CHANDIGARH: A solemn function to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas was held at Tagore Theatre Monday, paying tribute to the courage, sacrifice and patriotism of soldiers who secured India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil War.Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria attended was the chief guest, while ex-Army chief Gen Ved Prakash Malik, PVSM, AVSM (retd), who led the Army during the conflict, was the guest of honour.Recalling the conflict, Gen Malik described the victory as a result of close coordination between the govt led by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the military leadership.Speaking to TOI, Gen Malik said the biggest operational lessons from the war were the need to strengthen intelligence and surveillance capabilities and achieve greater self-reliance in defence production. Stressing the importance of Aatmanirbharta in military hardware, he recalled that the armed forces faced shortages of critical weapons and equipment during the conflict.“The man behind the gun is always more important. The young officers and soldiers are the ones who actually win wars. We must look after our soldiers,” he said.Reflecting on reforms that followed the war, Gen Malik said the govt had instituted the Kargil review committee, whose key recommendations included the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to improve tri-service integration and civil-military coordination.The programme began with a film on the Kargil War and audio clips recounting battlefield experiences. Lt Gen (Dr) KJ Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar (retd.), convener, National Security & International Relations Focus Group, Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, delivered the welcome address and described Kargil as a conflict in which young officers made their mark.A special feature of the event was the presence of Kargil veterans, including Capt (Hony) Yogendra Singh Yadav, PVC (retd.), Lt Gen Mohinder Puri, PVSM, UYSM (retd.), Lt Gen YK Joshi, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, Vr C, SM (Retd.), Lt Gen AN Aul, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (retd.), Brig Devinder Singh, VSM (retd.), Brig Kushal Thakur, YSM (retd.), Brig Vijay Bhaskar, Vr C (retd.), Capt (Hony) Raghunath Singh, Vr C (retd.), and Rifleman Harjinder Singh, a battle casualty of the war.The audience applauded as the veterans recounted their experiences and battlefield exploits. The Kargil heroes were felicitated, while Veer Naris and families of martyrs were also honoured during the programme.Addressing the gathering, Governor Kataria paid tribute to the valour and sacrifice of India’s armed forces and urged the youth to imbibe their ethos and values.The Tagore Theatre auditorium was packed with students, NCC cadets, armed forces veterans and residents from the tricity. A photo exhibition on the Kargil War displayed in the foyer was another major attraction.The valedictory address was delivered by Col D S Cheema (Retd.), who thanked the event’s sponsors.
