True Legend 2022

Honorary Category: Defence

  • General Bipin Rawat

    India's first Chief of Defence Staff
    India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat was tasked with integrating India's armed forces. As Army Chief earlier, he had dealt with the Doklam crisis when Indian and Chinese soldiers had come face to face. As CDS, he was tasked with handling the crisis along the LAC with China. Every aspect of higher reform in the Indian armed forces came under General Rawat's charter of responsibilities including the Agnipath scheme of recruitment into the Indian Armed forces. General Rawat was tragically killed in a helicopter crash in the Nilgiris along with his wife and 11 others.
  • Group Captain Varun Singh

    Shaurya Chakra
    Honoured with the Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peace-time gallantry award, Group Captain Singh landed a Tejas fighter facing a grave-inflight emergency despite having the option to eject. He was the only survivor of the chopper crash in which India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat was killed. Group Captain Singh ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
  • Captain Vikram Batra

    Param Vir Chakra
    Immortalised by his words, "Yeh Dil Mange More," Captain Batra led his men to capture Point 5140, a height at 17,000 feet during the Kargil war. Against all odds, he ascended a rocky cliff, lobbing grenades at Pakistani machine gun posts. He personally killed 3 soldiers in close combat. The victory at Point 5140 led to a string of Indian army successes. His next assignment, the capture of Point 4875, came to define him as one of India's bravest sons. In a direct, day-time assault on Point 4875, Captain Batra took the enemy by surprise. Though injured, he continued to charge under cover-fire from his soldiers when he noticed one of his men lying in a pool of blood. He was struck by sniper fire in the chest as he attempted to move the injured soldier to safety. His last words, "Durga Mata Ki Jai," the battle-cry of his regiment. Spurred by his sacrifice, the men in Captain Batra's unit ferociously attacked the ledge, fighting like possessed men until it was captured. For his display of conspicuous gallantry, Captain Vikram Batra was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration.
  • Captain Anuj Nayyar

    Maha Vir Chakra
    Tasked with securing Pt.4875, a peak that stood at 15,990 feet above sea level during the Kargil war, Captain Anuj Nayyar and 7 soldiers under his command detected several Pakistani bunkers. Despite intense fire from enemy artillery and machine gun fire, Captain Nayyar counter-attacked with his soldiers. He killed 9 Pakistani soldiers and destroyed 3 machine gun bunkers. While clearing a fourth bunker, Captain Nayyar was struck by a rocket propelled grenade. Despite his injuries, he kept fighting. He ultimately succumbed to his injuries but not before clearing the last bunker. None of the soldiers in Captain Nayyar's Charlie Company survived the battle. For his bravery, Captain Anuj Nayyar was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra, the country's second highest gallantry medal.
  • Colonel Santosh Babu

    Maha Vir Chakra
    Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, the Commanding Officer 16 BIHAR is India's Galwan hero. Deployed in the Galwan Valley (Eastern Ladakh), he was tasked to establish an Observation Post in [the] face of the enemy, something he successfully executed. While holding the position, his column faced stiff resistance from Chinese forces which attacked using lethal and sharp weapons along with heavy stone pelting from adjoining heights. Despite severe injuries, Colonel Babu led from the front as his soldiers engaged the Chinese in fierce hand to hand fighting. He continued to resist the Chinese till his last breath, inspiring his troops to hold their ground. Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, Maha Vir Chakra.
  • Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta (Retd.)

    Maha Vir Chakra
    In the 1971 war, a young Lieutenant Commander, Santosh Kumar Gupta was Commanding Officer of a Navy air squadron on board the aircraft carrier ‘VIKRANT.’ Flying off the deck of the ship, he led a total of eleven strike missions with devastating effects on enemy ships and heavily defended shore facilities in various sectors of Bangladesh. On 9 December 1971, as he was on his attack run, his Seahawk fighter was hit with by enemy fire. Regardless of his personal safety and despite the danger, Lieutenant Commander Gupta continued to lead the attack with incredible determination and skill and led his divisions on board back to safety. Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta, Maha Vir Chakra Throughout the operations, Lieutenant Commander Gupta displayed conspicuous gallantry and outstanding leadership.

Be remembered for good

  • Rudrani Chhetri
    Rudrani Chettri is a 42-year-old, Graduate Transgender female born and brought up in Delhi. She is the founder member of the first community based organization in Delhi called Mitr Trust (2005) that works on the issues of men who have sex with men (MSM), Transgender and Hijras. She is the founder of India’s first modelling agency, BOLD. She is also an actor, model and represents India at Global Fund GFATM Tuberculosis and Malaria as Transgender key affected population for HIV/AIDS. She is also Managing committee member of INFOSEM India network of LGBTIQH.

About True Legend

         

What defines a legend? A person who is famous, who is admired, who may have special qualities and abilities. In this, the 75th year of India's Independence, we are honouring true legends who have gone well beyond the material markers of success to create an altogether different kind of impact. These are the True Legend, the champions of good, who have achieved true success and are creating a real legacy. They are the Future of Young India.


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