Thirty-eight-year-old Havaldar Chavan had gone back to the battlefield barely two months back. A time when he had seen his eldest daughter Savita tie the nuptials. A life that she will lead without her father who gave her away. Because Havaldar Chavan had promised his wife Phultai that he would maintain the honour of his platoon.

As the Kargil offensive entered another battle weary day, Havaldar Chavan's section, originally from the Seven Mahars was inducted into the Nine Mahars to reinforce their strength. The assault on the Turtuk range in Kargil was planned for Sunday, July 4 as the troops got ready to clean out the bunkers one by one. And the Mahars, with a history of infantry warfare behind them were at the forefront.

Leading Havaldar Chavan's Delta company was none other than Pune city's first martyr, Captain Amit Verma, hastily promoted to the three pips. Even today, Lance Naik Subhash Bijlekar accompanying Havaldar Chavan addresses the young officer as ``lieutenant saab.''

``We were detailed for the assault along with the Nine Mahars. The assault continued through the day as we climbed under heavy fire,'' recalls Lance Naik Bijlekar. The fierce hand-to-hand fighting was the only way they could eject the enemy from those icy peaks. Havaldar Chavan, pulling at all the experience that his battle-hardened 30 years of service had seen followed the young officer from bunker to bunker.

The enemy panicked and started abandoning the bunkers. Some returned fire and Capt Verma fell. The Pakistanis resorted to shelling the area to regain lost ground. Although it proved too little, too late to stop the charging Mahars, splinters hit Havaldar Chavan and six other soldiers. All killed in action.

Evacuation took its time and the long journey back home started. From the hilly terrain to the plains of Kololi village in Kawtemahankal taluka of Sangli district. At home Havaldar Chavan's wife and three children wait with Savita for a father who fought with honour. The officers and jawans of the 101 Infantry battalion (TA) presented reverse arms, another soldier came back home. Like his brethren before him...killed in action.