President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted people on the 26th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, which marks the success of Indian armed forces in ousting Pakistani intruders from the mountains in Kargil.
Murmu said Kargil Vijay Diwas symbolises the extraordinary valour and steadfast determination of the country’s jawans, and paid tributes to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the 1999 conflict.
Their dedication and supreme sacrifice for the nation will forever inspire its citizens, she asserted.
“On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, I pay my heartfelt tribute to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the motherland. This day symbolises the extraordinary valour, courage, and steadfast determination of our jawans. Their dedication and supreme sacrifice for the nation will forever inspire its citizens. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.
Modi said this occasion reminds the country of unparalleled courage and valour of its soldiers who sacrificed their lives for defending the country’s pride.
Their spirit to sacrifice themselves for the motherland will inspire every generation, he said.
Pakistani forces had stealthily occupied strategic positions in the mountains in Kargil, aiming to sever the transport link between Kashmir and Ladakh. However, India launched ‘Operation Vijay’ to evict them and achieved success.
On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of “Operation Vijay”, declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh.
The day is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the war. —