India marks Kargil Diwas: Nation salutes Kargil heroes
26 July, 2021 | newsx bureau
India celebrated the 22nd anniversary of its Kargil victory this year. A bike rally was organized by the Indian Army to commemorate the valour of the Kargil heroes.
The country celebrated the 22nd Kargil Vijay Diwas this year. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on 26 July to mark the success of Operation Vijay, the Indian Army operation to flush out Pakistani infiltrators occupying important locations in the Kargil sector in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Kargil War saw extraordinary courage of India’s soldiers in an extremely harsh high altitude terrain. India lost around 527 of its brave soldiers in the conflict. More than 1300 soldiers were injured. And it is a tribute to this exemplary valour of the living and the fallen heroes that we celebrate as the Kargil Vijay Diwas.
The Indian Army flagged off a bike rally to commemorate the Kargil victory, led by the GOC in C of Northern Command Lt. Gen. YK Joshi, from Udhampur to the Kargil War Memorial in Dras. The rally started with 25 bikers, consisting of civilians and serving personnel, which went up to 75 bikers by the end of the journey. The rally was named ‘Dhruv Kargil Ride,’ and spanned over two days.
CDS General Bipin Rawat laid a wreath on the Kargil War Memorial in Dras and paid homage to the fallen heroes of the nation. The CDS also received and installed the Swarnim Vijay Mashaal at the memorial, as a tribute to the Kargil heroes. The victory flame is one of the four that were lit by PM Modi at the National War Memorial on 16 December 2020 in Delhi and sent to the four cardinal directions of the country. It marks the victory of India in the 1971 war.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, paid homage to the heroes of the Kargil War at the National War Memorial in Delhi. Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar and Chief of Integrated Service Committee Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain were also present to pay their tributes.