The Operation Thunderbolt hero
Captain Haneef Uddin hailed from Delhi and was born on 23 August 1974. He lost his father when he was barely eight and had two brothers Nafees and Sameer. His mother Hema Aziz was a classical singer. Haneef graduated in science from Shivaji College, Delhi. He was a talented singer and was crowned ‘Mr. Shivaji’ in his college.
Haneef was extremely disciplined, responsible and ambitious and was keen to join the army. He was trained in computer science but shunned lucrative offers for an army career. He was commissioned into the Army Service Corps (ASC) on 7 June 1997. Officers commissioned into ASC are posted to an infantry unit for a year to gain field experience and he was posted to 11 Raj Rif (Rajputana Rifles). The unit was located in the Siachen region and was later deployed in Turtuk in Ladakh during the Kargil war.
Captain Haneef was a jovial and popular figure among his troops. He would use his singing prowess to lighten the mood in his camp. He would always carry his music system with him. He would often sing songs for his troops to keep them relaxed and motivated in a difficult region and treacherous climate.
It was very early days of Kargil war when there was less information available about the enemy troops. A company of 11 Raj Rif was deployed in Operation Thunderbolt on 6 June 1999 at an altitude of 18,000 feet in the Turtuk region. Their mission was to capture a position in the region which would facilitate the army to monitor the movements of the enemy troops better. Haneef volunteered for this operation as it was his nature to lead from the front.
He set off with one junior commissioned officer and three other ranks. They made significant strides on the nights of 4 and 5 June and captured nearby positions. They captured the adjacent position and set out their advance on 6 June to capture the position they desired. They were undeterred by an altitude of 18,500 feet and extreme temperatures. They were however spotted by the enemy and fired upon. A firefight followed, against an enemy equipped with heavy artillery.
Haneef was more bothered with the safety of his men than of himself. He took up a position and rained bullets on the enemy. In the exchange, he was badly injured. But he kept engaging the enemy until his men were safe from the enemy fire. He ran out of ammunition and was shot from all directions. He succumbed to his injuries, just 200 meters from the position they set out to capture. He was martyred at twenty-five after two years of service. For the display of exemplary leadership and gallantry beyond the call of duty, he was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously. The Sub-Sector West was renamed as the Haneef Sub-Sector, and it is where the Indian Army defies death every day. “There cannot be a greater statement on his valour than his death which came while fighting the enemy,” said his proud mother.
The Army Chief General Ved Prakash Malik, visited Haneef’s mother and told her that the body of her son could not be recovered due to the site being under enemy fire. She said she did not want another soldier to risk his life to get her son’s body back, but would like to visit the site of his sacrifice. His body was retrieved after 43 days. He was buried with full military honours in Delhi. Hema Aziz made the pilgrimage to war site with her other two sons.
‘Ek pal mein hai sach saari zindagi ka; Iss pal mein jee lo yaaron, yahan kal hai kisne dekha’ (The truth of our lives is encapsulated in one moment; Live this moment, who knows what tomorrow holds) were his brother, Sameer’s words. Haneef lived by its spirit.
Contributed by Renu Prakash from the data bank of Late Brig. Suresh Chandra Sharma.