Nation Observes 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas

• India commemorated the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas in Drass, Ladakh.
• Tributes were paid to martyrs, and new projects like an e-shradhanjali portal launched.
• The event featured a padyatra led by the Sports Minister and felicitation of war heroes’ families.

GG News Bureau
Drass, Ladakh, 26th July: As the nation commemorates the supreme sacrifice of its martyrs on the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, a series of functions are underway in Drass town of Ladakh today, Saturday, July 26, 2025. Dignitaries and citizens gathered to pay homage to the heroes of the 1999 Kargil conflict.

J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, paid tributes, stating, “On Kargil Vijay Diwas, I bow to our martyrs and salute their bravery, courage and sacrifice. Our heroes fought in the most inhospitable terrain in the world and conquered the enemy. The gallantry, valour and supreme sacrifice of our soldiers will inspire the generations to come.” The Army’s Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command also commemorated its bravehearts, noting that a series of poignant events, from cycling expeditions and marathons to cricket tournaments and adventurous treks, honored the indomitable spirit of the armed forces. Special ceremonies were held to felicitate the Next of Kin of Kargil heroes, acknowledging their ultimate sacrifice.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, MoS Defence Sanjay Seth, and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi attended the celebrations at Drass. Both union ministers had arrived in Kargil town on Friday, participating in various cultural functions.

As part of the commemorations, the army is set to launch three projects in the Kargil district today. These include a portal allowing citizens to pay ‘e-shradhanjali’ (digital tributes) to martyrs. The Union Sports Minister led a 1.5-kilometer long ‘padyatra’ (foot march) in Drass, commencing from Himabass Public High School and concluding at Government Higher Secondary School, Bhimbet, with over 1,000 youth volunteers, veterans, armed forces personnel, families of fallen soldiers, and civil society members participating. The third project inaugurated is the Indus Viewpoint, which will provide visitors access to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Batalik sector, offering insights into the challenging conditions faced by soldiers. Located 10,000 feet above sea level, Batalik was a strategic focal point during the Kargil War and has since become a major tourist attraction.

This day in 1999 marked the successful culmination of ‘Operation Vijay’, as the Indian Army declared victory after a nearly three-month-long battle against infiltrators in the Kargil heights.