Srinagar: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said every soldier of the Indian Armed forces will stand steadfast in his ‘Dharma’ of protecting the nation and if need be, make the supreme sacrifice beyond the call of duty.
Lt Gen Dwivedi was addressing a gathering after a wreath-laying ceremony held at Kargil War Memorial in Drass to pay tribute to soldiers who lost lives in the 1999 Kargil war.
The Kargil “Vijay Diwas” (victory day) is celebrated every year to commemorate India’s spectacular victory over Pakistan on this day in 1999.
“Kargil Vijay Diwas commemoration is our way of remembering and reliving the saga of heroism and sacrifices that stand apart as a lesson to each citizen and motivate youth to achieve the greater good,” the northern Commander said in his address.
“My similar message to the citizens of the country is every soldier of Indian Armed forces will stand steadfast in his ‘Dharma’ of protecting the nation and if need be make the supreme sacrifice beyond the call of duty,” he added.
Lt Gen Dwivedi also urged the youth to take inspiration from this legacy and the deeds of the brave hearts to be retold through stories so as to inspire future generations of the country.
He said since Independence whenever called upon, the Indian armed forces have exhibited unparalleled, selfless devotion to duty, sacrifice, and valour.
“Needless to say, the nation too is deeply indebted to the sacrifices made by our brave hearts,” he said.
The northern commander said in 1999, that the infiltrators including the Pakistan regulars had occupied certain ridge lines on this side of the Line of Control, and evicting these heavily armed infiltrators from the defensive positions became a national priority.
“It was then that the brave hearts of the Indian Armed forces responded with alacrity and unique characteristic of the nation before self. Braving unprecedented hardships, overcoming hazardous of near impossible terrain and surpassing the challenges of climatic conditions, Indian Armed forces accomplished the task,” he said.
