Kargil Vijay Diwas is the celebration of India’s historic win over Pakistan on July 26, 1999. The Indian Army successfully removed Pakistani forces who were illegally occupying a hilltop at the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) at Kargil, Ladakh. To commemorate this victory and remember those who sacrificed their lives for this country, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated annually in India on July 26.
How is Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated?
Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated all across the country. The Prime Minister of India is known to pay tribute to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate every year. There is a Kargil War memorial as well in Dras on the foothills of Tololing Hill. It was built by the Indian Army and honours the soldiers who lost their lives during the war. Interestingly, the gateway of the memorial has a poem named ‘Pushp Kii Abhilasha’ inscribed on it and the names of the martyrs are also inscribed on the Memorial Wall there.
History of Kargil War:
- As history has it, India was successful in evicting the Pakistani troops from its territory as the war ended on July 26. This momentous day came to be known as Kargil Vijay Diwas. It should be noted that 527 soldiers sacrificed their lives for the country during the war.
- The Kargil War was fought between May-July of 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) in which India got victory.
- The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days and ended on 26 July.
- On this date in 1999 Pakistan army took advantage of the melting snow and betraying the bilateral understanding of both the nations (that the post would remain unattended during the winter season) took command of the high outposts of India.
- Pakistan army refused the claims that its soldiers were involved in the war and claimed that they were the rebels from Kashmir itself, but the ammunition, identity cards, rations stores and other evidence prove that the Pakistan army was behind this cowardly act.
Indian Army Operation Vijay:
- The operation was launched by the Indian Army twice in Indian history. The first Operation Vijay was launched in 1961 which led to the capture of Goa, Anjediva islands and Daman and Diu.
- The second operation was launched in 1999. Both the operations were of huge success. However, Kargil Vijay However, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is marked by the culmination of the Kargil war.
- July 26 is celebrated as “Kargil Vijay Diwas” every year to mark the successful completion of “Operation Vijay” that ended the 3-month war along the Line of Control. Nearly 490 Indian army officers, soldiers and jawans were martyrs during the course of the battle.
Indian Air Force Operation White Sea:
Operation White Sea was also launched during the Kargil war, in 1999. During the operation, the Indian Air Force jointly acted with the Indian Army to flush out regular and irregular troops of the Pakistani army.
