Lt Col Vishwanathan and Major Adhikari were killed in Drass while making a valiant attempt to recover the Tuloling heights at an altitude of 15,000 feet. Major Saravanan of Bihar had similarly tried to recover a peak at Batalik on May 29 before he was killed in a close-quarter combat with the infiltrators. His bravery earned him the title of ``Hero of Batalik''.

The Army, however, has still been unable to retrieve the bodies of both Major Adhikari and Major Saravanan. Major Adhikari of the mechanised infantry was killed in action in the Drass sector on June 1. ``You can see the bodies of Major Adhikari and his wireless operator but the firing by Pakistani regulars here is so intense that three attempts to retrieve his body have not succeeded,'' an officer in Drass said.

The story of his valour and that ofLt Col Vishwanathan here has not only inspired other officers and men of the Grenadiers but the entire force trying to recover the peak.

``Adhikari was a brave young man. He had got married less than a year ago and was looking forward to calling his wife on the satellite phone on their first wedding anniversary on June 5. He was killed while leading an operation a few days before that. We will retrieve his body no matter how high the cost,'' his colleague promised. Major Adhikari's young widow and parents live in Nainital.

Sources in Drass said that Brigade Commander Brig Amar Aul and Deputy Commandant Col S V E David had sent the satellite phone up to Lt Col Vishwanathan but unfortunately the batteries had run out. He could not speak to his wife before the operation began.

``A Lt Colonel is too senior an officer to lead an operation but Vishwanathan volunteered. He knew that to recover the Tuloling heights was an extremely crucial and difficult task of utmost strategic importance,'' an officersaid.

Giving details of the mission, he said: ``The infiltrators were firing heavy weapons and Col Vishwanathan chose to lead from the front. He kept inspiring the soldiers while climbing the ridgeline. It was after midnight when the enemy barrage of bullets got him below the waist. Though immobilised, he did not lose courage and hope and kept persuading the troops to move on. He also continued to fire, killing four intruders. The operation succeeded and he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. But by the time he was moved to hospital, he had died.''

Sources at III Division Headquarters said that Drass Brigade Commander had approved the recommendation of the Grenadiers' Commanding Officer to award the Param Vir Chakra to the two officers posthumously.