with deep respect for his valour and his unflinching devotion to duty.