Leh, 26 July (H.S.): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth and senior military officers on Sunday paid tributes to the country’s bravehearts at a dedicated war memorial here, marking the 27th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The sun shone bright in the morning in the Dras Valley as Singh laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial, offering his homage to the fallen heroes.

Before him, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Army Chief General Seth, and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, laid wreaths at the war memorial, among other senior officers of the force.

Three helicopters in arrowhead formation, led by an advanced light helicopter and followed by two Cheetals, showered floral petals on the memorial.

The defence minister, who arrived at Dras, Ladakh on Saturday, was the chief guest at the ‘Shradhanjali Samaroh’ – wreath-laying ceremony – at the Kargil War Memorial.

On a rain-soaked evening in Dras, the Army on Saturday hosted a ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ at the war memorial, honouring the indomitable courage displayed by the Indian soldiers during Operation Vijay in 1999 and paying rich tributes to the fallen heroes. Indianews headlines

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar