Chorbat La Battle Anniversary: Fire and Fury Corps honours Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, 3 Ladakh Scouts
Synopsis
Twenty-six years after Major Sonam Wangchuk led the 3 Ladakh Scouts through blizzards and enemy fire to seize the Chorbat La ridgeline, the Fire and Fury Corps marked the anniversary with his own understated words: 'It was my duty, not something extraordinary.' The tribute is a reminder that some of Kargil's most consequential battles were fought in sectors that rarely make the headlines.
Key Takeaways
The Fire and Fury Corps paid tribute on 30 May 2025 to the late Colonel Sonam Wangchuk and the 3 Ladakh Scouts on the 26th anniversary of the Battle of Chorbat La .
The battle was fought on 30 May 1999 in the Batalik Sector at altitudes exceeding 18,000 feet as part of Operation Vijay .
Then- Major Wangchuk led the capture of observation posts Sonam-I and Sonam-II , denying Pakistani troops control of the ridgeline.
Colonel Wangchuk was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery and is known as the 'Lion of Ladakh' .
The Ladakh Scouts , called the 'Snow Warriors' , were among the first units deployed in the Batalik sub-sector after intrusions were detected in May 1999 .
The Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army on 30 May 2025 paid solemn tribute to the late Colonel Sonam Wangchuk and the troops of the 3 Ladakh Scouts, marking the anniversary of the Battle of Chorbat La in the Batalik Sector — a defining early engagement of the 1999 Kargil War. The tribute recalled how Wangchuk, then holding the rank of Major, led his men through glaciated terrain under fire to secure strategic ridgelines on 30 May 1999.
The Battle and What Was at Stake
The Battle of Chorbat La was fought at extreme high altitude in the Ladakh Range, as part of Operation Vijay — India's military campaign to recapture positions occupied by Pakistani intruders along the Line of Control. Controlling the ridgelines in the Batalik axis was critical: they dominated access routes and held tactical significance for the broader campaign.
According to official military accounts, the Ladakh Scouts were among the first units deployed in the Batalik sub-sector after intrusions were detected in early May 1999. Operating at elevations exceeding 18,000 feet, the unit conducted multiple assaults and reconnaissance missions under heavy artillery fire and severe weather.
What the Fire and Fury Corps Said
In a post on X, the Fire and Fury Corps quoted Colonel Wangchuk's own reflection on his actions: 'What I did at Chorbat La was my duty, not something extraordinary.' The Corps added: 'Major Sonam Wangchuk and the brave men of 3 Ladakh Scouts etched their names in history during the Battle of Chorbat La in Batalik Sector. Battling sub-zero temperatures, snow blizzards, enemy fire and impossible terrain, Maj Wangchuk led from the front to establish observation posts at Sonam-I and Sonam-II, eliminating the enemy and denying Pakistani troops control of the ridgeline on the Ladakh Range. India remembers with pride and gratitude.'
The 'Lion of Ladakh'
Colonel Wangchuk, popularly known as the 'Lion of Ladakh', was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra — India's second-highest wartime gallantry honour — for his exceptional bravery during Operation Vijay. His actions in the Batalik sector are widely credited with securing early tactical gains for India on that axis, making him one of Ladakh's most respected military figures.
The Ladakh Scouts' Role in Kargil
The Ladakh Scouts, known as the 'Snow Warriors', were uniquely suited to the demands of high-altitude warfare given their familiarity with the terrain and climate. Their deployment in the Batalik sub-sector represented one of the earliest and most consequential responses to the intrusions detected in May 1999. The unit's performance during the campaign has since become a reference point in Indian Army doctrine for mountain warfare.
Significance of the Anniversary
The annual tribute by the Fire and Fury Corps underscores the enduring institutional memory of the Kargil War, now entering its 26th year of remembrance. The Battle of Chorbat La remains a landmark action — not only for the tactical outcome it delivered but for the conditions under which it was fought. As India approaches the Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations in July, tributes such as this serve to keep the sacrifices of the war's lesser-known engagements in public memory.
Point of View
Yet it was among the earliest tactical successes of Operation Vijay and helped set the tone on the Batalik axis. The Fire and Fury Corps' annual tribute is institutionally important — but India's broader commemoration of Kargil still skews toward a handful of marquee engagements, leaving the contributions of units like the Ladakh Scouts underrepresented in the national narrative. Colonel Wangchuk's own framing — 'duty, not something extraordinary' — is a useful corrective to the heroism-as-spectacle lens through which war is often remembered. Twenty-six years on, the harder work is ensuring that the tactical and human granularity of battles like Chorbat La is preserved in accessible public record, not just annual social media posts.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Battle of Chorbat La?
The Battle of Chorbat La was a high-altitude engagement fought on 30 May 1999 in the Batalik Sector of Ladakh, as part of Operation Vijay — India's military campaign to reclaim positions occupied by Pakistani intruders during the Kargil War. Indian forces, led by then-Major Sonam Wangchuk, captured observation posts Sonam-I and Sonam-II, denying enemy control of the ridgeline.
Who was Colonel Sonam Wangchuk and what did he do at Chorbat La?
Colonel Sonam Wangchuk was a decorated Indian Army officer known as the 'Lion of Ladakh.' During the Battle of Chorbat La, he led the 3 Ladakh Scouts through sub-zero temperatures, snow blizzards, and enemy fire to establish critical observation posts and secure the ridgeline. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery.
What is the Maha Vir Chakra?
The Maha Vir Chakra is India's second-highest wartime gallantry award, given for acts of conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy. Colonel Sonam Wangchuk received it for his actions during Operation Vijay in the Batalik Sector.
Who are the Ladakh Scouts and what role did they play in Kargil?
The Ladakh Scouts, nicknamed the 'Snow Warriors,' are an Indian Army regiment drawn from the Ladakh region and trained for high-altitude warfare. During the 1999 Kargil War, they were among the first units deployed in the Batalik sub-sector, conducting assaults and reconnaissance at elevations exceeding 18,000 feet under heavy fire and extreme weather.
Why does the Fire and Fury Corps commemorate the Battle of Chorbat La every year?
The Fire and Fury Corps, which oversees Indian Army operations in the Ladakh region, marks the anniversary to honour the sacrifice and bravery of soldiers who fought in the Kargil War. The annual tribute on 30 May keeps the memory of the Chorbat La engagement — and the broader lessons of high-altitude warfare — alive within the institution and the public.
