Service No : 3164124
Place of birth : Jodhpur Dist (Raj)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Naik
Unit : 11 Jat
Arm/Regt : The Jat Regiment
Operation : Op Meghdoot
Martyrdom : March 13, 1986
Naik Pema Ram was born and raised in the village of Riyan Seth in Jodhpur district, Rajasthan. From a young age, he exhibited a strong sense of duty and patriotism toward his country. Growing up in a region known for its rich martial traditions, Nk Pema Ram was inspired by the legacy of bravery and sacrifice that ran deep in his community. His father, a farmer, instilled in him a disciplined work ethic, while stories of valour from the soldiers of the Jat Regiment, a well-respected and decorated regiment of the Indian Army, ignited a strong desire to serve in the military. After completing his school education, Nk Pema Ram made the life-changing decision to join the Indian Army, motivated by his dream of serving his nation and following in the footsteps of the brave men of the Jat Regiment. With a heart full of determination, he enlisted and was recruited into the 11 Jat Battalion, a unit renowned for its courage, legacy, and numerous battlefield honours.
The Jat Regiment, one of the oldest and most distinguished regiments of the Indian Army, has been at the forefront of several critical military campaigns, including the Indo-Pakistani wars and peacekeeping missions. The regiment’s history of valour became a beacon for Naik Pema Ram, and he quickly adapted to the demanding military lifestyle. Naik Pema Ram underwent rigorous training that tested his physical endurance, mental resilience, and tactical acumen. The training was intense, designed to mould him into a soldier capable of performing under any circumstances, whether in the harsh terrains of the border regions or in intense combat scenarios.
Op Meghdoot: 13 Mar 1986
As part of the ongoing Operation Meghdoot, launched in April 1984 to secure the Siachen Glacier, Naik Pema Ram joined the troops stationed along the Saltoro Ridge. The operation stemmed from a long-standing territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Siachen Glacier, an area of strategic importance. After the UN-brokered ceasefire of 1949, the ceasefire line (CFL) in Jammu and Kashmir was established under the Karachi Agreement. The easternmost segment of the CFL, beyond a point known as NJ9842, was left undefined, with the agreement stating only that it would run “thence north to the glaciers.” For decades, the inhospitable and uninhabited nature of the region meant that neither side sought to militarize it. However, between 1964 and 1972, Pakistan began to extend the CFL beyond NJ9842 in its maps, projecting it west of the Karakoram Pass rather than northward, as the original agreement stated. This cartographic aggression gave rise to a territorial dispute, with Pakistan staking an illegal claim over the Siachen Glacier.
The situation in the Siachen Glacier region escalated in the early 1980s, as Pakistan sought to gain control over the strategically critical Saltoro Ridge, which provided access to the glacier. In response to these developments, India launched Operation Meghdoot on April 13, 1984, with the objective of preempting any Pakistani advances and securing control of the glacier. The operation was unprecedented in its scale and complexity. Indian troops, supported by helicopters, were air-dropped at key passes such as Bilafond La and Sia La, capturing approximately 3,300 square kilometers of territory. This bold and historic move ensured that India gained a strong foothold in the region, which has remained one of the most contested areas on Earth.
By 1986, Naik Pema Ram had been deployed in one of the most hostile and inhospitable terrains on the planet—the Saltoro Ridge. The conditions here were unimaginably harsh. Temperatures plummeted to sub-zero levels, and soldiers had to endure relentless snowstorms and blizzards. Avalanches were a constant threat, while unprovoked firing from Pakistani forces further exacerbated the dangers faced by the troops. Every patrol, every mission, was fraught with immense challenges, and the soldiers stationed here were engaged in a daily battle for survival against both the natural elements and enemy forces. On March 13, 1986, while leading a patrol in the treacherous terrain of the Siachen Glacier, Naik Pema Ram and his team encountered one of the most devastating hazards the region is known for—an avalanche. This avalanche was triggered by enemy shelling, which intensified the already perilous conditions. Nb Sub Nafe Singh was leading the patrol, and the avalanche struck with devastating force, burying several soldiers under a thick blanket of snow and ice.
Despite the overwhelming odds and the harrowing conditions, he remained resolute in his efforts to extricate his team from the snow. However, the conditions in the region were unforgiving—blinding snowstorms, extreme cold, and the sheer weight of the snow made the task nearly impossible. Despite his courage and perseverance, Naik Pema Ram eventually became trapped beneath the thick blanket of snow. In response to the crisis, a large-scale rescue operation was immediately launched, with soldiers from the unit and nearby forces working relentlessly to locate and rescue those buried under the avalanche. Unfortunately, the brutal combination of freezing temperatures, the heavy snow, and the treacherous environment proved insurmountable. Despite the valiant efforts of the rescuers, Naik Pema Ram, along with his fellow soldiers, including Nb Sub Nafe Singh, could not be saved. The harsh elements of the glacier ultimately claimed their lives, and they made the supreme sacrifice in service to the nation. In addition to Naik Pema Ram and Nb Sub Nafe Singh, the other courageous soldiers of the 11 Jat Battalion who laid down their lives that day included Naik Risal Singh, Sep Ram Pratap, Sep Man Singh, Sep Dilbag Singh, Sep Balga Nand and Sep Ram Singh Sheoran.
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