These Mumbaikars reached Kargil today (26 July 2024)

Mumbaikars who arrived at the Drass War Memorial today to pay tribute to the martyrs of the war between India and Pakistan in Kargil; share their patriotism and unique stories of their journey.

The true celebration of our victory in the Kargil War can only be done by remembering the brave soldiers who laid down their lives. The three-month-long conflict claimed the lives of 527 of our soldiers. To honour the valour of these 527 soldiers who achieved martyrdom fighting against the enemy, a group of Mumbaikars will embark on a road trip to Kargil, aiming to arrive on 26th July, the day commemorating their sacrifice. Let’s discuss with them their purpose in making this journey and the activities they plan to undertake.

This Group Will Deliver 2,500 Rakhis and Letters from Schoolchildren to Soldiers in Kargil

In 2016, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Tosh Thakkar from Mumbai visited the Kargil War Memorial for the first time. For anyone travelling in such mountainous terrain, it’s impossible not to feel empathy for the soldiers standing guard, protecting the nation amidst the challenging geographical conditions. Particularly, witnessing how our soldiers stood firm and fought in a war waged at such an altitude is enough to give anyone goosebumps. This experience led Tosh to start a group tour to Drass War Memorial every 26th July, hoping to instil the same sense of patriotism in others. As a lover of the mountains, Tosh runs a travel company called ‘Terraveller,’ which not only showcases the beauty of the mountains but also acquaints people with the harsh ground realities there. Speaking about the special Kargil Vijay Diwas trip, he says, “When you visit the Kargil War Memorial on 26th July, the atmosphere there is unique and indescribable. Saluting our soldiers doesn’t feel sufficient enough to honour them. That’s why I decided to organise this special tour, and along with that, I started a campaign to take rakhis for the soldiers. I got this idea from Harshal Pushkarna, the founder of Gypsy Magazine and a man with great respect for the army, with whom I have spent considerable time. So far, we’ve personally delivered thousands of rakhis to the soldiers.”

This time, Tosh has organised a tour for a group of 14 people. The group, travelling in four vehicles, left Mumbai and has already reached Srinagar, with plans to arrive in Kargil this morning. Niranjanbhai, who works in the catering business in Mumbai, says, “This is my second time here with rakhis to honour the soldiers, especially for Kargil Vijay Diwas with Tosh bhai. We are a group of 14 cousins. The joy we feel is beyond words. The soldiers are in such difficult conditions. We have 2,500 rakhis with us, and we’ll be encouraging other tourists to give these rakhis to the soldiers. Besides the Kargil War Memorial, we’ll also visit remote areas along the border and deliver letters, greeting cards, and rakhis made by school children from the Konkan region of Maharashtra to the army posts. We’ve received rakhis from various places. Upon reading the letters, many soldiers even call the numbers mentioned to express their gratitude. When such calls reach the parents of these children, their happiness knows no bounds.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is very close to our hearts because, in 2019, after returning from Kargil, the very next day, Article 370 was abrogated in Kashmir. This time, I’ve come to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Kargil War.”

It’s worth noting that this group started their journey from Mumbai on 19th June and will return on 9th August.

Source – Mid day Gujarati

Download the original and complete article from here

Author : Ruchita Shah (Journalist Mid day)
Translation : Tosh Thakkar