Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the bravehearts of the conflict in Kargil, Ladakh – part of the wider Jammu and Kashmir region of north India – against Pakistan on the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas (Victory Day) and said the occasion brings to the fore the heroic saga of those wonderful brave hearts of India who will always remain an inspiration for the countrymen.
"Kargil Vijay Diwas brings to the fore the heroic saga of those wonderful bravehearts of India, who will always remain an inspiration for the countrymen. On this special day, I bow down and salute them from the bottom of my heart. Long live India!" tweeted PM Narendra Modi in Hindi.
President Droupadi Murmu also paid tributes and said that heroic stories of bravehearts will always inspire generations to come.
"Today, on the glorious occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, all the countrymen remember the victory achieved by the extraordinary valour of our armed forces. On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay tribute and bow to the memory of the fighters who paved the way for victory by sacrificing their lives to protect the country. Their heroic stories will always inspire generations to come. Jai Hind!" President Murmu said in a tweet roughly translated from Hindi.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took to Twitter to pay his tributes to the fallen soldiers.
"On Kargil Vijay Diwas, join the nation in saluting the courage and unflinching commitment of our brave soldiers. We are ever grateful for their service and sacrifices," said Dr Jaishankar.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Drass in the Kargil district of Ladakh for the 24th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
The day is marked every year to pay homage to the fallen soldiers in the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan. The Raksha Mantri laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial here in memory of the fallen bravehearts in the icy heights of Kargil. He was chief guest at the sombre commemoration event.
Army Chief General Manoj Pande, too, paid floral tributes to the fallen jawans at the Kargil War Memorial while Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar also laid a wreath in memory of the bravehearts. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, also laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in tribute to the fallen soldiers in the Kargil conflict.
(ANI)