Drass (Ladakh), July 26 : Army Chief General Manoj Pande paid heartfelt tributes to the bravery of the Indian armed forces on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Divas in Drass, Ladakh. During a solemn commemoration event at the Kargil War Memorial, General Pande laid a wreath in memory of the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the 1999 conflict with Pakistan. He expressed that these valiant jawans will forever be remembered in the hearts and minds of the people.
Reflecting on the challenging ‘Operation Vijay’, General Pande emphasized that it was a high-intensity military operation conducted in the icy and unforgiving heights of Kargil, which was under the enemy’s possession. He applauded the soldiers for successfully accomplishing their mission and also acknowledged the significant contribution of the Air warriors in achieving the final objective.
The Army chief extended his gratitude to the families of the Kargil heroes, assuring them that the nation will never forget their sacrifices. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan also paid their respects to the fallen soldiers at the memorial.
During the commemoration event, the Defence Minister praised the brave sons of the soil who selflessly prioritized the nation and did not hesitate to make the supreme sacrifice during the Kargil conflict with Pakistan in 1999. After the wreath-laying ceremony, the Defence Minister met with the soldiers’ families, presenting them with mementoes and shawls as a mark of respect.
Subsequently, the Defence Minister visited the ‘Hut of Remembrance’ museum in Drass, where memorabilia commemorating the valor and sacrifice of the Indian Army during the Kargil conflict is preserved.
The Kargil conflict, lasting over two months, saw the Indian Army successfully pushing back the Pakistani intruders from vantage points in the Dras, Kargil, and Batalik sectors of the Kargil district. The Indian forces proudly raised the Tricolour on the territory reclaimed from the enemy during this historical conflict.
