Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presents a memento to the family member of a fallen soldier at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass on Saturday. PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Ladakh on Saturday to participate in the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorations, as the Army launched a series of events at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras to honour the soldiers who laid down their lives during the 1999 Kargil War.

Singh arrived at Srinagar International Airport in the morning, where he was received by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The Defence Minister later proceeded to Ladakh to attend the commemorative events marking India’s victory in Operation Vijay. 

The two-day programme at Dras features a series of events, including Yudh Sansmaran, Shaurya Sandhya, patriotic performances by the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre Band, a motorcycle display by the Army’s ‘Shwet Ashwa’ Motorcycle Riders and a wreath-laying ceremony to pay homage to the fallen heroes.

The commemorations began on Saturday with Yudh Sansmaran at the picturesque Lamochen View Point overlooking the historic Kargil battlefield. The programme included a 33-minute documentary on the Kargil War and India’s triumph under Operation Vijay, followed by a commemorative film honouring 40 Kargil martyrs. Their next of kin attended the event.

Senior Army officers, Kargil War veterans, Veer Naris and Veer Matas were present during the programme. Major General Amit Prakash Singh, General Officer Commanding, Forever in Operations Division, was among the senior officers attending the event.

Operation Vijay was launched in 1999 after Pakistani forces infiltrated and occupied strategic heights in the Kargil sector. The operation concluded with India’s victory on July 26, 1999, which is commemorated every year as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The highlight of Saturday’s programme was Shaurya Sandhya at the Kargil War Memorial, where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the conflict.

On Sunday, the Army will conduct the Shradhanjali Samaroh, a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kargil War Memorial, followed by Gaurav Gatha, recounting the courage and sacrifices of Indian soldiers during the war.

The commemorations will conclude with the flagging-in of the Shaurya Vijay Yatra, a motorcycle rally from the National War Memorial in New Delhi to the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, symbolising the nation’s gratitude towards its bravehearts. The events reaffirm India’s commitment to preserving the legacy of the soldiers whose courage and sacrifice secured victory in the Kargil conflict.