Bhubaneswar: The nation is paying homage to the martyrs of Kargil War today. It has been twenty years since these people made the supreme sacrifice for the country defending India and capture the highest outposts of Kargil from the hands of Pakistan.
The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days at times under -10 degrees Celsius temperature and ended with India regaining control of all the previously held territory. The central theme of this year’s celebrations is ‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’.
The whole nation stands united in remembering the heroes for their velour and sacrifice. The war took the lives of more than five hundred soldiers who fought and helped India fight back the enemy. Many also injured in the fight with the Pakistani regulars.
The soldiers who sacrificed their lives were from various parts of the country but united they fought. Some of them were also from Odisha.
Major Padmapani Acharya sacrificed his life fighting in the high hills of Kargil and was given the nation’s second highest military award – the Maha Veer Chakra for his gallantry.
The list includes many others such as Naik Sachidananda Mallick, Srinivash Patro, Driver-Soldier Gopinath Moharana, Flight Engineer Raj Kishore Sahoo, Lance Naik Ram Kumar Pradhan, Lance Naik Manas Ranjan Sahu, Rifleman Linkon Pradhan, Sergeant Raj Kishore Sahu, Signalman Rajan Sahu, Ganga Ram Das, Budhu Ram, and Niranjan.