Captain Kenguruse was posthumously awarded the Mahavir Chakra award on August 15, 1999. Just 17 days short of his 25 birthday, Late Captain Neikezhakuo Kenguruse of Nerhema village made the ultimate sacrifice on June 28, 1999. The sacrifice led to the capture of ‘Black Rock’ in Drass Sector, Jammu and Kashmir.
He was an Army Service Corps (ASC) officer on attachment with the 2 Rajputana Rifles and had been commissioned barely six month earlier.
Captain Kenguruse did his schooling at St. Xavier School, Jalukie and graduated from Kohima Science College. He served as a teacher in Government High School, Kohima from 1994 to 1997 before joining the Army.
‘Nimbu Sahab’ to the Rajputs he commanded and remembered as the “The Naga warrior who walked on Ice” according to the Hindustan Times, he was Ghatak platoon commander during the attack on area ‘Black Rock’ in the Drass Sector on the night of June 28, 1999.
According to Indian Army account, Captain Kenguruse led a commando team to take out a strategic machine post held by the enemy on a cliff face. This position, as per the account, was holding off the battalion’s progress in the sector.
As the team scaled the cliff face, he was shot on the abdomen. Wounded and bleeding, he went on to scale a sheer rock wall barefoot, just beyond which lay the machine gun post. Clearing the wall, he fired his rocket launcher at the enemy position and charged firing from his rifle. He downed four men – two with his rifle and two more with his commando knife before his martyrdom.
The account continued that he displayed conspicuous gallantry, indomitable resolve, grit and determination beyond the call of duty making the supreme sacrifice in true traditions of the Indian Army.
“Dad, we have won the battle of Totolling and have captured many enemies’ arms and ammunition but also have lost many of my colleagues who are near and dear to me. I may not be able to return home to be a part of our family again. Even if I don’t make it, do not grieve for me because I have already decided to give my best for the nation. I request you to make a small firm memorial for me and do remember me,” the brave warrior reportedly wrote to his father before his martyrdom.
He became one of 527 soldiers, who made the supreme sacrifice for the country. For his bravery Captain Kenguruse was posthumously awarded the MVC.