Kargil Vijay Diwas 2021: Celebrations commence at Dras, See pics

Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on July 26 every year to commemorate the supreme sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers during the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan. 22 years ago on this day, the bravehearts of the Indian Army, aided by the Indian Air Force, had given a crushing defeat to Pakistan in Kargil.

The Kargil War is also an unforgettable saga of the Indian Army's indomitable bravery and exemplary courage and its expertise in high-altitude warfare against Pakistan under 'Operation Vijay' which was achieved with the help of the Indian Air Force's mission 'Operation Safed Sagar'.

On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, President Ram Nath Kovind paid tributes to soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending the nation and laid a wreath at the Dagger War Memorial in Jammu and Kashmir`s Baramulla.

The 60-day-long Kargil War, from May 3 to July 26, 1999, took place after Pakistani troops were detected on top of the Kargil ridges. Pakistan had started planning the attack in 1998 itself. It is also believed that the proposal for such an attack was given by previous Pakistan Army chiefs to Pakistani leaders but the proposals had then been shelved fearing an all-out war.

Even the then Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif claimed that he had no knowledge of such an attack till he got a call from his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee. 

General Bipin Rawat CDS receives the Swarnim Vijay Varsh Mashaal at the Kargil War Memorial in presence of Army Commander Northern Command, Formation Commanders, Gallantry Awardees, Veer Naris & Next of Kin of the Bravehearts at Dras, in Kargil on Monday.

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at National War Memorial to pay homage to the fallen heroes on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, in New Delhi on Monday (July 26).

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria, Chief of the Army Staff General M M Naravane, and Chief of Integrated Defence Staf

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur pays tribute to the martyrs of the Kargil war on the 22nd anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, at Kargil War Memorial, Dras, in Kargil on Monday (July 26).

This year's Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations were unique in two ways as the Kargil Vijay Diwas coincided with the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh Victory Flame’ reaching the Kargil War Memorial. The Journey of the Victory Flame across the country commemorates 50 years of triumph in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.  

Every year on this day, the nation pays homage to the supreme sacrifices made by our Bravehearts during Operation VIJAY in the Kargil War of 1999.