Hassan Ali Khan

Biography

Grenadier Hassan Ali Khan hailed from Nagla Kallu village in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. The son of Shri Ashraf Ali, he joined the Army after completing his early education and was inducted into the 22 Grenadiers Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment, an infantry unit renowned for its valiant soldiers and numerous battle honours. During June–July 1999, his unit was deployed in the Batalik sector of Ladakh as part of Operation Vijay, under the 70 Infantry Brigade. As Pakistani forces had intruded across the Line of Control, 22 Grenadiers was tasked with capturing the formidable Khalubar and Point 5287 complex along the Khalubar–Padma Go Ridgeline. The assault commenced on the night of 30 June/01 July 1999. Led by Major Ajit Singh Shekhawat, Grenadier Hassan Ali Khan and his comrades reached their objective but were met by fierce enemy counter-attacks. Heavily outnumbered, the Grenadiers fought continuously for three nights, inching forward amid intense artillery barrages and heavily fortified bunkers at elevations of thousands of feet. During the exchange of fire, Grenadier Hassan Ali Khan was severely injured and succumbed to his wounds on 03 July 1999, aged 37, playing a significant role in the eventual capture of Khalubar.