India, July 27 -- During the summer of '99 Kargil War, Maj Deepak Rampal, Vir Chakra, would frequently liken himself to a lumbering mountain bear and not an agile snow leopard when sharing a lighter moment with his beloved troops in the thick of battle. At over a 100kg, the Delta Company Commander of 17 Jat (Mashkoh Warriors) was then the only 'bear' to be found in the Drass-Mashkoh heights because the natural denizens had fled the shelling and incessant Infantry firing.

Despite his stocky build and legendary fondness for five-egg omelettes laced with cheese, Rampal's fighting spirit and professionalism ensured he was always climbing the steep inclines by leading his men from the front like a Himalayan Brown bear adept in his natural alp...