Srinagar, July 25: Inclement weather halts Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to abandon his planned helicopter flight to Drass on Saturday, compelling him to land at Srinagar International Airport and travel by road to Darss for the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations.
Singh was scheduled to fly directly to Drass to participate in the two-day commemorative events marking India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil conflict.
However, poor weather conditions prevented the chopper from operating beyond Srinagar. The Defence Minister’s aircraft touched down at the Srinagar International Airport on Saturday morning, where he was received by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and General Officer Commanding of 15 Corps, Lieutenant General Balbir Singh.
After a brief halt in Srinagar, Singh proceeded by road to Drass, officials said.
The change in itinerary did not disrupt the overall schedule of the visit.
The two-day Kargil Vijay Diwas programme began in Drass on Saturday.
On Saturday evening, the Army is hosting Shaurya Sandhya at the Kargil War Memorial, where the Defence Minister will be the chief guest.
The event will pay tribute to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during Operation Vijay.
Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, Northern Command GOC-in-C Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, and GOC of the Fire and Fury Corps are among the senior officers expected to attend.
On Sunday, the armed forces will mark the formal 27th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas with the Shradhanjali Samaroh, a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass.
Singh will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in the presence of the Army Chief, war veterans, Veer Naris, Veer Matas, next of kin of the fallen soldiers, and other dignitaries including Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.
The ceremony will also feature ‘Gaurav Gatha’, recounting the extraordinary courage displayed by Indian troops on the icy heights of Kargil, followed by the inauguration of a Virtual Walkthrough Portal by the Defence Minister.
The portal will offer visitors an immersive digital experience of the history of the Kargil War Memorial.
Singh will later visit the Hut of Remembrance and address the gathering at the memorial helipad.
The programme will conclude with the flag-in of the ‘Shaurya Vijay Yatra’, a motorcycle expedition that began from the National War Memorial in New Delhi and culminates at Drass, symbolising the nation’s gratitude to the Kargil bravehearts.
Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates the successful culmination of Operation Vijay on July 26, 1999, when Indian forces recaptured the strategic peaks occupied by Pakistan.
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