Our tribute to the Two Lakh Indian Soldiers who, in one mind and one body, protected the honor of our Bharat Mata. Watch the Kargil Vijay Divas Special by Prachyam on the war in which valiant sons of India laid down their lives for our security and happiness!
It was the 2nd of May 1999. The soldier did not believe his ears when the yak herder frantically informed what was happening on the mountains of the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The war, which had battles where a round was fired every minute for seventeen days, started due to the massive infiltration of army personnel dressed as terrorists from the other side of the border. With its usual tactic of not accepting facts, Pakistan denied its involvement, while the infiltrators used army-issued weapons to destroy an ammunition depot on the 9th of May 1999. Their mission was clear; revenge for what was lost in 1971. Their first task was to infiltrate and capture the Indian bunkers when it was the coldest, in the absence of the Army, and cut off Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir to create instability in the region.
In response to this, all the three forces were summoned, and three different but coordinated operations were chalked out. The Indian Navy, with Operation 'Talwar', blockaded the Karachi port, thus effectively cutting Pakistan from help. With Operation 'Safed Sagar', the Air Force rained hellfire over the enemies in the most unsafe flying zone of the world. The Indian Army, with Operation 'Vijay', crushed the Pakistani forces.
The Indian side saw the dishonesty and cruelty of the enemy during the war, which set the road map of future engagement with Pakistan. The treacherous enemy, which did not consider itself bound by the rules of war, captured one of our patrol team on the 5th of May 1999 through sheer deceit. On the 9th of June 1999, bodies of the patrol team led by the brave Lt Saurabh Kalia were returned from Pakistan after they were ambushed, captured, and brutally tortured for over 20 days. This shocked the nation beyond any measure. Transcending all the differences, the peace-loving nation, headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the time, resolved to show its strength to protect the peace.
The 85-day war at -10 degrees Celsius took from us 527 brave soldiers and left with us 1363 injured soldiers proudly owning battle scars with their heads high with pride for their Mother.
Yes, the Kargil War was fought on the blueprints laid down by the strategic prowess of the greatest minds in the armed forces, but triumph rode on the able shoulders of brave young soldiers with a clear intention. Filled with love for their Motherland and full of determination, they defended Her even if it meant wading through a deluge while the heavens rained fire on them. They gave their bodies, their minds, and their lives and still wished if they could provide more. Two lakh soldiers, in one mind, and one body, protected the honor of Bhaarat Mata, and all of the glory unfurled itself on this day, twenty-two years ago.
This video is our heartfelt tribute to the valiant sons of India, who laid down their lives for our security and happiness. #KargilVijayDivas
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