Major Manoj Talwar

Maj Manoj Talwar hailed from Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh was born on 29 August 1969. Son of an army veteran Captain PL Talwar (Retd.) and Smt Usha Talwar, Major Manoj spent his childhood in Kanpur where his father was posted. Maj Manoj’s family was staying near the army cantonment which kindled his interest in the armed forces. After school, he would daily go to the nearby parade ground and watch the soldiers practice their drills. He would also often wear his father’s uniform and proudly show it to his friends. He translated his desire into action and consequently got selected to join the NDA. Though he got selected to join AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College) also, he decided to become an Infantry officer and joined the NDA.

 A third generation army officer, Maj Talwar was  Commissioned in 1992 into the third battalion of Mahar Regiment, an infantry regiment well known for its valiant soldiers. After passing out of the academy, Major Talwar served at various challenging operational areas of  Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast. In Feb 1999 he was attached to 9 Mahar battalion deployed at Saltoro ridge in the southwest of Siachen Glacier.

Kargil War: 13 Jun 1999

During Jun 1999, Maj Manoj Talwar was serving with 9 Mahar battalion deployed in Siachen Glacier. During that time the Indian forces under the command of 8 Mountain Division and 3 Infantry Division were in thick of operations against the Pakistani forces on the east as well west of the Zojila pass along the LOC. Consequently, the enemy activity in Siachen area also had increased considerably to put pressure on the Indian Forces. The troops were undertaking aggressive paroling of the area to thwart any attempt by the enemy to intrude or threaten the Indian posts. Maj Manoj Talwar was leading one such patrol on 13 June 1999.

Besides the enemy threat, Maj Manoj Talwar and his men had to brave the extreme terrain and weather conditions. The patrol had to traverse through barren and rugged terrain while negotiating icy slopes and dangerous crevices. The terrain and visibility conditions made it difficult for Maj Manoj Talwar and his troops to spot the enemy soldiers and to make the matters worse, the enemy often resorted to long-range artillery firing. As Maj Manoj Talwar was leading his team he got hit by enemy fire and was wounded seriously. Despite his injuries, Maj Manoj Talwar directed his troops to retaliate and put up a brave fight. However, he later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred.

Maj Manoj Talwar was a valiant soldier and a determined officer who led his men from the front like a good military leader. He displayed courage, grit, and leadership of a very high order and laid down his life at the age of 29 years in the service of the nation.