Guwahati: The 1999 Kargil war was one of the valiant wars fought by the Indian Armed Forces in extremely inhospitable high altitude terrain of Jammu & Kashmir.
The bravery of our Armed Forces against extreme odds and the sacrifices made by them continue to serve as a source of inspiration to the nation as a whole even today, Assam’s Guwahati-based Defence PRO Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said.
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This decisive victory is celebrated as the ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ on July 26 every year to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay against Pakistan, he said.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Kargil war and a host of events have been planned as a run up to the main event of ‘Rajat Mahotsav’ of ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to be celebrated on July 26, 2024, he added.
One such event, organised under the aegis of Headquarters Uniform Force, was an ‘All Women Motorbike Rally,’ planned from Leh to Kargil through the challenging terrain of Ladakh across Khardung La and Umling La, world’s highest two motorable passes, he said.
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This has been a befitting tribute to the indomitable spirit of the Indian soldier and a salute to the ‘Nari Shakti,’ which has broken the stereotypes of male domination in adventure activities and has showcased the unparalleled determination, fearlessness, valour, commitment and devotion of women in the Indian Armed Forces, he added.
The rally team comprised 25 experienced women riders on pan India basis mainly consisting of military spouses, serving women officers and other ranks.
The rally was conducted over a period of 16 days commencing from the Leh War Memorial and culminating at the Kargil War Memorial, he said.
The riders en route paid homage to the martyrs at five major memorials in Ladakh viz Hall of Fame (Leh), Siachen War Memorial, Rezang La War Memorial (Chushul), Trishul War Memorial (Karu) and Kargil War Memorial, he added.
In addition, the women riders also had the opportunity of crossing Khardung La – 18,380 feet and Umling La – 19,300 feet, being the world’s highest two motorable passes, he said.
Lt Col Rawat further said that various civil agencies joined hands with the Indian Army in organising the bike rally showcasing their unparalleled reverence for the brave hearts of Kargil war.