He didn’t need an order to rush to the front

Colonel Deepak Rampal commandeering the Delta Company of the 17 Jat Regiment voluntarily cut his vacation short to win some of the major battles at Kargil

He didn't need an order to rush to the front

Colonel Deepak Rampal commandeering the Delta Company of the 17 Jat Regiment voluntarily cut his vacation short to win some of the major battles at Kargil

We see patriotic soldiers voluntarily cancelling leave and reporting to war zones in films. But it takes a meeting with a hero to believe it can happen in real life too.

Colonel Deepak Rampal was at home in Jalandhar with his family when he read about the intrusion in Kargil. Even without receiving orders, he cut short his vacation to join his men at the front.

"I read about it in newspapers. I did not receive any official communication but my soldier's instinct led me to the front," said the then major and Delta Company commander of the 17 Jat Regiment, who was awarded the Vir Chakra for his exemplary bravery.

From June 1, the operation began.

"The area is like a small bowl and we were surrounded by the enemy. We knew we were at a disadvantage but my men were desperate to win. At times, I had to calm them down," said Colonel Rampal.

The bravehearts of the 17 Jat Regiment moved at night, without any natural cover up, an 80-degree incline.

"We fought for almost four days at a stretch. Even then, my men were thirsty for more action. As soon as the briefing was over for the final assault, every jawan shouted the war cry of 'Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan' and they meant it. Such was the enthusiasm, that I decided to launch the final assault at 11 am on July 4 in broad daylight," he recalled.

The regiment lost many brave men, including Lieutenant Anuj Nayyar and Major Ritesh Sharma other than Subedar Harphool Singh, Havildar Kumar Singh and Havildar Balwan Singh and many others. "More than 100 men from my unit were injured and many were killed," said Colonel Rampal, who set an example for his men by killing a number of enemy soldiers in hand-to-hand bayonet combat.

Today, however, nothing about the easy-going man with a constant smile hints at the deadly battle he had fought ten years ago. An avid golfer, Colonel Rampal loves reading and spending time with his family. It's only at bedtime that he narrates his 'mission stories' to his excited 11-year-old son, while his 14-year-old daughter keeps a calm audience. "They both are very proud of my achievement but my son is more inspired," he said.
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An officer, a gentleman
Even after the war was over Col Rampal refused to proceed on leave. Instead, he landed at the Delhi airport to meet the wounded soldiers from his unit, where he was later joined by his wife and children.

Laughter in uniform
Even though the Jats made the enemy run for their lives, they never missed out on the lighter side of life. "One day, while we were bathing in a river we noticed a soldier swimming with his helmet on! Our commanding officer had ordered the men not to take their helmets off and this man had decided to take it a tad too seriously," said Col Rampal.

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