GREAT INDIANS

Captain Hanifuddin VR C
Captain Courage (1974-1999)

There cannot be a greater statement of valour than his death while fighting the enemy.
Hanifuddin, the second of the three sons of Azizuddin and Hema Aziz, was born on August 23, 1974 in New Delhi. The parents worked for Sangeet Kala Academy and Kathak Kendra. His father died when he was eight years old and Hanifuddin was brought up by his mother who taught him to respect all religions. He inherited love for music from his parents and won a few awards in music and drama events. He could bring any gathering to life with his musical talents. He qualified in B.Sc from Shivaji College in Delhi along with a diploma in software engineering.
Hanif qualified in the Combined Defence Services Examination and was commissioned into the Army Service Corps (ASC) on June 7, 1997. Officers commissioned into ASC have to undergo one year’s attachment with an infantry battalion and he was assigned to join 11 RAJ RIF then located in Ladakh. He was well liked by officers and men due to his sincerity and was noted for fun, cheer and courage. His impromptu jazz band spread zest for life and music amongst the troops. It was a welcome relief to the men living under tension and cut off from TV.
Intrusion by the Pakistan Army in Ladakh was first noticed by two shepherds on May 3, 1999 and confirmed by patrols of 3 PUNJAB on May 7. About 1000 villagers from the border villages had to flee their homes due to Pakistan’s intrusion. They had advanced by about 2 Kms in the Turtok sector. Turtok is a narrow strip on the bank of River Shyok between the northern area of Pakistan and Aksai Chin/Karakoram frontier with China. It was strategically the most crucial feature in this conflict. An advance by Pakistan in this sector would give them control over Thoise Air Base. It was under Pakistan’s control and taken by the Indian Army in 1971. Pakistan raised the slogan of liberating it. To reach Turtok, Indian troops had to cross over 18000 feet high Khardungla Pass.
A patrol of 12 JAT was ambushed on May 6. Subsequent patrols on 16 and 19 May confirmed that the enemy had occupied the ridge line across the Line of Control (LOC) at five locations. 11 RAJ RIF were tasked to capture Point 5590 in Turtok area. Hanif wrote to his mother that given an opportunity, he would teach a lesson to the Pakistanis which they would not forget. Impatient to participate in the mission to punish the enemy, he volunteered to lead a patrol to get information of the enemy dispositions. The patrol traversed the snow covered mountain peaks at a height of 18000 feet under extreme cold weather and reached within 50 feet of the LOC where they were ambushed. They had only small arms to counter the heavy artillery and machine-gun fire from the enemy. He and Subedar Mangal Singh were wounded. He briefed Subedar Mangal Singh to fall back to a safe place and he stayed on to give covering fire. Rifleman Pravesh Kumar opted to stay back. Hanif kept on firing till his last breath. Turtok was captured on June 16, 1999. Hanif’s body could be recovered only after about five weeks on July 19, since the enemy brought down fire on any persons moving close to it.
Thousands of people lined up the route to Panch Pyare burial ground behind Nizamuddin Dargah on July 22. They were overwhelmed with the reported heroics of the soldier. Some saluted; some observed silence and others bowed their heads with folded hands as the body was laid to rest with full military honours. His mother declined the offer of a gas or petrol agency and said that it should be given only to those who needed financial help. She was proud of her son’s sacrifice and said that there cannot be a greater statement of valour than his death while fighting the enemy. A school in Mayur Vihar, Delhi has been named after him. The ridge where he fell has been named Hanif Peak.

– Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd)