Our Correspondent

Abohar, July 26

Eight Army soldiers, who had participated in the 1999 Kargil War and 24 veer naris (war widows) were honoured during Vijay Diwas function at Ramlila Ground in neighbouring Sriganganagar today.The function was organised jointly by the All-India Ex-servicemen Council, Sanskar Bharati and the MR Jindal Charitable Trust.Col Amit Kumar Sharma, Commanding Officer, 17 Punjab Regiment, was the first to lay a wreath on Amar Jawan Jyoti ceremonially.MR Jindal Charitable Trust chairman BD Aggarwal and his wife Bimla presented shawl and Rs 21,000 each to ex-servicemen Ashok Kumar, Mohammad Khan, Durga Ram, Prahlad Singh, Rohtash, Ram Niwas and Moman Singh.Ashok Kumar of Haryana was in the contingent which hoisted the Tricolor at Kargil after the Indian Army’s victory over the enemy.Sixteen youths who had got “C” certificate or “A” grade in National Cadets Corps (NCC) were awarded Rs 11,000 each on the occasion.

Kargil Diwas celebrated

Amritsar, July 26

On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, a wreath-laying ceremony was organised today at Panther Inspiration Park. General Officer Commanding, Panther Division, along with Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Other Ranks (OR) laid wreaths to pay homage to Kargil martyrs. Veterans from Amritsar also attended the function and laid wreaths to pay homage to the martyrs of Kargil.Similar functions were also organised at Dera Baba Nanak War Memorial and Batala War Memorial. — TNS

Tributes paid to martyrs on Kargil War anniversary

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 26

The 17th anniversary of the Kargil War was observed at Headquarters Western Command, Chandimandir, today. It was on this day in 1999 that the last of the Pakistani infiltrators were evicted from the Indian territory.To pay homage to the martyrs, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Veer Smriti War Memorial in Chandimandir.Lt Gen KJ Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, paid floral tributes at the memorial. Serving officers and junior commissioned officers of some of the units that had participated in the conflict, also known as Operation Vijay, were also present.General VP Malik, who was the Army Chief during the conflict, led senior veterans in paying homage and also laid a wreath to commemorate the sacrifices of soldiers.The next of kin of martyrs of Operation Vijay and gallantry award winners also attended the function and were felicitated on the occasion.

Homage paid to Kargil War martyrs

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 26

The nation is celebrating the 17th Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate the victory over Pakistan in the war that ended  on July 26, 1999. The Indian Army was successful in pushing back Pakistani forces from 16,000-18,000 ft of rough heights in Kargil and the adjoining areas.The week-long celebrations got over on July 26 and were marked by commemorative functions across the country.Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day of remembrance for, and tribute to, our armed forces and the martyrs whose determined efforts saved our country from the enemy on this day in 1999 during the ‘Operation Vijay’.In Patiala, the Army commemorated the victory in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph led by the General Officer Commanding of the Black Elephant Division and also paid homage to the Kargil war martyrs.Intrusion from Pakistani forces in the areas of Kargil and Dras was aimed at taking control of heights dominating the Srinagar-Leh road with the aim of blocking our supply lines and making the maintenance of our positions in Siachen even more difficult. Our soldiers regained the heights by climbing near the vertical rough peaks over totally exposed rocky terrain against forces firing and bombarding from well-prepared and entrenched positions.Stories of leadership and sacrifice brave soldiers were also documented to pay homage to them. A total of 527 Armymen from the country died and 1,367 got injured in the war.Four Param Vir Chakras, Nine Maha Vir Chakras and 50 Vir chakras, battle honours and unit citations will serve as evidences of guts, bravery and professionalism of our Navy, Air force and Armymen who are ever ready to serve and make sacrifices to protect our motherland.

Kargil Vijay Diwas

• Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day of remembrance for, and tribute to, our armed forces and the martyrs whose determined efforts saved our country from the enemy on this day in 1999 during the ‘Operation Vijay’.

FROM SCHOOLS

Kargil Vijay Diwas

Patiala: DAV Patiala witnessed patriotic fervour as 16th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil Victory Day) was celebrated with amalgamated feelings of proud and pain. The martyrs of Kargil were offered floral tributes amidst singing of song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ and raising of slogans ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ leaving everyone teary-eyed. A special hawan was solemnised in the memory of the martyrs. A special screening of a documentary was arranged for 250 students of class VI followed by a quiz based on the same. The students participated enthusiastically in the quiz. Monika Gupta, NCC in-charge, made the students aware of the significance of the day and told them how the soldiers braving the chill at Kargil-Dras sector defeated Pakistani intruders and hoisted our National Flag. She said as many as 530 soldiers laid their lives in the operation. Principal SR Prabhakar said: “Kargil Victory Day was something really to celebrate in honour of those brave soldiers and their families, who sacrificed their lives or a life of their loved ones for India. We must thank those brave people who lost their lives for saving and protecting us and should be ready for any kind of sacrifice for our country”.

Q-biz Competition

Budha Dal Public School here organised a Q-biz competition for the students of classes XI and XII. The basic vision of Q-biz was to test the cognisance skills of the students. It aspires to engage all those students who believe in applied and holistic learning to identify all those mavericks, who consistently learn, innovate and improvise.

Tiger Week

‘Tiger Week’ was inaugurated at The Millennium School, Patiala, in view of the observation of ‘World Tiger Day’ on Monday. With the main aim of bringing awareness among the people about saving wild animals, especially the tiger, a nukkad natak was presented. Students and teachers of the school took part in a rally to highlight the importance of saving the animals from extinction. Sukhdarshan Singh, director, Markfed, gave the green signal and appreciated the endeavour of the school. Sally Andotra, principal of The Millennium School, Patiala, thanked the guests and conveyed her distress at the decreasing number of tigers and how it will affect our environment. She impressed upon all to contribute individually in doing so. She said the school would conduct various activities such as poster-making, debate etc, throughout the week. At the end, she highlighted that the school keeps observing such activities for the all-round development of students. — TNS

Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated in city

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 26

A special function was organised by the Kashyap Naujwan Dharmik Sabha where families of martyrs of the Kargil war and martyrs of other Army operations were honoured here today.Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav was the guest of honour at the function.Pawan Kumar, president of the Sabha, said they had been organising this function for the past 16 years to salute the great soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation. Over 20 families belonging to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh of martyrs of the Kargil war and other operations took part in the function in honour of the war heroes.Several speakers said such functions should also be organised at the government level also. They also said that many memorials of martyrs in the region were lying in a shambles and the district administration was not paying heed to their upkeep. On this, DC KK Yadav assured the gathering to hold a meeting with the organisers of this function and promised that enough would be done to keep the memorials in a good shape.Vajra Corps remembers its braveheartsOn the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the Kargil war, Lieutenant General JS Cheema, General Officer Commanding Vajra Corps, offered floral tributes to Kargil martyrs at a solemn ceremony at the Vajra War Memorial in Jalandhar Cantonment. This was followed by a pledge taken by all present at the ceremony to dedicate themselves to the cause of the nation. A large number of veterans also attended the event and paid tributes to the martyrs.Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated in honour of the Kargil War heroes for the success of Operation Vijay. On this day, July 26 1999, the Indian Army successfully took command of the high outposts which had been illegally occupied by the Pakistani intruders. 527 soldiers from the Indian Armed Forces laid down their lives for the cause of the motherland during the war. The event is celebrated with full military decorum and solemnity.

Remembering the heroes

Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated in honour of the Kargil War heroes for the success of Operation Vijay. On this day, July 26 1999, the Indian Army successfully took command of the high outposts which had been illegally occupied by the Pakistani intruders. 527 soldiers from the Indian Armed Forces laid down their lives for the cause of the motherland during the war. The event is celebrated with full military decorum and solemnity.

42 martyrs and the flame is still bright!

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 26

Forty two personnel of Jalandhar district from the military and paramilitary forces have sacrificed their lives in four operations launched in various parts of the country since Independence.With 11 officers, one junior commissioned officer, eight from various paramilitary forces and remaining from other ranks of the Indian Army, a majority of these bravehearts sacrificed their lives in Operation Rakshak.While 27 personnel were killed in Operation Rakshak that commenced on November 15 in 1989 and is going on till date in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, three were killed in Operation Rhino that is going on in the entire state of Assam since September 15, 1991. Three more causalities were reported in the district in Operation Meghdoot that is going on in the Siachen area since April 1, 1984. While three more were killed in Operation Parakaram that ran in the entire country from December 14, 2001, to March 31 in 2004.While four Jawans were killed in various encounters with terrorists in J&K areas, one was killed in a counter insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir and another one was killed in an IED blast on a BSF bus in 2004.While the whole nation remembered its martyrs of the Kargil war, the families of these bravehearts, too, shed tears in solace to remember their sons who laid down their lives while safeguarding the nation.While remembering his son Major Kanwal Gulzar Singh of 5/9 GR who died during Operation Rakshak in 1999, his emotional mother Simar Kaur said he was known as ‘Yudhister’ (the eldest of Pandava brother) amongst his unit officers for his upright, caring and sombre nature.“He used to stand by the truth all the time. He always used to tell me that I should not get worried about him. Even though he called me a few hours before going out on the fateful operation on the night of July 4, he did not reveal anything,” said Kaur. She further added that he was very fond of reading and had a huge collection of books. The mother has preserved his books as her priced possession.Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, Sukhwinder Kaur, sister of martyr Sepoy Sodhi Ram, burst into tears and said that since the death of her brother Sodhi Ram during Operation Rakshak in 2004, she along with her younger sister, was staying with her old parents. “There is no one to take care of our parents. Our in-laws started beating us after his death for various reasons. I, along with my sister, left their houses and began staying with our parents only,” said Kaur. Sodhi Ram was killed in a terrorist action in 2004 in J&K.Sukhwinder further said that there should be a provision in the army also to provide jobs to the next of kin or a family member of other ranks as well.Sonu, son of martyr L/NK Tirath Ram of 53 Battalion of the BSF, said that though there were reports that his father was killed in a terrorist encounter in the Sambha sector, the family was informed that he lost balance and accidentally fell from a bunker.“Though we demanded a martyr’s status for our father from the BSF, they refused to do so and only recorded it as an accident,” said Sonu.

Students pay homage to Kargil War martyrs

Tribune Reporters

Ludhiana, July 26

In today’s busy world when people have become too materialistic and have no time even for near and dear ones, there are brave soldiers on the borders who safeguard the country. Hundreds of soldiers have sacrificed their lives to ensure a secure environment for the countrymen.To remember and honour such soldiers, many schools in the city paid a floral tribute to the martyrs in commemoration of Kargil Vijay Diwas. To instill patriotism among the youth, the schools held various competitions and activities depicting patriotic feelings.

Shamrock School

A special assembly was conducted at Shamrock Christian Senior Secondary School, Hambran Road, wherein the students sang patriotic songs in remembrance of war heroes. A two-minute silence was marked as a respect to the departed souls. An inter-house speech competition was also held.

BVM, Kitchlu Nagar

A patriotic song competition was held at Bhartiya Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Kitchlu Nagar, in commemoration of the day. The staff and students paid homage to the brave soldiers. The students pledged to serve the nation in their best capacity. A documentary on Kargil War was also shown.

BVM, Udham Singh Nagar

A special assembly was held, wherein Sheetal Sharma, a school teacher, gave a speech in praise of Kargil soldiers. A patriotic song was presented by Raghu Gulati of Class XII. A documentary film was shown to the students.

Green Land School

NCC cadets of Green Land Senior Secondary Public School paid homage to the martyrs of Kargil War. An inter-house declamation contest was also organised.

The Unirise World School

Jagraon: A special assembly was organised on the campus of The Unirise World School and a cultural programme was held, wherein students of classes III and VI presented patriotic poems. Assembly in-Students put up badges depicting the National Flag on their shirts.