Nation is celebrating 21st anniversary of the victory in the Kargil War; Two decades ago, on July 26, Indian Armed forces secured one of the most dramatic and hard fought victories in history; The country remembers the extreme valour, sacrifice and exemplary courage of Indian soldiers today. Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day when the country pays homage to the Kargil War heroes and celebrates victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War.
On July 26, 1999, India successfully regained command over all the high outposts. The Kargil War was fought for more than 60 days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he will speak to the people of the country in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on July 26. Last year, PM Modi had said that the day should be remembered for the “courage, bravery and dedication” shown by the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.
Under ‘Operation Vijay’, the Indian government had mobilized two lakh troops. In the Kargil War, 527 soldiers from the Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives. The Kargil War Memorial, built by the Indian Army, is located in Dras, about five kilometre from the Tiger Hill.
India, on July 7, remembered Captain Vikram Batra, the Kargil War hero, on his 21st death anniversary. Captain Vikram Batra sacrificed his life fighting Pakistani forces during the Kargil War. At the age of 24, Captain Batra became the face of the Indian soldier at Kargil, whose words reverberate even today – ‘Yeh Dil Maange More..’ The soldier took the advertising slogan and elevated it to a motto for life.
Another Kargil War hero, Captain K Nachiketa, was captured by the soldiers of the Pakistani Northern Light Infantry during the Kargil War. He was brutally beaten and tortured. The fighter pilot had been assigned the task of hitting Pakistani posts in Kargil at altitudes in excess of 17,000 feet.
Eight days after he was captured and after intense efforts made by the government of India to secure his release, Captain Nachiketa was handed over to the Red Cross, which brought him back to India. He was greeted by the then President KR Narayanan and former Prime Minister Vajpayee.
For most, this would have been enough to call it a day. But Captain Nachiketa is clearly made of sterner stuff. He could not return to fighter flying because of an injury to his back when he ejected over Kargil but he was able to enter the Indian Air Force’s transport fleet and continues to fly giant Il-76 transports.
The day – July 26 – reminds the nation of extreme valour, sacrifice and exemplary courage of Indian soldiers against an adversary which had the advantage of being pitched at an elevated position on the mountain peaks