Kargil Vijay Diwas: Army to inaugurate 3 projects to tell tales of soldiers' valour

Drass (Kargil): The Army will on Saturday launch three key projects, including a portal where citizens can pay 'e-shradhanjali' to martyrs, as part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas to make people aware of soldiers' bravery and sacrifices. The other two projects are a QR code-based audio application on which people can listen to the stories of the battles fought during the 1999 Kargil war and the Indus Viewpoint, which will offer people a chance to go up to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Batalik sector. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on July 26 every year.

On this day in 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of 'Operation Vijay', declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle in the icy heights of Kargil, including super-high-altitude locations, such as Tololing and Tiger Hill. Giving details of the 'e-shradhanjali' project, an Army official said, "The citizens can now pay e-shradhanjali to the heroes who made the supreme sacrifice for the country without visiting memorials." The project is being launched to sensitise people about the sacrifices made by the armed forces and the hardships they face while discharging their duties, he said. Using the QR code-based application, people can listen to stories about the various battles that were fought during the 1999 Kargil war against Pakistani intruders. "The concept is similar to museums, where the visitors can listen to the details of the exhibits using earphones. Here people will get to listen to the saga of courage, valour, bravery and sacrifice by the soldiers," he added.

The third project to be inaugurated on this year's Vijay Diwas is the Indus Viewpoint, which will allow visitors to go up to the LoC in the Batalik sector. "This will give an idea to the visitors about the conditions in which soldiers serve, the difficulties and constant dangers they face on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the nation remains safe," the official said. Batalik was one of the main battlegrounds during the Kargil war. Besides battling the enemy, the soldiers had to contend with inhospitable terrain and high altitude. Located at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, Batalik was the focal point of Kargil war due to its strategic location between Kargil, Leh and Baltistan. The small village in the Indus River valley has now become a major tourist attraction.