Rajendra Singh

Biography

Lance Naik Rajendra Singh hailed from Khekra village in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. Drawn to military service from his school days, he joined the Army after completing his early education and was recruited into the 17 Jat Battalion of the Jat Regiment, an infantry unit celebrated for its valiant soldiers and storied battles. During 1999, his battalion was deployed along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir when a massive infiltration by Pakistani forces was detected in the Kargil region. The 17 Jat Battalion, under Col US Bawa, was inducted into the Mushkoh Valley and tasked with capturing the strategically vital Point 4875, which dominated the National Highway between Mugalpur and Drass. As part of the assault on the Pimple Complex, Rajendra Singh and his comrades fought with great determination, clearing well-fortified enemy bunkers under heavy automatic fire, and finally succeeded in capturing the objective on 7 July 1999. During the subsequent mop-up operation, Lance Naik Rajendra Singh was injured by enemy fire and succumbed to his wounds on 8 July 1999. His sacrifice helped pave the way for the recapture of Tiger Hill.