People from different walks of life gathered in large number to pay homage to martyrs of the 1999 Kargil War, during various programmes held on Saturday.
In Dharwad, a programme was held to mark the 15{+t}{+h}anniversary of the war at Kargil Obelisk. Ex-servicemen, government officials, NCC Cadets and Scouts & Guides were among the crowd that queued up at the Kargil Obelisk to pay their tributes.
As a mark of respect, two minutes silence was observed and the valour of the Indian soldiers was praised.
Members of martyr soldier’s families broke down as one of the speakers narrated the Kargil War story on the occasion.
Former journalist Krishna Joshi said that 533 Indian soldiers had to sacrifice their lives to protect the motherland, and 13 of them were from Karnataka.
The Kargil war, which began on May 8, 1999, lasted for 74 days. Before the Kargil war, the Indian Army was returning only the uniforms of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the battle, but after the Kargil war, even the bodies of the martyrs were being returned to their hometowns, he said.
He called upon the youth to honour the soldiers who gave away their lives to protect the country from intruders.
Dignitaries including Hubli-Dharwad Mayor Shivu Hiremath and District Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Board Deputy Director Ishwar Kodalli laid floral wreaths at the monument. ‘Veer naariyan’ — women who lost their sons and husbands in the Kargil War — were honoured.
Processions
In Hubli, a large number of students took out a procession under the aegis of Sri Gajanan Mahamandal from Lamington High School to Kittur Channamma Circle raising slogans in praise of Indian soldiers and the martyrs of Kargil war. Flagging off the procession, Major (retired) A.D. Doddamani stressed the need to provide advanced arms and ammunition to the security forces guarding the country in the border areas.
Akhil Bharat Vidyarthi Parishad observed ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ at KLE Society’s Polytechnic in Hubli. ABVP national secretary Vinay Bidare regretted that youths falling prey to drugs of late, and called on the young generation to contribute towards nation building by joining the armed forces.
In a voluntary blood donation programme organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad at Rashtrotthana Blood Bank to mark ‘Kargil Vijayotsav’, around 50 persons, including BJP leaders like Mahesh Tenginakai, donated blood.
Tributes
Raichur Youth Force, a non-political organisation, celebrated Kargil Vijay Diwas in Raichur on Saturday.
Hundreds of activists associated with the organisation laid floral wreaths on the Mahatma Gandhi statue outside the Mahatama Gandhi Stadium and raised slogans hailing the sacrifice of soldiers in Kargil War. Sundar Singh, president of Retired Soldiers Association, expressed concern over the younger generation’s reluctance to join security forces.
“Our joining the Army was prompted by an overwhelming sense of patriotism and not livelihood concerns. But the younger generation these days is very much reluctant to join security forces as the job is risky,” he said.
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