Kargil Vijay Diwas: President Ram Nath Kovind to pay respects at Kargil War Memorial, Dras

President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit the Kargil War Memorial in Dras on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26. 

As per a press release by the President's Secretariat, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces will visit the war memorial and pay his homage to the soldiers and officers of the Indian Army who were martyred in the Kargil War of 1999. 

Kargil Vijay Diwas: Take A Look At Indian Army's Tributes Dedicated To Martyrs Of The 1999 Kargil War

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Ex-Army Chief General VP Malik visited the Kargil War Memorial:

Drass(J&K): Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Ex-Army Chief General VP Malik at Kargil War Memorial. #KargilVijayDiwas pic.twitter.com/keY6XIx3Ub

— ANI (@ANI)

The Indian Army's Corps of Signal displayed their skills in Dras as a part of Kargil Vijay Diwas:

The 'Dare Devils' Motorcycle Rider Display Team of the Corps of Signals #IndianArmy performed in Dras, as part of Kargil Vijay Diwas celebration. The spectacular show of agility, physical endurance & sportsmanship spellbound the august gathering.#20YearsToKargilVijay pic.twitter.com/ZARZqjaJKj

— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi)

Kargil Vijay Diwas: Recounting The Battle For Tiger Hill - The Turning Point Of The 1999 Kargil War

Earlier on July 20, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too visited the Kargil War Memorial at Dras to pay respects to the Kargil martyrs. The Raksha Mantri was accompanied by MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat and the General Officer Commanding in Chief Northern Command Lt General Ranbir Singh. ​

Kargil Vijay Diwas: Here's The Timeline Of How India Successfully Routed Pakistan's Infiltration Attempts In 1999

The Raksha Mantri laid a wreath in memory of the gallant martyrs of Operation Vijay at the iconic Kargil War Memorial, which was followed by observing of one-minute silence as a mark of respect for the fallen heroes. He subsequently visited the 'Veer Bhoomi' and the ‘Hut of Remembrance’ which are co-located in the Memorial premises. During his visit, the Raksha Mantri was briefed on Operation VIJAY including the heroic actions of the Indian troops in thwarting the evil designs of the enemy in the Dras, Kargil and Batalik Sectors.

THE KARGIL WAR OF 1999

It was on July 26, 1999, when the Indian Army recaptured all the Indian posts in Kargil which had been occupied by Pakistani Army. The war that took place between May and July of 1999 in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil district, was orchestrated by the then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf without awareness of the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Musharraf would later stage a coup and take over the Pakistan government. 

The Pakistan Army infiltrated into Indian territory in remote locations using subterfuge and captured several mountain tops overlooking the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway, after which the Indian Army launched "Operation Vijay", based on the information from local shepherds about they alleged positions. Even as the Pakistani Army had positioned itself at higher altitudes due to its first-move infiltration, the Indian Army was quick to respond. Amid the war, Pakistan had asked the US to intervene, however, the then US President Bill Clinton refused to help until Pakistani forces withdrew from the Line of Control. The Indian Army attacked and defeated Pakistan, recapturing all positions by July 26, 1999. 

Since then, July 26 has been annually observed to commemorate the sacrifices of the soldiers in the Kargil War - the Kargil Vijay Diwas.