Commemorating 20 years of the Kargil War, the Indian Air Force on Monday recreated Tiger Hill attack and static display of Mirage-2000 and other aircraft used during ‘Operation Vijay’, reports ANI.
#WATCH Commemorating 20 years of #KargilWar, Indian Air Force at Gwalior Air Base recreates Tiger Hill attack and display aircraft used during ‘Operation Vijay’. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/K3kh4FPnXW
— ANI (@ANI) June 24, 2019
Ahead of the 20th anniversary in July of the India-Pakistan war, the IAF has planned several activities at the Gwalior Air Base. Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa will be the Chief Guest at the event to honour the brave soldiers who had laid their lives during the Kargil war.
Reportedly, several gallantry award winners, both serving and retired, who had participated in ‘Operation Vijay’ would be attending the event at the Gwalior Air Base. A number of events have been also planned by the Indian Army in Delhi and Dras in Jammu and Kashmir next month to mark the 20th anniversary of the ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’, officials earlier said.
The anniversary celebrations for this year will be spread over three days from July 25-27.
“However, as part of the build-up to the main event, numerous activities have been planned to be organised all over the country from the first week of July,” an official said.
Reportedly, the celebrations in Delhi will begin on July 14 with the illumination of a ‘Victory Flame’ from the National War Memorial here, which would traverse through 11 towns and cities to finally culminate at Dras where it will be merged with the eternal flame at the ‘Kargil War Memorial’, he said.
The objective of these celebrations is to evoke a feeling of patriotism through nationwide campaigns especially amongst the youth and to pay homage to the valiant soldiers.
“The Kargil War will always be remembered for its strategic and tactical surprises, the self-imposed national strategy of restraint in keeping the war limited to Kargil-Siachen sectors, and the swiftly executed tri-services military strategy and plans,” the Army had said.
The Kargil war took place between May and July of 1999 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kargil district. The conflict was orchestrated by the then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf without the knowledge of the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The war began with the infiltration of both Pakistani troops and terrorists into Indian territory. The infiltrators positioned themselves in key locations that gave them a strategic advantage during the start of the conflict. After local shepherds became aware of the incursions, the Indian Army was able to ascertain the points of incursion and launch “Operation Vijay”.
The Battle of Tiger Hill is one of the bravest battles fought around the peak of Tiger Hill by the Indian Army against Pakistan from May to June in 1999, during the Kargil War. The Indian Army had launched an offence against the Pakistani intruders on top of Tiger Hill, The three battalions of the Indian Army, namely 18 Grenadiers, 2 Naga, and 8 Sikh, were given the responsibility to capture the peak, with additional support from the artillery.
After a difficult operation, which lasted 36 hours, the Indian Army re-captured Tiger Hill. In all, 38 Indian troops were killed in action, while 92 Pakistani troops were killed in action. Yogendra Singh Yadav of 18 Grenadiers was awarded the highest military honour of the Indian Republic, the Param Vir Chakra. Overall Yadav was hit by 14 bullets and played a major role in the capture of Tiger hills.
