Kargil Vijay Diwas: India Honours Sacrifice Of Armed Forces; PM Modi, President Murmu Pay Respects | Updates

On Kargil Vijay Diwas, India united to honor the courage and valour of its armed forces. Observed annually on July 26, it marks India’s victory in the 1999 war. The Indian Army’s fierce counter-assault pushed back Pakistani forces from key heights in Ladakh. Here are the top updates as India commemorates its heroes:

Modi In Kargil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kargil War Memorial on Friday and paid homage to the bravehearts who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. “Today, this great land of Ladakh is witnessing the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kargil Vijay Diwas tells us that the sacrifices made for the nation are immortal,” he said.

“On the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26th July 2024, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit the Kargil War Memorial at around 9:20 AM and pay homage to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. In a post on X, Modi said that July 26 is a very special day for every Indian.

President Murmu Is ‘Grateful’

President Droupadi Murmu said the Kargil Vijay Diwas is an occasion to pay tributes to the ‍courage and extraordinary valour of the country’s armed forces. “Kargil Vijay Diwas is an occasion for a grateful nation to pay tribute to the ‍courage and extraordinary valour of our armed forces,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.

“I pay tribute to each soldier who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting Mother India on the peaks of Kargil in 1999 and bow in reverence to their sacred memory. I am sure that all countrymen will draw inspiration from their sacrifice and valour. Jai Hind Jai Bharat!” she said.

Defence Minister

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid a wreath and paid tribute to the heroes of the Kargil War at the National War Memorial in Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi

“On Kargil Vijay Diwas, I pay my heartfelt tribute to the immortal martyrs who sacrificed their all to protect India. The country will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice,” Congress leader said in a post on X.

BJP chief

BJP national president JP Nadda on the eve of Kargil Vijay Diwas said the soldiers of the country are not alone and 140 crore Indians stand with them. Participating in the ‘Mashal Rally’ of the BJP Yuva Morcha held at the Central Park in Connaught Place, Nadda said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the defence preparedness of the country has significantly strengthened.

Pointing that Kargil Vijay Diwas on Saturday will be the silver jubilee of the victory of the Indian Army against Pakistani infiltrators, Nadda said it was an occasion to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who defeated the “ill intentions” of Pakistan, fighting under adverse geographical conditions.

Uttarakhand Guv

Uttarakhand Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) laid a wreath at Shaurya Sthal War Memorial, Dehradun and paid tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the 1999 Kargil War.

Special Tribute

A former woman army officer has completed a 160-km run from Srinagar to Drass to mark the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai (Retd) completed the run in four days. “I ran to honour our brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation,” she told PTI. Lt Col Rai, whose husband is an army officer in Kashmir, ran from Srinagar to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass sector. The run began on July 19 and ended on July 22.

She was accompanied in stretches by the Chinar Warriors marathon team. On completion of the run, they paid tributes to martyrs at the Kargil war memorial. She averaged 40 km per day. After starting from Srinagar, she moved to Wusan on Day 2, running to Sonamarg at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Day 3 saw her surmount the 11649 feet high Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the Ladakh region, to reach Matayen, before reaching the memorial at Drass on Day 4.

(With agency inputs)