Kargil War Hero Saurabh Kalia's Story

Image: File

Captain Saurabh Kalia was the first Indian army officer to be killed in the Kargil War

Image: X/@ANI

Captain Saurabh was born on January 29, 1976, in Amritsar, and grew up in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh

Image: X/@priority_n

He completed his schooling at DAV Public School and higher secondary education at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Palampur

Image: X/@37VManhas

Driven by a desire to serve the country, Saurabh Kalia joined the army through the CDSR

Image: X/@ColAmitkumar

He was commissioned as an officer in 4 Jat on December 12, 1998

Image: File

He was deployed to Kargil, where he managed general duties at the Baharng Complex and monitored infiltrations in the Kaksar sub-sector

Image: File

On May 15, 1999, Captain Kalia and five soldiers were on a routine patrol when they were ambushed and captured alive by Pakistani forces

Image: X/@ColAmitkumar

They were held captive for 22 days and tortured to death. Their bodies were returned by the Pakistani army on June 9, 1999

Image: X/@TheOshinSharma

Captain Kalia and the five others were subjected to cigarette burns, removed eyes and broken teeth and bones

Image: X/@priority_n

Check More Stories

ndtv.com