Naib Subedar Bana Singh

Submitted by arpitv007 on

Naib Subedar Bana Singh was born on 3rd Feb 1949, at Kadyal in Jammu and Kashmir. He joined Indian army in 1969 and was enrolled in Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.

During June 1987, it was found that a large number of Pakistani infiltrators have intruded the Siachen glacier. Pakistan post was set at 6500 meters, highest post of the glacier. Due to this height, the post was almost impregnable with ice walls up to 450 meters high on both sides. Also Pakistan could easily monitor any Indian movement in the entire glacier.

A special task force of 162 men, 2 officers, 3 JCO’s and 157 soldiers was formed to recapture the post. The operation was conducted in three phases, on 23rd, 25th and 26th June. First two attempts to capture the post were failed with high causalities to Indian army. On 26th, Subedar Bana Singh led his platoon through an extremely difficult and hazardous route. He inspired them by his indomitable courage and leadership. The brave Naib Subedar and his men crawled and closed in on the adversary. Moving from trench to trench, lobbing hand grenades, and charging with the bayonet, he cleared the post all intruders.

Nb Subedar Bana Singh displayed the most conspicuous gallantry and leadership under the most adverse conditions and was awarded Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest war time gallantry award. The peak which he captured was renamed Bana Top in his honour. At the time of the Kargil War, he was the only PVC awardee who was still serving in the Army.