- Wednesday, March 12, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
TOP Indian leaders on Tuesday (26) paid tributes to the country’s soldiers who fought the 1999 war with neighbour Pakistan on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil Victory Day). Tuesday marked the 23rd anniversary of India’s victory in the war over its arch-rival.
President Droupadi Murmu, who took oath of the prestigious office on Monday (25), called the day a “symbol of extraordinary valor” and said she “bows down” to all the “brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect Mother India”. Murmu, who is India’s first tribal president, also said that all the countrymen will be “indebted to the soldiers and their family members”.
In a tweet in Hindi, the president said, “Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of the extraordinary valour, might and determination of our armed forces. I bow to all the brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect Mother India. All the countrymen will always be indebted to him and his family members. Jai Hind!”
कारगिल विजय दिवस हमारे सशस्त्र बलों की असाधारण वीरता, पराक्रम और दृढ़ संकल्प का प्रतीक है। भारत माता की रक्षा के लिए अपने प्राण न्योछावर करने वाले सभी वीर सैनिकों को मैं नमन करती हूं। सभी देशवासी, उनके और उनके परिवारजनों के प्रति सदैव ऋणी रहेंगे। जय हिन्द!
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 26, 2022
Prime minister Narendra Modi said the Kargil Vijay Diwas is a “symbol of pride and glory” and added that he “salutes all brave sons of the country”.
“Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of pride and glory of Maa Bharati. On this occasion, my salute to all the brave sons of the country who have accomplished their valor in the defense of the motherland. Jai Hind!,” Modi wrote on Twitter.
कारगिल विजय दिवस मां भारती की आन-बान और शान का प्रतीक है। इस अवसर पर मातृभूमि की रक्षा में पराक्रम की पराकाष्ठा करने वाले देश के सभी साहसी सपूतों को मेरा शत-शत नमन। जय हिंद! pic.twitter.com/wIHyTrNPMU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2022
Defence minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the war and laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in Delhi.
He also tweeted saying, “On Kargil Vijay Diwas, India salutes the bravery, courage and sacrifice of our armed forces. They fought valiantly in extremely harsh conditions to defend our motherland. Their act of valour & indomitable spirit will remain etched forever as a defining moment in India’s history.”
On Kargil Vijay Diwas, India salutes the bravery, courage and sacrifice of our armed forces. They fought valiantly in extremely harsh conditions to defend our motherland. Their act of valour & indomitable spirit will remain etched forever as a defining moment in India’s history. pic.twitter.com/XSE24gM20r
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 26, 2022
The chiefs of India’s three services — Army chief General Manoj Pande, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar & Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari — also laid wreaths at the memorial.
Indian soldiers fought the war against Pakistan-backed intruders between May 8 and July 26, 1999, after the latter had entered the Indian territory across the Line of Control the previous winter and occupied fortified defences overlooking the NH 1A in Kargil’s Dras and Batalik Sectors of Ladakh region to dominate military and civil movements. The Indian troops defeated the intruders on July 26 to recover the occupied locations and since then, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on this date every year.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party was in power at that time with the late Atal Behari Vajpayee serving as the caretaker prime minister after he lost a no-confidence motion in the parliament. He returned to power after the election held later that year.
Several events were held to celebrate the occasion, including those at the Kargil War Memorial on Srinagar-Leh national highway in Dras between July 24 and 26.
