There’s a parallel between everything that runs along the context of the Kargil War. The fierceness and the thirst for conquest in the given lines clearly describes the attitude of not just the captain but of everyone involved in “Operation Vijay” which literally meant “victory”. The Kargil War was a territorial armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC).

Distress spread across the border when certain Pakistani soldiers tried infiltrating into the country disguised as Kashmiri militants on the Indian side of the LOC. Captain Manoj Pandey, as part of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles battalion, commanded by Colonel Lalit Rai, was involved in a series of boldly led attacks. He also took part in a series of actions which led to the capture of Jubar Top. Even after grave injuries he continued to crawl his way to the final bunker where he collapsed, succumbing to his injuries. He was posthumously awarded India's highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, for his conspicuous bravery and indomitable courage.

There’s so much to learn from this brave man that sometimes it becomes difficult to put into words what he did for the country. Pandey was born on 25 June 1975 in Rudha village, Uttar Pradesh to Gopi Chand Pandey and Mohini. He was educated at Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School and Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow which was later named after the hero itself. He had a keen interest in sports primarily in boxing.

In an interview to a news channel, his mother, Shrimati Mohini said that Capt. Pandey was always the kind of a child who understood the hardships of the family. Coming from a financially weaker background, nothing came easy for him. Being the eldest one in the family, he used to encourage his younger siblings to study hard to provide support to themselves and the family's future. He always believed in saving money. Even the tiniest amount that he could save from his pocket money he gave to his mother. His mother once told Capt. Pandey out of love and concern that he should be careful and send his juniors first in a situation of warfare. Pandey then replied “Mother, my juniors and my teammates are like my children. Would you ever send us to the fore-front and take a backseat if your child is in trouble?” After this his mother finally understood how much he loved the country and the army.

He was always ambitious and had a keen interest in playing all kinds of sports. The most important quality in a man is to be a good listener. Only a listener acquires knowledge and grows as a person and Pandey tried learning from wherever he could. Hardwork, intelligence and a good sportsmen spirit made him different from all others. During his Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, the interviewer asked him, "Why do you want to join the Army? To which he answered, "I want to win the Param Vir Chakra." Sadly, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey did win the country's highest gallantry honour but posthumously. Such was the zeal and enthusiasm in him that worked as a driving force for what he achieved in a short span of his army career.