Anant Ram, SM

Biography

Grenadier Anant Ram hailed from Bharara village in Seoni tehsil of Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh. He joined the Army on 27 December 1996 after completing his initial education and was recruited into the 18 Grenadiers Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment, an infantry regiment renowned for its intrepid soldiers and many battle honours. During 1999, his unit was deployed along the Line of Control in the Drass sector and was tasked with capturing the heavily fortified Tiger Hill complex, a dominating feature from which Pakistani intruders were bringing effective artillery fire onto National Highway 1A. On the night of 4/5 July 1999, Grenadier Anant Ram's section, under Section Commander Havildar Madan Lal, was assigned to capture the eastern flank of Tiger Hill. Despite formidable obstacles and precise enemy fire, the team established a fire support base and scaled the summit using mountaineering equipment. At an altitude of about 16,500 feet, facing severe fire, they climbed and reached the top in six hours, approaching from an unexpected direction that disoriented and forced the enemy to retreat. During the intense firefight, Grenadier Anant Ram was critically injured and later succumbed to his wounds. He was awarded the Sena Medal posthumously for his gallantry, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.