Service No : 2690121
Date of Birth : May 22, 1977
Place of birth : Shimla Dist (HP)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Grenadier
Unit : 18 Grenadiers
Arm/Regt : The Grenadiers
Operation : Op Vijay ( Kargil )
Martyrdom : June 13, 1999
Grenadier Naresh Kumar
Grenadier Naresh Kumar was born on May 22, 1977, in the picturesque village of Mool Bhajji in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. Raised in the serene hills of this region, known for its natural beauty and the bravery of its people, Gdr Naresh Kumar was brought up in a traditional Himachali family that valued hard work, integrity, and a strong sense of community. Growing up, Gdr Naresh Kumar was an active child, participating in local sports and village activities. He completed his early education in his native village, showing a keen interest in physical activities from a young age. The stories of valour and sacrifice by the local soldiers who served in the armed forces deeply influenced him, and he aspired to join the Indian Army, a dream shared by many young men in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.
At the age of 19, Gdr Naresh Kumar realized his dream of serving the nation. On October 1, 1996, he joined the Indian Army, overcoming the rigorous selection process and physical tests required to become a soldier. His recruitment into the 18 Grenadiers Battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment marked the beginning of a journey that would see him develop into a dedicated and courageous infantryman. Gdr Naresh Kumar’s early years in the army were spent honing his skills as an infantry soldier. He took part in various training exercises, mastering the use of weapons and learning the nuances of field craft. After serving for a few years he got married to Ms Shakuntala Devi hailing from Himachal Pradesh.
Battle of Tololing (Kargil War): 13/14 Jun 1999
During 1999, Gdr Naresh Kumar's unit 18 Grenadiers was deployed in the J & K along the LOC. On 03 May 1999, the intrusions by Pak forces 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. Gdr Naresh Kumar's 18 Grenadiers battalion, under the command of Col Kushal Thakur, was inducted into the Drass area by 3rd week of May 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. 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 the capture of Tololing top by the 2 Raj Rif battalion, by 13 June 1999, the 18 Grenadiers Battalion was tasked to capture Hump in conjunction with the 18 Garh Rif battalion. Gdr Naresh Kumar was part of the team of 18 Grenadiers that was assigned the task. Gdr Naresh Kumar and his comrades launched the attack on the Hump on the night of 13/14 June 1999 preceded by heavy shelling by the Artillery. The area was heavily fortified, but Gdr Naresh Kumar along with his comrades kept on neutralizing the enemy’s resistance en route. Despite stiff resistance by the enemy, 18 Gren carried on with the attack and by morning captured part of Hump. However, during the fierce exchange of fire, Gdr Naresh Kumar got severely injured and was martyred. By mid-day on 14 June 1999, the Hump feature was captured which later facilitated the capture of Point 4590. Besides Gdr Naresh Kumar, twelve other soldiers of 18 Grenadiers were martyred during this entire operation. The other brave hearts martyred on 13 June 1999, included Nk Praburam Chotiya, Nk Rajvir Singh, L/Nk Raj Kumar, L/Nk Shyam Singh, L/Nk Vinod Kumar, Gdr Surender Singh, Gdr Sukhbir Singh, Gdr Sita Ram Kumawat, Gdr Manohar Lal and Gdr Ved Prakash. Two other soldiers, Hav Udham Singh and Hav Sidh Kam were later martyred on 14 Jun 1999. Gdr Naresh Kumar was a valiant and determined soldier, who laid down his life at the age of 22 years in the line of his duty.
Grenadier Naresh Kumar is survived by his wife Smt Shakuntala Devi.
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