Mandi honours war heroes

On the solemn occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the people of Mandi district paid heartfelt tributes to the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who laid down their lives during the 1999 Kargil War. A district-level commemorative event was held at the Shaheed Smarak and Seri Manch in Mandi, attended by distinguished dignitaries, ex-servicemen, families of martyrs, and citizens.

The event was marked by a series of floral tributes and expressions of gratitude to the valiant soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice to protect the nation’s sovereignty. The programme witnessed the participation of representatives from the district administration, Indian Army, police, Department of Sainik Welfare, Ex-Servicemen League, and the general public.

Present on the occasion were Anil Sharma, MLA from Mandi Sadar; Inder Singh MLA from Balh; Virender Bhatt, Mayor of Mandi Municipal Corporation; Lieutenant General (retd) Rakesh Kapoor; Mandi ADC Gursimar Singh; Mandi SDM Rupinder Kaur; IAS probationer Manu Verma; Colonel Tara Pratap Singh Rana, vice-president of the District Ex-Servicemen League; Colonel Harish Vaidya; Captain GC Saini; and Captain Het Ram Sharma, along with other league officials, Veer Naris (war widows) and ex-servicemen. The dignitaries offered floral tributes at the Shaheed Smarak, remembering the fallen heroes.

A special tribute was paid to the Veer Naris of the Kargil War. Promila Devi, Sarla Devi, Dhani Devi, Nirmala Devi, and Sita Devi were honoured for the valour and sacrifice of their families. Tokens of appreciation and words of gratitude were extended to them, recognising their immense loss and courage.

The programme concluded with emotional expressions of patriotism, unity, and remembrance, reinforcing the spirit of national pride and gratitude towards the Indian Armed Forces.