B’luru students pedal 3,200 kms to pay homage to martyrs at Kargil war memorial

Ladakh, NT Bureau: Navigating through flood-affected areas during monsoon and battling typhoid, two college students from Bengaluru pedalled for over 60 days covering 3,200 km to pay homage to martyrs at the war memorial here on the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Inspired by the heroics of Army Captain Vijayant Thapar, who died in the Kargil war, the duo undertook the journey and reached out to National Cadet Corps units along the way to spread awareness about sacrifices made by army personnel.

Krishnan A, a BBA student of Ramaiah College and Peddi Sai Kaushik, studying B Com at St Joseph's University, are NCC cadets and aim to clear the Combined Defence Services examination to join the armed forces.

"We started the expedition in May and reached the Kargil War Memorial on July 24, two days before Vijay Diwas. It took us over two months. The journey was really difficult but the moment we got here, it felt magical," said Krishnan.

They took the Kanyakumari-Srinagar Highway (NH-44) hoping to finish the journey before monsoon.

"But by the time we reached Punjab, it was flooded and we thought we wouldn't make it. My cycling partner got typhoid during the journey and that slowed us down for two weeks. I met with an accident because we had to take a rest for some time. But it was worth the effort," he said.

The duo's excitement knew no bounds when upon arriving in Dras, they were honoured and given VIP passes to attend the wreathlaying ceremony on Vijay Diwas.

"On New Year's Day, I was reading a book about Captain Vijayant Thapar who was martyred during the war and was greatly inspired by him. He was awarded the Vir Chakra. I asked my family to name five others who had won a gallantry award. They couldn't name any. When I asked my friends, they went blank too.

"That's when we realised that there is a need for awareness, apart from just a day or two of attention for warriors who sacrificed their lives for our nation," Sai Kaushik said.

The Indian Army launched a fierce counter-assault, Operation Vijay, to push back Pakistani forces that had stealthily occupied important heights in Ladakh in 1999.