The battle account on his bravery of a high order reads: “During the attack on Point 5203 on the night June 7/8, 1999, Capt Amol Kalia was commanding No. 2 platoon of ‘A’ Company of 12 JAK LI. Leading from the front, Capt Kalia assaulted the nearest enemy position with a handful of men and captured the height despite heavy volume of enemy artillery and small arms fire. The quick counterattack by the enemy was also beaten back.
“At 0300 hours on June 8, the enemy launched a second counterattack, supported by concentrated fire by artillery and machine guns from different directions. In a hand-to-hand fight that followed, Capt Kalia’s Light Machine Gun’s firing crew was killed. The officer immediately took over the machine gun himself and killed three enemy and injured three others. During this bold action, Capt Kalia was seriously wounded by enemy’s machine gun burst fire.
Capt Amol Kalia’s father Satyapaul Kalia receives Vir Chakra from KR Narayanan, the then President. File
“Despite his very serious injuries Capt Kalia, the young officer, the valiant Himachali, till his last breath, continued firing the machine gun causing heavy casualties on the enemy and minimising casualties on his jawans during their assault. Despite having sustained fatal injuries, and with no chance of any first-aid, Capt Kalia continued to effectively fire his machine gun till the enemy was repulsed and Point 5203 re-captured and secured by own troops.
“With sheer determination, Capt Kalia and his gallant men overcame seemingly insuperable odds and held on to the recaptured Indian post. For boldly displaying raw courage, beyond the call of duty, dynamic leadership and utmost professional dedication to fulfilling the mission assigned to him, with complete disregard for his own safety, Capt Amol Kalia was posthumously awarded Vir Chakra.”
Capt Amol Kalia, was born on February 26, 1974 in Nangal, Punjab, though his family hailed from Chintpurni in Una district, Himachal Pradesh — a region known for producing brave soldiers. His father, Satyapaul Kalia, a teacher (now 81), believed soldiering was the noblest service to the nation and encouraged both his sons to join the Armed Forces. While his elder son Aman entered the Indian Air Force, Amol too followed the same patriotic path. Aman has retired as Group Captain from the IAF.
After completing his schooling from NFL Model Senior Secondary School, Naya Nangal, Amol joined the National Defence Academy and was commissioned in December 1995 into the 12th Battalion, Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (12 JAK LI). His parents had chosen a girl for him, and he was to get married after the war. On June 2, 1999, he wrote home, “I hope to be back in Delhi by the end of the month. Thereafter, you can fix the date for my marriage if you are in a hurry.”
Destiny willed otherwise. By the time his letter reached home, Capt Amol Kalia had already laid down his life in the battle four days ago.
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