Kargil Vijay Diwas: Commemorating the valour of Indian soldiers
On the 25th year of the Kargil Vijay Diwas today (26 July), let’s look back and appreciate the valour of Indian soldiers who laid down their lives to secure India’s victory over Pakistan in the historic Kargil War of 1999.
According to Surinder Singh, (commander of the Kargil Brigade during the 1999 war with Pakistan), the genesis of the Kargil war can be traced back to 1984 when the Indian Army in the secretly planned Operation Meghdoot established full control over the highest defence point of the world – the Siachen Glacier. This had rubbed the Pakistani Army in the most hostile way. They couldn’t get access to the roving eye point to both Leh Plateau and Srinagar Valley.
The intrusion and capture of Kargil was done with the goal of securing access to the main highway NH 1A. The highway connected the town of Srinagar on the western side and Leh on the eastern side. Kargil was and is a defining link to both Kashmir and Ladakh.
