Service No : JC-448357
Date of Birth : July 15, 1955
Place of birth : Bhiwani Dist(Har)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Subedar
Unit : 18 Grenadiers
Arm/Regt : The Grenadiers
Operation : Op Vijay
Awards : Vir Chakra
Martyrdom : June 3, 1999
Subedar Randhir Singh hailed from Balkara village in Bhiwani district of Haryana and was born on 15 Jul 1955. Son of Shri Kanhiya Lal Kalher and Smt Patori Devi, he was later adopted by Choudhary Shri Chand. He completed his initial schooling from the Government High School in his village. He developed a keen interest in wresting since his younger days and gradually gained proficiency in this sport. He earnt many laurels in wrestling and became a well known name in Bhiwani district in this sport.
While participating in one of the wrestling tournaments, he came in contact with the Grenadiers Regiment and eventually joined the Army on 30 June 1975 at the age of 19 years. He was inducted into 18 Grenadiers of the Grenadiers Regiment, an infantry Regiment known for its valiant soldiers and various battle honours. After serving for some time, he got married to Ms Bimla Devi. By the year 1999, he had put in over twenty years of service and had been promoted to the rank of Subedar.
Tololing Operation (Op Vijay) : 02/03 June 1999
During May/June 1999, Sub Randhir Singh’s unit was deployed in the Drass sector. On 3 May 1999, enemy intrusions were detected and "Operation Vijay" was launched by the Indian Army to evict the intruders from Indian territory. 18 Grenadiers battalion was inducted in Drass area on 19 May 1999 under the command of 121 Inf Bde and were operating along with 1 Naga and 8 Sikh battalions. These battalions along with 28 RR less a company operated under 121 Inf Bde till 22 May when HQ 56 Mountain Brigade assumed the command of the Drass area. 18 Grenadiers troops under the command of Col Khushal Thakur were tasked to launch an attack to capture Tololing on 02 June 1999. The attack under the leadership of Lt Col R Vishwanathan in the night of 02/03 June 1999, took the enemy by complete surprise as it came along a very difficult approach and terrain at an altitude of over 15,000 feet. Sub Randhir Singh was part of the team that undertook that operation.
On 03 June 1999, Sub Randhir Singh was tasked to lead his platoon for an assault on the tactically important Tololing ridge in the Drass sector. The well-stocked and fortified post of the enemy-backed infiltrators was in a treacherous mountainous terrain covered with snow at a height of over 15,000 feet. The advance of the platoon, led by Sub Randhir Singh, was impeded due to heavy machine gun fire from one of the sangars of the intruders. He immediately deployed his platoon and with a small team crawled ahead to the sangar and neutralized the machine gun in close combat killing two intruders. In the process, Sub Randhir Singh sustained grievous injury but pressed ahead directing, motivating and leading his platoon from the front and refusing to be evacuated or abandoning the mission. On encountering a second enemy sangar, though badly injured and bleeding, he charged onto the enemy killing one intruder in hand-to-hand combat. His dare-devil act inspired and motivated his men to charge onto the enemy thus gaining vital ground on Tololing ridge which facilitated the capture of Point 4599. Sub Randhir Singh later succumbed to his injuries making the supreme sacrifice for the nation but not before leading and accomplishing a difficult mission. Besides Sub Randhir Singh, the other martyred brave hearts during the operation included Lt Col R Vishwanathan, L/Hav Ram Kumar Lamba, Naik Samunder Singh, Grenadier Munish Kumar and Grenadier Pravin Kumar.
Sub Randhir Singh was a gallant and committed Junior Commissioned Officer, who laid down his life in the service of the nation, following the highest traditions of the Indian Army. Sub Randhir Singh was given the gallantry award, “Vir Chakra” on 15 August 1999, for his outstanding grit, determination, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.
Dushyant Bharat Karani
2021 at 7:24 amThank you for your service and duty.