Chandigarh, July 26 (IANS) On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Army veterans on Sunday recalled their experiences of serving the nation, remembered the sacrifices made during military operations and expressed pride in wearing the uniform and defending the country.
Speaking to IANS, former Army officer Jyoti Sharma recounted the injuries he sustained during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“During my Army service, I was shot in both legs during an operation in Kashmir, which led to 14–15 surgeries. Today, we feel proud to receive scooters from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Punjab & Sind Bank on Kargil Vijay Diwas, and we sincerely thank them. We were posted in Kupwara and had gone on a patrol during an operation when terrorists opened fire on us. I was injured in the firing, but by God’s grace, I survived and am now with my family. I feel proud that I had the opportunity to serve the country,” Sharma said.
Former Major V.V. Narayanan highlighted the core values of the Indian Army, saying, “We in the Army believe that the safety, honour and welfare of the nation always come first, while the safety, honour and welfare of the troops come second.”
Former Colonel Uday Kumar said Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day to honour the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers who secured India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil War.
“Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas. It marks the day we won the Kargil War. In 1999, Pakistani intruders occupied strategic heights in the Kargil sector, but they were eventually driven out by our armed forces. Many brave soldiers laid down their lives during the operation, and we commemorate this day in their memory and pay tribute to their supreme sacrifice,” he said.
The country is observing the 27th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, which commemorates India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil War.
The day honours 527 soldiers who lost their lives during Operation Vijay and recognises the courage and determination of thousands of personnel who fought under some of the harshest battlefield conditions in the world.
The Kargil conflict, fought between May and July 1999, remains the only conventional war between two nuclear-armed neighbours. The battles took place at altitudes of over 5,000 metres across the mountainous regions of Kargil, Dras, Batalik, Mushkoh and Kaksar in Ladakh.
Despite freezing temperatures, difficult terrain and heavily fortified enemy positions on strategic peaks, Indian forces successfully drove out Pakistani intruders without crossing the Line of Control (LoC), earning international recognition for their professionalism and military restraint.
Over the years, the victory has come to symbolise not only India’s military strength but also a defining moment that reshaped the country’s defence preparedness, strategic planning and national security framework.
–IANS
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