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Kargil
The Indian Army has decided to permit tourists to visit icy heights of Siachen Glacier, Kargil and also the Galwan Valley to enable them to get first-hand experience of these inhospitable battlefields, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi said on Wednesday. He asserted the dominant theme in Jammu and Kashmir has changed from "terrorism to tourism" and added the Army has facilitated this transformation. General Dwivedi was delivering a lecture on the topic, 'Role and Contribution of Indian Army in Securing India's Growth Story', under General BC Joshi Memorial Lecture Series, organised by the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies (DDSS) of the Savitribai Phule Pune University. The COAS said Jammu and Kashmir, where a new government took office last month after assembly polls, has immense potential in the tourism sector. "Transformative potential of tourism is immense and an exponential rise (in travellers visiting J&K) has been seen in recent times. ...
More than 100 volunteers led by renowned innovator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk started a foot march from here to the national capital on Sunday to urge the Centre to resume the stalled dialogue with the leadership of Ladakh on their four-point agenda. The Delhi Chalo Padyatra' was organized by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which along with Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), are jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of statehood, extension of the Constitution's sixth schedule, early recruitment process along with a public service commission for Ladakh and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts. The talks between Ladakh representatives and the Central government ended in March without any concrete outcome. Amid chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and we want sixth schedule, LAB chairman Thupstan Chhewang flagged off the march from NDS Memorial park with Wangchuk expressing hope that the government will greet them with a good news on reaching
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Saturday announced a foot march from Leh to Delhi next month to urge the Centre to resume the stalled dialogue with the leadership of Ladakh on their four-point agenda. The LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), both separate groupings of various political, social and religious organisations, are jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of statehood, extension of the Constitution's sixth schedule, early recruitment process along with a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts. The talks between Ladakh representatives and the central government ended in March without any concrete outcome. Announcing the peaceful march from Leh to the national capital, co-chairman of LAB Chering Dorjey Lakruk said a minimum 100 volunteers accompanied by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will start walking from Leh on September 1 and reach Delhi on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. However, there
Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) on Sunday held a joint meeting here, expressing hope that the Centre will restart the dialogue with them on the four-point agenda which included statehood to Ladakh and its inclusion in the 6th schedule of the Constitution. However, the leaders representing the two districts of the Union territory said their core committee will meet once again to chalk out the future course of action in case there was no response from the government. KDA and LAB, both separate grouping of various political, social and religious organizations, are jointly spearheading the agitation in support of the four-point agenda over the past four years after the abrogation of Article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories. We had a joint meeting lasting three-hours here to discuss the way forward with regard to our four-point agenda which remains the focal point for future talks .
The government is making all efforts to start civilian flight services to Kargil and only 19-seater aircraft can be operated to the airport there, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Thursday. The minister told the Lok Sabha that considering the runway at the existing Kargil airport, terrain difficulties as well as landing and take off protocols, only 19-seater aircraft can be operated. In this regard, efforts are going on with airlines to look at starting civilian flights to Kargil under the UDAN scheme, he added. UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is the civil aviation ministry's regional air connectivity scheme. An amount of Rs 9.2 crore has been sanctioned for the airport and some electrical works have also been done. "We are making all efforts to start civilian flights to Kargil... if some airlines say they are ready to provide connectivity from Kargil to Srinagar or Jammu, then we are ready to do the remaining work and provide for the civilian services," the minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Pakistan has not learnt any lessons from history and has faced defeat whenever it carried out any misadventure. Paying tributes to soldiers here on Kargil Vijay Diwas, he said the nation honours gallant efforts and sacrifices of the armed forces. Pakistan faced defeat whenever it has carried out any misadventure. It has not learned any lessons from history, he said. "In Kargil, we not only won the war, we gave a wonderful example of truth, restraint and strength, he said at a ceremony here. "Our bravehearts will crush terrorism and enemy will be given a befitting response," he asserted while holding that Pakistan is trying to remain relevant through terror and proxy war.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday paid rich tributes to the armed forces personnel who fought valiantly in extremely harsh conditions to defend the nation's territory during the Kargil war 25 years ago. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the war. "Today, on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the indomitable spirit and courage of the brave soldiers who fought valiantly in the 1999 war," Singh said in a post on X. "Their unwavering commitment, valour and patriotism ensured that our country remained safe and secure. Their service and sacrifice will continue to inspire every Indian and our coming generations," he said. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and all ranks of the armed forces also recalled the supre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Ladakh on July 26 to attend the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, an official said on Sunday, as Lt Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra reviewed arrangements for the visit. The grand celebrations to mark the 'Rajat Jyanti' of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war are scheduled to be conducted at Drass in Kargil district from July 24 to 26. Mishra held a meeting at the Lt Governor's secretariat here to discuss the arrangements for the PM's visit to the Kargil War Memorial at Drass, an official spokesman said. The Lt Governor informed the meeting that Modi would be visiting the memorial on July 26 and attend the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The meeting discussed security and reception at the Drass helipad, necessary arrangements for his motorcade, the procedure for the wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial, interaction with war widows and preparation of the green room at the helipad, the spokesman said. He said th
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit Kargil district in the Union Territory of Ladakh Monday night but there was no report of any damage, officials said. According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the tremor occurred at 9.21 pm and its epicentre was 148 km north-west of Kargil. The depth of the tremor was 10 km below the surface, it said. Police said there was no immediate report of any damage. The Union Territory of Ladakh has been experiencing intermittent snowfall since Sunday night.