| Jammu, July 26 : The Army in Jammu today paid tributes to Kargil martyrs and heroes on the occasion of 'Vijay Diwas', a day commemorated as India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 conflict. "A solemn ceremony was held at Nagrota Garrison to commemorate the 16th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas," a defence spokesman said. General Officer Commanding (GoC) of 16 Corps, Lt Gen R R Nimbhorkar paid floral tributes to the martyrs at a wreath-laying ceremony organised at the 'Ashwamedh Shaurya Sthal' at Nagrota Garrison. In his message to the troops, the GoC exhorted all ranks to strive towards greater glory and success, with self belief and pride in their profession, Army and the nation. "This day is a reminder of the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers towards flushing out infiltrators from our sacred motherland. It was on this day when Indian Army with its inexorable courage, indomitable spirit and irrepressible valour inflicted defeat on Pakistan," he said. Another wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Warriors' Grove of the Crossed Swords Division where Major General Kulpreet Singh along with officers and men of the division paid homage to the gallant martyrs. "Indian Army's 'Operation Vijay' at Kargil heights epitomised the soldiers devotion to duty of the highest order," the spokesman said. At another programme, 168 Infantry Brigade, Samba remembered its brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice and brought glory to the nation. The Kargil war, which began in May 1999, lasted for more than two months before Pakistani soldiers, a bulk of them drawn from its Northern Light Infantry, and irregulars withdrew from the mountain tops they had occupied overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway. In the conflict, the Indian Army lost 490 officers, soldiers and jawans. |
