The Kargil War was fought between India and Pakistan between May and July 1999, in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control. During the war, the Indian Army evicted Pakistani intruders and succeeded in capturing Tiger Hill and other posts, as a part of Operation Vijay. The 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas is going to be held on 26 July, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kargil War Memorial, Dras, followed by various other commemorative and solemn functions.
The Officers, Staff and Cadets of Gujarat NCC Directorate attended an interactive meeting with the Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani at CM’s Residence Gandhinagar, organised to honour the Cadets and Staff of Gujarat Directorate for the exemplary work done by them in creating awareness about Covid-19 amongst the people of Gujarat through the #EkMaiSauKeLiye Campaign which is a brainchild of Major General Arvind Kapoor, Additional Director General, NCC Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. As is known the Gujarat NCC Directorate has been running the #EkMaiSauKeLiye Twitter Campaign, all over Gujarat, since 1 May.
With the fourth phase of the Campaign nearing completion, the Gujarat NCC cadets are presently in the process of connecting with the Gujarat Corona Warriors – doctors nurses, ward boys, ambulance drivers, hospital staff and sanitation staff to thank and motivate them for their indomitable spirit. The NCC cadets of Gujarat have done phenomenal work in this Campaign, having crossed over 12,00,000 views on Twitter, in a matter of two months. Thus on 7 June, the Gujarat NCC Directorate was awarded the Certificate of Commitment by the World Book of Records, London, validating their dedicated and relentless commitment, for the prevention of Covid-19.
At a function held at the CM’s Residence, Phase 5 of the #EkMaiSauKeLiye Campaign was formally launched by CM Rupani. Aptly titled, “Kargil Ke Veeron Ko Gujarat Ka Aabhaar”, keeping in sync with the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil War, in this phase, from 5 to 15 July, all the NCC cadets in Gujarat will be making thank you and gratitude cards for the soldiers who lost their lives in the Kargil War and those presently deployed in Kargil and the national borders. 25,000 such handmade cards will be made by the Gujarat NCC cadets. He also congratulated Major General Arvind Kapoor, staff and cadets of Gujarat NCC Directorate for having been recognised by the World Book of Records, London by being accorded the “Certificate of Commitment”.
On 17 July, these 25,000 cards made by the NCC cadets of Gujarat will be appropriately packed and ceremoniously dispatched to HQs Northern Command, Udhampur, duly flagged off by the hands of the CM of Gujarat, at a function to be held in the CMs office.
On 18 July, all the cartons containing the cards would be ceremoniously carried by the Western Railway, under the aegis of the Gujarat NCC Directorate by train from Ahmedabad to Katra and further onto Udhampur. At Udhampur, on 20 July 2021, all the cartons are expected to be ceremoniously received by Lieutenant General YK Joshi, UYSM, AVSM, VrC, SM, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command. The General officer, who was then a Lieutenant Colonel, in the Kargil war, led the 13th Battalion of the JAK RIF in Dras and was awarded the Vir Chakra gallantry award in this action. Between 21 to 25 July, these 25,000 cards made by the Gujarat NCC cadets will be handed over to all the soldiers deployed in the Kargil sector, and the national borders, as a mark of gratitude from the cadets of the State of Gujarat. On 26 July 2021, the 22nd anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, while a solemn function would be held at the Kargil War Memorial, Dras, the ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ blood donation drives would be held by the five NCC Groups of the Gujarat NCC Directorate, all over Gujarat, at Ahmedabad, Vadodra, Jamnagar, Rajkot and VV Nagar, wherein at each place, with due covid protocols, a total of 500 NCC cadets would donate blood, as a mark of respect for all the soldiers who laid down their lives in the Kargil War, while fighting for the Nation on the borders, as also those presently serving the Nation.
Gujarat CM would be the Chief Guest for the main function at NCC Group Headquarters, Law Garden, Ahmedabad. Similar ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ blood donation drives, would be held in all the NCC Group Headquarters at Vadodra, Jamnagar, Rajkot and VV Nagar. This would be Gujarat states major contribution, through the NCC cadets of Gujarat towards recognising the contribution made by the Armed Forces during the Kargil War and also give a major lesson to the youth of the State, to meet their social service and community development responsibilities, as part of Nation Building.
The launch of this phase of the campaign under the slogan “Kargil Ke Veeron Ko Gujarat Ka Aabhaar”, by the CM Rupani last week, and subsequently on 17 and 26 July, would go a long way in motivating the youth of the state and NCC cadets in particular, on a very solemn National occasion, as also convey respect from the people of Gujarat, for all the soldiers who laid down their lives in the Kargil war in 1999, as also all the soldiers who are presently deployed on the national borders. As per Major General Arvind Kapoor, Additional Director General, NCC, Gujarat, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, with the function being organised at such a huge scale, all over Gujarat, under the aegis of the NCC Directorate, Gujarat would be the only State, which would have done this event on such a large scale, connecting with troops in Kargil, as well as motivating the youth in the entire State. Major General Arvind Kapoor thanked the CM for his motivational and inspirational words and recognition of the endeavours of the Gujarat Directorate. This motivational interaction will further motivate the Cadets to strive to work even harder to meet their Social Service and Community Development responsibilities and contribute towards Nation Building.
