In this photo from PTI archives, Indian army soldiers are seen at Tiger Hill in the Drass-Kargil area of Ladakh.
Credit: PTI photo
Shimla: "We did not bathe or shave for three months and on several occasions quenched our thirst by eating ice," recalled braveheart Naik Praveen on the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas Saturday.
Praveen, from the 10 JAK Rifles, said that on the evening of May 4, 1999, there were sudden orders to move to the Drass sector with only rifles as the climb was steep.
"After travelling all night, when we reached our destination the next morning, the village in Drass sector was empty and suddenly the Pakistani army started heavy bombing. Two soldiers from our group were martyred while two were injured," said Praveen, a resident of Sanjauli in Shimla, at a district-level function organized on the occasion.
"Food used to arrive at night," he added.
Pakistan had captured several hill tops including the Tiger Hill which is a prominent peak in Drass sector in Kargil, known for its strategic military importance as the peak offers a commanding view of the Srinagar-Leh highway.
Retired Subedar Major Diwakar Dutt Sharma (19 JAK Rifles) said the temperatures ranged from minus 30 to 40 degrees and the hills occupied by the enemy were very steep.
It was not possible to climb in one day and we had to stop at intervals, he said.
Then we attacked the enemy from behind when they had no clue, he added.
"We lost many of our soldiers in this war. But the Indian Army hoisted the flag of victory as everyone decided to take revenge for the martyrdom of our comrades and defeated the enemy during the Kargil war," said Subedar Major Ram Lal Sharma who was posted at the G unit along with his cousin Diwakar Dutt Sharma.
The Indian Army on July 26, 1999, announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory over Pakistan after a nearly three-month-long war on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap said that the ex-servicemen who were part of the Kargil war will share their experiences in schools so that the feeling of patriotism can be awakened in students.
He said that about 20 per cent of the soldiers killed in the Kargil war were from Himachal Pradesh.
Seven ex-servicemen from Shimla district were also honoured on the occasion.