Be it the hard-fought Tiger Hills victory, the recovery of Tololing Heights or the capture of crucial Peak 5100, the Grenadiers were right there at the front. The role of 18 Grenadiers in the Tiger Hills victory had been acknowledged and appreciated, with Chief of Army Staff V P Malik presenting a citation to them for their daring and courage in the face of extreme odds.

The Grenadiers had climbed the Tiger Hills from behind where the slope is almost vertical. Since climbing by foot was impossible from this side -- given the terrain -- they accomplished the task using ropes. Carrying only their personal weapons, the assault party of the 18 Grenadiers took the Pakistani intruders by surprise, blazing into the enemy bunkers.

``Though what the boys did was highly commendable,they couldn't have completed the victory without the active support of the Nagas and Sikh regiments,'' an officer of the Grenadiers said modestly. But the saga of the Grenadiers' courage and bravery neither begins nor ends here.

Young Grenadier Captain Vipul Singh Rajput has been holding on to the Junction peak, adjoining Peak 5100, for the past one week now, living under constant shelling and firing by the Pakistan artillery.

``Barely in his 20s, the young Rajput has been entrenched there ever since we recovered the peak on the night of July 1. After the arduous climb to the peak and facing a tough battle for the recovery, he was asked to come down for rest and relaxation (R&R in army jargon) but he refused,'' said an officer with pride.

Captain Rajput and his men had faced heavy resistance from the infiltrators. Ducking enemy bullets and splinters, he and his men charged into enemy bunkers, lobbying grenades and evicting them. ``Once they captured the peak, they faced heavy artillery shelling fromPakistan but held on for six hours before the back-up infantry party and reinforcements reached there,'' added the officer.

Captain Rajput continues his cold and lonely vigil at the Junction Peak -- crucial for continued control of Peak 5100 and Tiger Hills.

The laudable role of the Grenadiers in the Tololing Heights victory can also not be undermined. Recovery of Tololing Heights was the first major breakthrough for the Army in the Drass sub-sector. The advance party of 16 Grenadiers -- led by Lt Col Nar Bahadur Thapa (Second-in-Command of 16 Grenadiers), Major Ajit Singh, Major Kaizad Bhaya, Captain (then Lt) Vishal Thapa and Captain Vipul Singh Rajput -- was the first one to spot the infiltration on Tololing Heights.

Major Ajit Singh and Captain Thapa, along with the other Grenadiers, spent 27 days on Tololing Heights at an altitude of 17,000 feet, battling the enemy. ``They kept pushing back the infiltrators and advancing towards the peak of Tololing Heights. They established base there, making wayfor the 18 Grenadiers to go through and consolidate the victory,'' an officer at the Drass Brigade Headquarters said.

It was after spending nearly a month at the high altitude that they agreed to come down for R&R, but only to go for other peaks. The 2 Rajputana Rifles too had played an important role in the Tololing victory, earning a citation from the Army chief.

The Grenadiers were also involved in the mopping up operations in the Drass sub-sector and in operations in Mushkoh Valley and Batalik. ``Since the task in Drass is more or less over, the Grenadiers are now in the thick of action in Batalik. Young Lieutenant Siddhartha Surve recently led his men in a brave battle to recover a peak in the sector. Though he lost five of his men in direct firing from the enemy, he continued undeterred,'' an officer said.

The stories of bravery of not only the Grenadiers, but also of soldiers from other regiments like the Rajputana Rifles are endless. ``And when the final victory comes for the Indian troops inthis conflict, it will be because of the undying courage of the soldiers,'' the officer added.