A contingent of Army motorcyclists drawn from units that fought in the 1999 Kargil conflict on Tuesday left Leh for Partapur, the base camp of the Siachen Glacier, as part of a 12-day expedition commemorating the 27th anniversary of Operation Vijay and the bicentenary of the Regiment of Artillery.
The 20-member expedition left the Shanti Stupa in Leh for the next leg of their 2,400-km journey across Ladakh’s historic battlefields and frontier regions.
The ‘Gunners’ Ladakh Odyssey’ expedition commenced from the Kargil War Memorial at Drass on Monday after being flagged off by Brigadier Sarit Prakash, Deputy General Officer Commanding, 8 Mountain division.
“As the riders move through Khardung La to Partapur, they carry forward the enduring traditions of courage, sacrifice and duty that continue to inspire generations,” a senior Army officer said.
Led by Major General Arvind Yadav, Additional Director General, Artillery, the expedition will traverse the battlefields and strategically important areas of the Nubra, Shyok and Chushul valleys before culminating at Leh on August 14 in the presence of Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
The Army said the riders were selected from units that participated in the Kargil conflict and will pay homage at major war memorials, battlefields and forward locations associated with Operation Vijay across the Union territory.
During the expedition, the team will collect soil from key battlefields and forward posts across Ladakh. The soil will be used to nurture saplings that will later be planted at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass and the National War Memorial in New Delhi as a living tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives during the conflict, the officer said.
Besides commemorating the valour and sacrifice of the Kargil heroes, the expedition will also interact with ex-servicemen and “Veer Naris” (war widows) to honour their contribution and acknowledge their enduring sacrifices, the Army added. (PTI)
