Living a very comfortable life, we often forget that this life doesn't come to us for free. There are some men in uniform giving their sweat and blood 24x7 for us to live that way. Here are 10 stories of such brave men, who not only saved the lives of many with their gallantry but also showed us the true meaning of bravery. For their supreme acts of bravery, cold courage and devotion to duty, they were also decorated with the Param Vir Chakra, the highest Indian gallantry award.

Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran

Many Indian Army units were dispatched to Sri Lanka to maintain law and order under the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement. In November 1987, Major Parameswaran and his column were trapped by a group of militants. Showing great presence of mind, Major Parameswaran encircled them from the rear.

This was followed by a hand-to-hand battle in which one of the militants shot him in the chest. Impervious of his injury, he snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. Even though he was critically wounded, he continued to give orders and inspired his command till he his last breath.

Manoj Kumar Pandey

Captain Pandey was the platoon commander in the 1999 Operation Vijay during the advance to Khalubar in the Batalik sector. He led his men to recapture the Jubar Top. The battalion's progress was halted by a determined enemy firmly entrenched on commanding heights. Pandey stepped forward to take on the mission. Displaying great courage, he surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full throated battle cry through a hail of bullets.

Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with determination from trench to trench. Critically bleeding, he collapsed at the final trench and finally succumbed to his injuries, but not before all the enemies were destroyed. His last words were, 'Na Chodna' (Don't leave them).