Leh, July 26: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, along with Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, paid solemn tributes to the fallen heroes of the 1999 Kargil War at a commemorative ceremony held in Drass, Ladakh on the occasion of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas.
The leaders participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, honouring the brave soldiers who laid down their lives during ‘Operation Vijay’. A symbolic aerial flower shower by three helicopters added a moving tribute to the occasion, witnessed by war veterans, families of the martyrs, armed forces personnel, and citizens.
Mandaviya took to social media earlier in the day, stating, “On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we pay homage to our brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect Mother India. This day is a symbol of the indomitable courage and valour of our army.”
The day also witnessed a 1.5 km long ‘padyatra’ in Drass, led by the Union Sports Minister and joined by over 1,000 participants including youth volunteers, veterans, families of war heroes, and civil society members. The walk began from Himabass Public High School and culminated at Government Higher Secondary School, Bhimbet.
Adding to the commemorative initiatives, the ‘Indus Viewpoint’—a new tourism and awareness project—was inaugurated in the Batalik sector, one of the most strategic and fiercely contested zones during the Kargil War. Located at 10,000 feet above sea level, the viewpoint gives visitors a glimpse into the harsh conditions faced by soldiers at the Line of Control (LoC).
Drass, often referred to as the ‘Gateway to Ladakh,’ has become a symbolic location for India’s collective memory of the Kargil War. The 1999 conflict claimed the lives of over 500 Indian soldiers but ended in a hard-fought victory, restoring control over critical high-altitude posts occupied by enemy forces.
