Service No : 2874399L

Date of Birth : January 4, 1960

Place of birth : Baghpat Dist (UP)

Service : Army

Last Rank : Company Havildar Major

Unit : 2 Raj Rif

Arm/Regt : The Rajputana Rifles

Operation : Op Vijay ( Kargil )

Awards : Vir Chakra

Martyrdom : June 13, 1999

CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar VrC

CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar hailed from Sirsali village in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. Son of Shri Girwar Singh Tomar, CHM Yashvir Singh was born on 04 Jan 1960. He came from a family with a long tradition of serving the Armed Forces. CHM Yashvir Singh had a younger brother, Harbir  Singh, who too joined the army and was recruited into the 2nd Jat battalion of the Jat Regiment. Inspired by his family tradition, CHM Yashvir Singh too joined the Army after completing his initial education. He was recruited into 2 Raj Rif battalion of the Rajputana Rifles Regiment, an infantry Regiment known for its brave soldiers and numerous battle honours. After serving for some time, he got married to Ms Manesh Devi, and the couple was blessed with two sons Uday & Pankaj.

 

Battle of Tololing (Kargil War): June 1999

 

Shortly after the signing of the Lahore declaration in 1999, the Pakistan Army surreptitiously occupied the winter vacated posts of the Indian Army. On 03 May 1999, these intrusions were detected and on 26 May 1999, the first air-to-ground strike was launched by the Indian Airforce (IAF), followed by Operation Vijay, by the Indian Army to evict the intruders from the Indian areas. The army quickly mobilized its forces to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators from Indian territory. CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar's 2 Raj Rif battalion, under the command of Lt Col MB Ravindranath, which was part of 81 Mountain Brigade in the Lolab valley was inducted into the Drass area on 04 June 1999. The battalion was functioning under the command of 56 Mtn Bde, with overall operational control being exercised by 8 Mtn Div under Maj Gen Mohinder Puri. The Tololing Heights was the deepest penetration beyond the LC by the Pakistani intruders. Tololing and another feature named Point 4590 were among the vital peaks for India, as they overlooked the Drass sector and a large section of the National Highway.  The task of capturing the Tololing feature was assigned to 56 Mtn Bde. The Tololing feature comprised Pt 4590, Tololing Top, South East Spur, South Spur, and Hump to its north. Pt 4590 and Tololing Top dominated all the approaches leading to it. As per the plan of attack of 56 Mtn Bde, 2 Raj Rif was tasked to capture the Tololing top by 0600 Hr on 13 June 1999. 18 Garh Rif battalion was to capture Pt 5140 by 0700 hrs on 13 June. Two companies of 18 Grenadiers were to provide a firm base and the balance of the battalion was to act as reserve to 2 Raj Rif.  

 

After several unsuccessful attempts, a fresh Company of 2nd Rajputana Rifles was brought in for the assault. The Grenadiers consolidated at 3 points, 300 metres below the Pakistani positions thus providing a foothold to launch the attack from. The 2nd Raputana Rifles meanwhile fired and tested weapons, and carried on reconnaissance and mock assaults on nearby ridges. About 90 soldiers from the 'Charlie' Company led by Major Vivek Gupta were assembled for the final assault. Among them were 11 Tomars and CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar was one of them. He said somberly “Sahib gyarah ja rahe hain aur gyarah jeet kar lautenge(Sir, 11 Tomars are going and 11 will return victorious)”.

 

On 12 June 1999, at 1830 hours 120 artillery guns opened up on Tololing top. The Bofors 155 mm guns started first. Used in direct fire mode they targeted the bunkers. Within minutes they were followed by the 130 mm and 105 mm guns. Shell after a shell slammed into the ridges. As the expected Pakistani counter-bombardment started, the 155 mm guns switched to firing across the LOC at Pakistani gun positions located by the para commandos. The Pakistani guns were soon put out of action and were relegated to occasional shells. When close to midnight the firing stopped, Major Vivek Gupta led his men with the battle cry “Raja Ramchandra ki Jai”. There were 3 teams code names “Abhimanyu”, “Bheem” and “Arjun”. One went straight up. Another went around a lower ridge to cut off the enemy’s retreat and a third from behind. The Grenadiers provided covering fire against the Pakistanis on the nearby ridges.

 

Despite the artillery, there were still strong pockets of Pakistani troops in natural caves beyond the effect of artillery. They now opened up with machine guns on the crawling Indian troops. The troops inched up using the craters caused by artillery for cover. Despite the withering machine gun fire from the bunkers, troops had to crawl and use grenades to silence them. Back at the base, the commanders were huddled around the wireless. However, with the enemy at close quarters, there was no time for communication. By 2.30 am desperation was setting in and in this situation, CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar collected the grenades from the rest of the men. He then charged at the last few bunkers. Getting there, he tossed in 18 grenades at the bunkers and silenced them. Hav Yashvir was martyred in this daring assault and his body was found with an assault rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other. It was one of the most daring actions of the war. Tololing was won and it was the first major victory during the Kargil War. The daring action by CHM Yashvir Singh changed the course of the battle and paved the way for the Army to go for more decisive actions in the war. Besides CHM  Yashvir Singh Tomar, one officer, two JCOs (Junior Commissioned Officers), and five other soldiers of 2 Raj Rif were martyred during the operation. The other martyred brave hearts included their leader Major Vivek Gupta, Sub Bhanwar Lal, Sub Sumer Singh Rathore, Hav Sultan Singh Narwaria, Nk Surendra Singh, Nk Chaman Singh, Rfn Bachan Singh, and Rfn Jasvir Singh. 

 

For his act of bravery on the battlefield, CHM Yashvir Singh Tomar was given the nation’s third highest gallantry award, “Vir Chakra”, posthumously. CHM Yashvir Singh is survived by his father Shri Girwar Singh, wife Smt Manesh Devi, and his two sons Shri Uday Singh & Shri Pankaj Singh.

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5 Comments
  • VASHU TOMAR JAT

    2024 at 9:49 am Reply

    Bhai YASH VIR SINGH TOMAR Sirsali village sa ha or Sirsali village JAT village ha kabhi baghpat Jake dekh liye or RAJPUTANA RIFLES ka matlab yo na usma bas rajput ha regiment ke ander 50 % Jat and 50%Rajput ha

  • Sritiratna

    2024 at 9:49 am Reply

    RIP (Return If Possible)… Jai hind !!!

  • PK

    2024 at 9:50 am Reply

    Jai hind.
    He sacrificed himself for our safety
    Really duty beyond death

  • Valsan Kunnath

    2024 at 9:50 am Reply

    Big Salute to the Brave Son of Bharath Havaldar Yashvir Singh Tomar Vir Chakra
    “Duty beyond Death” “Soldiers go beyond call of Duty”
    You always be Saluted for your Indomitable Courage and Supreme Sacrifice to our Motherland.
    Jai Hind, Vande Matharam

  • Harsh

    2024 at 10:57 pm Reply

    Sir, one mistake, sirsali is jat village , i have gave contacted sevral people from that place and they also say so , and his brother joined the jat regiment that is also a proof that they are from jat village , please correct it.

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