India celebrates the 21st “Vijay Diwas” on July 26. The Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 to commemorate the victory of the Indian Army in flushing out Pakistani Army troops and terrorists from vacated Indian Positions in the Kargil sector along the Line of Control (LoC). The Kargil war was fought from May-July 1999. Time to know our ‘Real STARS’.
During winters, the Indian and Pakistani armies leave their bunkers at high altitude places in Kargil and move to lower heights and later in summers they reoccupy their bunkers. But in 1999, Pakistan took undue advantage of India’s trust and during winters, Pakistan army soldiers an terrorists occupied the Indian bunkers. Remembering Shaheed Captain Vikram Batra, ‘Shershaah’ of 1999 Kargil War, on His 21st Martyrdom Day.
India came to know about the Pakistan’s plan in May, when the Indian Army’s patrol party led by Captain Saurabh Kalia, who went to the area did not report back to headquarters. The army realized the gravity of the situation launched ‘Operation Vijay’ to wipe out the infiltrators. The Indian Army then launched a massive operation to wipe out the Pakistani army soldiers of 12 Northern Light Infantry and terrorists. Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey 21st Martyrdom Day: Remembering Kargil War Hero And Param Vir Chakra Awardee on His Death Anniversary.
According to reports, around two lakh Indian Army soldiers were deployedin the Kargil, Drass and Batalik sectors of Jammu and KAshmir. The war was fought at regimental and battalion level. The main aim of Pakistan was to cut the connectivity of Leh with rest of India by controlling NH 1 highway, which connects Srinagar and Leh. ‘I Have No Regrets, In Fact Even If I Become a Human Again I’ll Join The Army’: Shaheed Captain Vijayant Thapar, Kargil War 1999 Hero’s Last Letter.
The Indian Air Force also launched ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ in the war zone to provide a support to the Indian Army. The army captured the highest and the most significant peak, Tiger Hill on the morning of July 8. Later in the war, the army also used Bofors artillery guns to provide cover fire to the troops. On July 26, The Indian government declared Operation Vijay a success and from then on, every year it is celebrated as “Vijay Diwas”. The Indian Navy also prepared to blockade the Pakistani ports (primarily the Karachi port) to cut off supply routes under Operation Talwar.
The Indian Army lost 527 soldiers, including Captain Vikram Batra and Lieutenant Manoj Pandey and over 1,300 were injured. Meanwhile, Pakistan never disclosed casualties suffered by its army. According to PML(N) ,the then ruling party of Pakistan, in its white paper claimed that that more than 3,000 Mujahideens, officers and soldiers of the Pakistani Army were killed.
The Kargil War memorial, built by the Indian Army, is located in Dras, in the foothills of the Tololing Hill. Every year, an event is organised on July 26 at the Kargil War Memorial to honour the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who fought bravely to flush out Pakistani intruders.
(Picture Courtesy” Twitter/Indian Army)
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