Remembering Kargil's Heroes
Remembering Kargil's Heroes
Seven years on July 26, 2006
India was busy celebrating then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's successful Lahore visit. Pakistan was busy putting its pawns in place for war with India.The battleground was high, the terrain was inhospitable, the task was tough. The Indian soldier's resolve was stronger, and the enemy got a fitting battering. And it has been seven years today, seven years since our pride was restored.
Because July 26 is Vijay Divas, the day we celebrate our victory in the Kargil War, the day the Indian soldier helped us hold our heads high.Units of the Pakistan army had occupied the heights overlooking the strategic National Highway 1 Alpha, the breathtaking road which runs from Srinagar to Leh. The highway is the lifeline to Ladakh and the all-important base on the Siachen glacier. India could not afford to let enemy guns batter this lifeline. The Indian Army was caught unawares. It took a while for it to take stock.For many brave, young Indians, it was their first war.
Those brave, young Indian soldiers needed to be heroes, not just men. They had to wrench back the high mountain posts the enemy had taken by deceit. Even in aggression, the Indian soldiers were restrained.
Their brief was: Do not cross the Line of Control, even if the enemy flees across; win back the peaks.
The Indian Army rose to the challenge. Its heroes climbed the perilous slopes with ammunition and weapons. They braved altitudes where just to breathe is a tough task. All the while, enemy gunfire and artillery rained on them. We Before I: Indian Army soldiers at the memorial service in Dras. Initially, India suffered setbacks and casualities. But onto the mountains of death climbed its bravest sons. Soon, the peaks began to fall.
The recapture of Tiger Hill was when the country knew that its soldiers had not died in vain. Kargil gave the country many young and fearless champions. Names like Captain Anuj Nayyar Lieutenant, later Captain Vikram Batra became household heroes.
Lest We Forget: Widows of Kargil War heroes at the Dras memorial service.We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.If you judge people, you have no time to love them". -- Mother Teresa
Never take some one for granted,Hold every person Close to your Heart because you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones.
