Kargil War veteran and Vir Chakra Awardee Col. Rajesh Shah inaugurated a photo exhibition on Kargil War, organised by the Central Bureau of Communication-Goa, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, to commemorate the silver jubilee of Kargil Vijay Diwas, at Azad Maidan, Panaji, on Friday. Director General of, National Cadet Corps (NCC) Lt General Gurbirpal Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, was also present on the occasion. The two-day exhibition will be open to the public till 07 PM on 27th July.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt General Gurbirpal Singh said that the supreme sacrifices of our martyrs and the bravery of our war heroes in reclaiming the Kargil Hills will continue to inspire the current and future generations to safeguard our nation’s borders. He was speaking to the gathering after paying floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Memorial at Azad Maidan.
Col. Rajesh Shah, who fought the Kargil war and was awarded with the Vir Chakra for his bravery, also spoke to the gathering about his experiences. Earlier, Lt. General Singh flagged off a cycle rally from Miramar Beach to Azad Maidan. Col Balkrishna Shirodkar and Lt Col Austin Collaco led the Rally and later addressed the students at Azad Maidan.
Those present on the occasion were Deputy Director General of NCC (Karnataka and Goa) Air Commodore Arun Kumar, VSM; Group Commander, NCC, Belgaum, Col Mohan Naik; Commanding Officer of 1 Goa Battalion NCC Panaji, Col. Jesus Furtado; and Nana Meshram, Director, PIB Goa.
Later, Lt Col Austin Collaco, who is also a Kargil War veteran, addressed a gathering at Institute of Menezes Braganza, Panaji, and shared his experiences at the war. He also explained how the war was fought and the preparations went into each operation. He called upon the young generation in Goa to join the Army in service of the nation.
“The Forces need young brave hearts. Youngsters play a big role in every operations, especially in hilly terrains in the borders. Hence, it is important that the Forces get more and more youngsters inducted into the troops,” he said. The event was organised in collaboration with 1 Goa Battalion NCC Panaji.
The photo exhibition features a curated collection of photographs depicting various aspects of the Kargil War, including heroic actions of our soldiers, poignant moments of camaraderie, and scenes from the battlefield. The images serve not only as a tribute to the brave hearts who defended our nation’s sovereignty but also as a means to educate and inspire visitors about this pivotal chapter in our history.
