Commemorations of 24th Vijay Diwas commence at Drass

Jammu, Jul 25: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Tri-Service Chiefs will lay wreaths on July 26 at War Memorial in Drass, Kargil to join the nation in celebrations of 24th anniversary of India’s splendors victory over Pakistan on inhuman peaks of Himalayas in Kargil, Ladakh.
As per the scheduled programme, Defence Minister RajnathSingh, who already landed in Srinagar this evening will arrive in Drass-Kargil, early in the morning via a special aircraft.
The defence minister would be received by Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brig (Retd) BD Mishra, tri-service chief including Chief of Armed Staff General Manoj Pandey, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar.
This occasion will also witness the presence of Capt VikramBatra’s unit led by Lieutenant General, Y. K. Joshi (Retd), who was commanding officer of the unit and General (Retd) V P Malik, the then Army Chief.
“The Minister will visit to pay homage to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of the Indian armed forces at the KargilWar Memorial on July 26 on the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas,” the officials said.
Officials said that Rajnath Singh will address the troops, interact with the Commanders, and pay tribute to the martyrs.
Earlier, the celebrations were begun at Lamochan View Point, Drass. A special event narrating the stories of Operation VIJAY was organized where an account of the epic battles on Tololing, Tiger Hill, Pt 4875 (Batra Top) and other prominent features was narrated with these very landmarks visible to the audience in front of their eyes.
The narration took everyone down the memory lane showcasing the daring feat achieved by the valiant soldiers of the Indian Army.
General V. P. Malik (Retd), Lieutenant General (Retd) Yogesh Kumar Joshi, Northern Command Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Kargil War Heroes Sub Major Sanjay Kumar, PVC among war heroes, veer naris, veer matas, and relatives of the gallant soldiers who laid down their lives during the graced the occasion.
The event commenced with an audio-visual narration of the battles, which showcased the Kargil War as it unfolded.
The vivid narrations, against the backdrop of the mountains where the fierce battles were fought, recreated scenes of each battle, and the venue reverberated with tales of the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers. The narrations of battle, followed by reminiscences of actions by the war heroes themselves, brought to life the bravery, indomitable spirit, and everlasting zeal of our braves.
Later, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pandey joined, and a cultural program by the Ladakh Culture Academy and an army band display were presented by the Indian Army at the horse polo ground in Drass, Ladakh.
The Kargil war took place from May to July in 1999, during which the Indian Army fought Pakistani troops in the heights of Kargil, forcing them to retreat. Since then, July 26 is observed annually as Kargil Vijay Diwas by the Indian Army. During the two-month-long war, over 500 Indian Army and Air Force personnel sacrificed their lives, while the casualties on the Pakistani side were also significant. Next year, India will celebrate the silver jubilee of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 to July 27.