Brigadier Mohinder Lal whig of the Gorkha Rifies had always been an avid trekker and had scaled several high Himalayan peaks. During the Indo Pak wae of 1971 the Brigadier led his men in the capture of enemy positions overlooking Kargil.
These positions, safeguarded by barbed wire fences and extensive minefields,stood at heights of about 3650 meters. Temperatures in the winter months too never rose above -20 degrees Celsius.
The brigadier planned and executed the operation with consummate skill. Undaunted by the builets raining down, he led his men up the slopes with cool courage and determination. Within a period of 10 days, the Gorkhas had captured 36 posts inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. A large cache of enemy arms also fell into their hands. His gallantry and bravery made Brigadier Whig a worthy winner of the Mahavir Chakra.
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