Rich tributes to Kargil’s Heroes

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5 Dariya News Service (Vijyender  Sharma)

Shimla , 26 Jul 2012

Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has paid tributes to Kargil heroes on the occasion of 13th Kargil Vijay Diwas, being observed here today. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the young soldiers from Himachal Pradesh had shown exemplary courage and made supreme sacrifices during Kargil conflict. He said that people of Himachal Pradesh were proud of the sons of the State who made supreme sacrifices during Kargil as well as in other operations that took place in the past to guard the frontiers of the Nation.Prof. Dhumal said that brave soldiers from Himachal Pradesh had always been contributing significantly towards the national cause. He said that First Param Veer Chakra Awardee of Independent India, Major Som Nath Sharma, hailed from Palampur in district Kangra. He said that highest, 52 soldiers, attained martyrhood in the ‘Operation Vijay’ launched in Kargil of Ladakh region to evict infiltrators from the homeland. He said that during the conflict he had personally visited Kargil area and Srinagar to boost morale of soldiers fighting with foreign emissaries and injured admitted in various hospitals there. Chief Minister said that he had visited families of each of the martyr to join them at their hour of grief. He said that it had been under the dynamic and visionary leadership of the then Prime Minister, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, that the intruders were flushed out of Kargil hills and captured positions reclaimed. He said that out of four Param Veer Chakras awarded during the ‘Operation Vijay’, two were won by soldiers from Himachal Pradesh, Capt. Vikram Batra and Hav. Sanjay Kumar. Chief Minister said that State Government was committed for the welfare of serving soldiers and ex servicemen of the state and various benefits had been provided to them during last four and half years. He said that ‘Yudh Jagir Rashi' had been enhanced from Rs.900 to Rs. 2000 per annum. He said that winners of Medals were being given cash awards by the State Government. He said that the State Government had created a separate department to look after the welfare of ex-servicemen and a Corporation for their rehabilitation.