Source: TW
Major Talwar was a child prodigy and was a state level cricketer. In the year 1988,he was selected both at AFMC Pune as well as NDA. He chose NDA over AFMC as he was more interested in becoming an ‘Infant officer’. After completing his graduation at NDA, he went to IMA Ddun and passed out from IMA in the year 1992 and as a 3rd Generation Army officer he was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion of Mahar Regiment. He then underwent Commando Training at Army war college Mhow in 1994.
He then served in various challenging areas with extremely high temperatures. After observing his brilliant professionalism he was sent to Assam as there were reports of Militant infiltration in huge numbers. He was successful in hunting militants in large numbers and was awarded the prestigious’Sena Medal’ for the same.He then requested to get posted at Siachen.
Although it was not his turn to get posted there but after evaluating his work his seniors were impressed by his brilliance and granted an ‘out of turn’ posting at Siachen.
KARGIL WAR, 1999
When the Kargil war broke out in May 1999, Major Talwar was posted at Siachen. 9 Mahar needed soldiers for the war as it was attached with 2 Raj Rif. Major Talwar took it as an opportunity to serve the nation & he shifted to 9 Mahar and volunteered for OP Vijay. There he was given an extremely challenging operational task to evict the Pakistani intruders and establish a post at 19000 feet at point 5765 on the line of control in Turtuk Sub Sector.
Although the team was supposed to be led by a Junior Officer, Major Manoj volunteered to lead the mission. He commanded his platoon to go & climb from front as they were surrounded by Pak Army. It was a long dark night. He braved extreme bomb shelling,icy slopes & mighty hills. Major lead his men and as he moved forward braving the extreme sub-zero temperature, low oxygen levels, shelling of mortars, treacherous terrain with sheer vertical snow walls. Even in these extreme conditions he did not lose his determination and directed his troops to retaliate and they put up a brave fight. The Pakistani army was constantly firing from above. He ordered his team to go around the peak and flank the entrenched enemy from front, though this new route was far more dangerous exposing the team to heavy Pakistani Mortar Fire. During their advance, he suffered from several splinter injuries by enemy’s mortars and grenades but despite all the difficulties, he displayed rare determination, exemplary sense of courage and devotion to duty and kept pushing forward. Moments after he had finally captured the peak & had embedded the Indian Flag at point 5765 on the midnight of 13th June, a splinter from a mortar shelling hit his eye and he was gravely injured. He fell 19,000 feet below into the valley and the search for his body went on for hours till the early morning of 14th June 1999. He sacrificed his life for the nation but not before completing the task of capturing point 5765 and embedding the national flag.
Later in his honour, Point 5765 was named ‘Talwar Top’ & the bunker ‘Talwar Bunker’. Here is a picture of War Memorial at Turtuk where Major Talwar along with his troop laid down his life and became immortal but not before completing the task given to him. He was then declared as ‘Hero of Kargil War’.His body wrapped in tricolour was brought to his residence in Meerut. Then MLA Rajnath Singh can be seen with the family. On 17th of June, as his body was cremated with teary eyes and broken hearts, his parents received his last letter which he had written on 10th of June while sitting on his bunker at sub zero temperatures before proceeding for the War.
On that day the entire city of Meerut was in mourning. All the markets, cinema halls and other public places were closed. The women in the houses did not cook food that day. He was respected and loved as the ‘Son Of Meerut.’ Later in the year 2003, a statue was built in Meerut in his honour and was unveiled by Sh Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister of UP & that area was named as ‘Commissionary Chowk’. A road was also named after him which connected his house in Defence Colony till the Comissionary Chowk’.
Major Talwar left a legacy behind. He was remembered by his unit and CO of 3 Mahar. His memory shall be kept alive. Today as we remember him on his Balidan Diwas, let us pray for the peace of his soul and salute him for his valour🙏
Major Manoj knew since an early age that he was meant to be a soldier. At the age of 10 he was asked to draw on any ‘topic of his choice’ by his drawing teacher he chose to draw a ‘war scene’. He refused to get married & said ‘I am already married to my duty for the country.’ He was the chosen one by the almighty. This shows clearly in the choices he made in life.
- He could’ve easily been an Army Doc but he chose NDA over AFMC.
- It wasn’t his turn to get posted at Siachen but he chose to get posted there and was granted an ‘out of turn posting’.
When Major Manoj went to Siachen he called up his father & told him ‘papa i saw your name embedded as one of the builders of the Ladakh airport’. This was the last conversation they had before the Kargil war happend. Here Major Manoj can be seen with his parents and Maternal Grandmother. (Image) Whenever he came home from IMA during winters,he wore a simple kurta pajama & a shawl on top. He also used to sleep on the floor, even when the temperature dropped down to as low as -3degrees. When asked,he said ‘ i want to prepare my body for Siachen.’ Such was his dedication. Here, Major Talwar can be seen wearing a simple kurta pajama and a shawl while his siblings are packed with jackets and sweaters during chilly winters of December at Lucknow!! Image
He was fondly called ‘Tally’ in his unit 3 Mahar. He was admired by one and all.
- 3rd Glacier of Siachen has been named ‘Major Manoj Talwar Glacier’ by 9 Mahar in his honour. Such was his legacy🙏🏻🇮🇳
- Major Manoj’s name embedded at Siachen Memorial 🙏🏻🇮🇳 Image
- Major Talwar during his commando training days at Army War College Mhow in 1994. (1st row standing,3rd from left) Image
Major Talwar was an Honest man & a man of high moral values. It is depicted in this notice in which he along with a fellow cadet is appreciated for the noble act of returning 800 rupees lying around the science block at NDA. Such was his integrity🙌🏻
He was a mixture of both ‘kindness and bravery’. He got his kindness from his mother and bravery from his father. Capt PL Talwar was a civil engineer in the army & was the backbone of the 1962 Indo- China war as he helped the army by building roads and bridges during the war. Capt PL Talwar had also built one of the largest airports in the world in Ladakh during the 1965 war.
Major Talwar’s high demeanour, valour and integrity were a result of excellent parenting skills! His mother was a kind hearted & a selfless woman who taught him to ‘keep others before him’ which he did, by keeping the country above his life.
His father Capt PL Talwar was an honest and a hardworking civil engineer in the army , who always told him to obey his seniors and to fulfil every task with ‘full honesty & determination’ he also taught him that ‘nothing is impossible if you put your heart and soul into it.’
It is only due to these values which were taught to him since his childhood that he was so courageous and meritorious. He put his heart & soul into whatever he did & so was excellent at everything, be it sports or academics or even if it was giving his life for the country.🙏🏻🇮🇳