“वक़्त आने पर मृत्यु को भी जीत लूँगा।”
(When the time comes, I will win over death too.)
Capt Manoj Kumar Pandey had once noted in his diary when he was studying in Sainik School. He always had his eyes on the PVC. He entered the Indian Army for it and also laid his life for it.

The Kargil war that began in May was taking a decisive turn in July. On the intervening night of July 2 & 3, the challenge of achieving the Khalubar peak of the Batalik sub-sector was extremely risky. The contingent, led by CO Col Rai, continued to advance despite enemy+

machine guns & RPG fire. On July 3, Capt Pandey was tasked to deal with the enemy, making it difficult for the moving military company towards the Khalubar peak. Their platoon had reached its target location when fierce firing started from the high altitude areas.+

He immediately gave the platoon a halt to a safe place. With fearlessness, he attacked the first position of the enemy and heaped two enemies. Going on his own, he attacked two positions and killed two more enemies. He cleared the enemy's fourth position with a grenade after+

clearing the third position despite being wounded by a barrage of bullets on his forehead. Capt Pandey alone prevailed over the enemy and gave his company the basis to move forward. As a result, the Khalubar peak was conquered.+

Capt Pandey posthumously received the Paramveer Chakra. Colonel Lalit Rai and Lance Naik Gyanendra Kumar Rai were awarded the Vir Chakra.

एनडीए परीक्षा के साक्षात्कार में पांडे ने सेना में आने की वजह पूछने पर कहा था कि वह परमवीर चक्र जीतना चाहते हैं। खलुबार मोर्चे पर प्राण देकर उन्होंने अपना सपना साकार किया।

“I can assure you and all countrymen that certainly we would push back intruders at whatever cost we have to pay, may be our lives.” Capt Manoj Pandey in his last letter addressed to his best friend, Pawan Mishra, in Lucknow in June 1999, at the peak of the Kargil War.