Ghar-Ghar Shaurya Samman Initiative & Kargil Vijay Diwas | Haryana | 17 Jun 2025

Why in News? 

As part of the 'Ghar-Ghar Shaurya Samman' initiative, the Indian Army paid tribute to the valour of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Kargil War by presenting their families with a certificate of honour and a memento. 

• As the country prepares to observe the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26th July 2025, this initiative exemplifies the Army's unwavering dedication to its soldiers and their loved ones.

Key Points

• Kargil Vijay Diwas: 
  • On 26th July, 1999, the Indian Army declared the success of Operation Vijay, marking victory in the nearly three-month-long Kargil conflict. 
  • Key battle sites included Tololing and Tiger Hill, known for their extreme altitudes and harsh terrain. 
  • During the Kargil War, the region was part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. 
    • After the 2020 reorganisation, Kargil now lies in the Union Territory of Ladakh, known for its rugged landscape and high-altitude terrain. 
  • Background:  
    • India and Pakistan have a history of conflicts, including a significant one in 1971 that led to the creation of Bangladesh. 
    • Post-1971, both nations faced ongoing tensions, particularly vying for control over the Siachen Glacier through military outposts on nearby mountain ridges. 
    • In 1998, both countries conducted nuclear tests, escalating tensions. The Lahore Declaration in February 1999 aimed to resolve the Kashmir conflict peacefully and bilaterally. 
    • During the winter of 1998-1999, Pakistani armed forces covertly trained and deployed troops across the Line of Control (LOC) to seize fortified positions overlooking NH 1A in the Drass and Batalik Sectors of Kargil, Ladakh. 
    • Indian troops initially mistook the infiltrators for terrorists or 'jihadis,' but it soon became clear that the attack was a well-organised military operation. 
    • It was fought in the summer of 1999 along a 170km mountain frontier, stretching from Mashkoh Valley to Turtuk in the Kargil sector. 
    • In response, India launched Operation Vijay, deploying over 200,000 troops to the region to counter the incursion. 
  • Significance of Kargil War Diwas:  
    • Since 1999, 26th July has been observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas to remember and honour the supreme sacrifices made by Indian soldiers during the war. 
    • The Kargil War memorial in Dras was built in 2000 by the Indian Army to commemorate the success of Operation Vijay in 1999.  
      • It was later renovated in 2014. It is also known as the "Dras War Memorial" due to its location in the town of Dras in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. 
    • The National War Memorial, inaugurated in 2019, is dedicated to soldiers who sacrificed their lives in various conflicts and missions, including the Sino-Indian war in 1962, Indo-Pak wars in 1947, 1965, and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Sri Lanka 1987-90, and the Kargil Conflict in 1999.