On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, one of the lesser-known but widely remembered stories from the 1999 Kargil War involves Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon. During the conflict, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had previously spoken publicly about being a fan of Raveena Tandon, and according to accounts from the war, Pakistani troops also taunted Indian soldiers by mentioning the names of popular Bollywood actresses. Amid the intense fighting of Operation Safed Sagar, when the Indian Air Force was carrying out bombing missions against Pakistani positions in the Kargil sector, ground crew preparing aerial bombs reportedly decided to inject a moment of dark humour into an otherwise grim conflict. On one of the bombs, they painted the message, "From Raveena Tandon to Nawaz Sharif – With Love," complete with a heart pierced by an arrow. A photograph of the bomb quickly became one of the most iconic images associated with the war, symbolizing the morale and wit of Indian personnel despite the harsh realities of combat.

Every Kargil Vijay Diwas, I find myself going back to the original television coverage of the assault on Tiger Hill, and no matter how many times I watch it, it never loses its impact. Long before high-definition cameras, drones, or social media, Indian journalists were reporting from one of the world's most dangerous active battlefields. Standing in Dras under constant artillery fire, they captured the thunder of Bofors guns echoing through the mountains, tracer rounds lighting up the night, and the tense anticipation as Indian troops prepared to storm one of the most heavily defended peaks in the Kargil sector. The footage wasn't polished or cinematic it was raw, shaky, and real. You could hear the explosions, see the smoke rising from the ridgelines, and witness soldiers moving towards objectives knowing many of them might never return. When Tiger Hill was finally recaptured in early July 1999 after days of brutal fighting, those broadcasts allowed millions of Indians to witness history unfold almost in real time. They also introduced the nation to the faces and voices of young officers and soldiers whose courage would later become legendary. Unlike many wars where media access is tightly restricted, the Kargil conflict produced an extraordinary visual record that still serves as one of the most authentic accounts of modern mountain warfare. Watching those reports today is a reminder that behind every headline and every captured peak were men climbing near-vertical cliffs at over 16,000 feet under enemy fire, driven only by the mission to reclaim Indian territory. More than two decades later, those broadcasts remain a tribute not just to the soldiers who fought, but also to the war correspondents who risked their own lives to document one of the defining moments in India's military history.

The story of the Kargil War began long before the first shot was fired in 1999. After India's victory in the 1971 war and the creation of Bangladesh, the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir became the de facto boundary between India and Pakistan. Although both countries occasionally exchanged fire, the LoC largely remained stable. In February 1999, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee travelled to Lahore in Pakistan on the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus service to improve relations with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. While the peace process was underway, a section of the Pakistani military, led by Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf and senior commanders, had already initiated a secret plan known as Operation Badr. During the harsh winter months, when both Indian and Pakistani forces traditionally vacated some of the highest forward posts because of extreme weather, Pakistani soldiers from the Northern Light Infantry, accompanied by armed militants, quietly crossed the Line of Control and occupied more than a hundred strategic positions on the Indian side in the Kargil, Dras, Batalik, and Mushkoh sectors. Their aim was to dominate National Highway 1A, the only road connecting Srinagar to Leh, disrupt India's supply line to Ladakh and Siachen, force India into negotiations over Kashmir, and internationalize the Kashmir dispute. For several months the intrusion remained undetected because of the difficult terrain and heavy snowfall. On 3 May 1999, a local shepherd, Tashi Namgyal, noticed unusual armed men occupying mountain ridges near Kargil and informed the Indian Army. Patrols were immediately sent to verify the information. One such patrol led by Lieutenant Saurabh Kalia encountered the infiltrators, was captured after a fierce firefight, and was later tortured and killed in Pakistani custody, becoming one of the earliest martyrs of the conflict. As more reconnaissance missions were conducted, it became evident that the infiltration was not the work of a few militants but a large, well-planned military operation involving thousands of Pakistani regular soldiers occupying fortified bunkers at heights ranging from 15,000 to over 18,000 feet. India responded by launching Operation Vijay on 26 May 1999, mobilizing nearly 200,000 troops to evict every intruder from Indian territory. At the same time, the Indian Air Force launched Operation Safed Sagar, using Mirage-2000, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, and Mi-17 helicopters to strike enemy positions. Because India chose not to cross the Line of Control, every attack had to be carried out from its own side, making the operation far more difficult. The terrain heavily favored the defenders, who occupied mountain peaks and looked down upon Indian troops climbing nearly vertical cliffs under enemy machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire. One of the biggest advantages India possessed was the relentless firepower of the Bofors FH-77B howitzers, which pounded enemy bunkers day and night and played a decisive role in softening fortified positions before infantry assaults. The first major breakthrough came in the Battle of Tololing, where soldiers of the 2 Rajputana Rifles fought brutal hand-to-hand combat and recaptured the peak after weeks of intense fighting, marking a turning point in the war. Soon after, Indian troops captured Point 5140, where Captain Vikram Batra famously radioed the success with the words, "Yeh Dil Maange More," becoming an icon of the conflict. The battle then shifted toward Tiger Hill, one of the most strategically important peaks overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway. In an extraordinary night assault involving multiple units climbing impossible rock faces in freezing temperatures, Indian soldiers surprised the defenders and, after days of fierce combat, hoisted the Indian tricolour atop Tiger Hill on 4 July 1999. The victory significantly weakened Pakistani positions and boosted the morale of Indian forces across the entire sector. Elsewhere, battles raged in Batalik, Dras, and Mushkoh Valley, where soldiers repeatedly climbed exposed slopes under continuous enemy fire. Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey led repeated attacks despite being severely wounded before sacrificing his life while clearing enemy bunkers. Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, though hit by multiple bullets while scaling a cliff, continued climbing and enabled his platoon to capture crucial enemy positions. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar charged enemy machine-gun nests despite being wounded and captured them in close combat. Captain Anuj Nayyar, Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari, Major Vivek Gupta, Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum, Major Sonam Wangchuk, and hundreds of other officers and soldiers displayed extraordinary courage, many laying down their lives in the process. At Point 4875, Captain Vikram Batra once again volunteered to lead an assault. While rescuing a fellow officer during the fierce battle, he was fatally shot, earning the Param Vir Chakra posthumously. Throughout the conflict, the Indian Air Force carried out precision strikes using laser-guided bombs from Mirage-2000 aircraft, destroying enemy logistics, bunkers, and supply depots in difficult mountainous terrain. The Indian Navy simultaneously launched Operation Talwar, deploying its Western Fleet into the Arabian Sea to pressure Pakistan by threatening its maritime trade routes and fuel supplies. Internationally, Pakistan initially claimed that the fighters were independent Kashmiri militants, but captured documents, equipment, radio intercepts, and the bodies of Pakistani soldiers proved that regular Pakistani Army personnel were deeply involved. As evidence mounted, the international community largely supported India's position that the Line of Control had been violated. Facing increasing diplomatic isolation, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif travelled to Washington on 4 July 1999 to meet U.S. President Bill Clinton, who urged Pakistan to withdraw its forces from the Indian side of the Line of Control. Under mounting military losses and international pressure, Pakistan began withdrawing troops, although fighting continued in several sectors as Indian forces cleared the remaining occupied positions one by one. Finally, on 26 July 1999, India announced the successful completion of Operation Vijay after every major infiltrated position had been recaptured. The victory came at a heavy price. India lost 527 soldiers, with over 1,300 wounded, while Pakistan also suffered significant military casualties. Four Indian soldiers Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, and Rifleman Sanjay Kumar were awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award, with the latter two receiving it while alive. Many others received the Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, and other decorations for exceptional bravery. The war exposed shortcomings in intelligence coordination and high-altitude surveillance, leading India to undertake major military reforms, strengthen border infrastructure, improve intelligence sharing, and enhance surveillance capabilities. Today, every year on 26 July, India observes Kargil Vijay Diwas to honour the 527 soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice and the thousands who fought under impossible conditions to defend the nation's territorial integrity. The Kargil War remains one of the few modern conflicts where soldiers repeatedly assaulted enemy-held mountain peaks at extreme altitudes, often fighting hand-to-hand in freezing temperatures. It stands as a testament to courage, endurance, sacrifice, and the determination of the Indian Armed Forces to reclaim every inch of Indian territory, ensuring that the tricolour once again flew proudly over the mountains of Kargil.

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r/KashmirOfIndia

Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani was a Kashmiri Muslim from Cheki Ashmuji village in Kulgam whose life became one of the most extraordinary stories to emerge from the Kashmir conflict. Born into a humble family, he worked as a carpet weaver in his youth, but like many young men in the early 1990s, he was drawn into militancy during the height of the insurgency. Realizing the futility and destruction caused by violence, he surrendered in 1994, renounced militancy, and joined the pro-government Ikhwan before eventually enlisting in the 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, in 2004. Over the next fourteen years, he became one of the Army's most effective counter-insurgency soldiers, using his knowledge of the Valley to help security forces dismantle militant networks across South Kashmir. He was awarded the Sena Medal in 2007 for gallantry and received a Bar to the Sena Medal in 2018 for another act of exceptional bravery. Fellow soldiers and local accounts credit him with participating in numerous successful operations against terrorist groups and helping save the lives of both civilians and security personnel. On the night of 25 November 2018, during Operation Batagund in Shopian, his unit, attached to 34 Rashtriya Rifles, launched a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF after intelligence indicated the presence of senior Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants. During the fierce encounter, Wani rescued a wounded fellow soldier under heavy fire, then pressed forward despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. He entered the building where the militants had taken cover, personally eliminated two terrorists, injured another, and continued fighting until the remaining militants were neutralized. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The operation resulted in the elimination of six terrorists, including senior commanders responsible for several attacks in South Kashmir. For his conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, and supreme sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on Republic Day 2019, becoming the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to receive the Ashoka Chakra. He is survived by his wife, Mahajabeen, a school teacher, and their two sons. Nazir Ahmad Wani's journey from a misguided youth who rejected violence to a decorated soldier who laid down his life protecting others stands as a powerful reminder that many Kashmiri Muslims have fought terrorism from within the Valley and made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of peace and the people of Kashmir.

r/KashmirOfIndia

Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani was a Kashmiri Muslim from Cheki Ashmuji village in Kulgam whose life became one of the most extraordinary stories to emerge from the Kashmir conflict. Born into a humble family, he worked as a carpet weaver in his youth, but like many young men in the early 1990s, he was drawn into militancy during the height of the insurgency. Realizing the futility and destruction caused by violence, he surrendered in 1994, renounced militancy, and joined the pro-government Ikhwan before eventually enlisting in the 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, in 2004. Over the next fourteen years, he became one of the Army's most effective counter-insurgency soldiers, using his knowledge of the Valley to help security forces dismantle militant networks across South Kashmir. He was awarded the Sena Medal in 2007 for gallantry and received a Bar to the Sena Medal in 2018 for another act of exceptional bravery. Fellow soldiers and local accounts credit him with participating in numerous successful operations against terrorist groups and helping save the lives of both civilians and security personnel. On the night of 25 November 2018, during Operation Batagund in Shopian, his unit, attached to 34 Rashtriya Rifles, launched a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF after intelligence indicated the presence of senior Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants. During the fierce encounter, Wani rescued a wounded fellow soldier under heavy fire, then pressed forward despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. He entered the building where the militants had taken cover, personally eliminated two terrorists, injured another, and continued fighting until the remaining militants were neutralized. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The operation resulted in the elimination of six terrorists, including senior commanders responsible for several attacks in South Kashmir. For his conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, and supreme sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on Republic Day 2019, becoming the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to receive the Ashoka Chakra. He is survived by his wife, Mahajabeen, a school teacher, and their two sons. Nazir Ahmad Wani's journey from a misguided youth who rejected violence to a decorated soldier who laid down his life protecting others stands as a powerful reminder that many Kashmiri Muslims have fought terrorism from within the Valley and made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of peace and the people of Kashmir.

Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani was a Kashmiri Muslim from Cheki Ashmuji village in Kulgam whose life became one of the most extraordinary stories to emerge from the Kashmir conflict. Born into a humble family, he worked as a carpet weaver in his youth, but like many young men in the early 1990s, he was drawn into militancy during the height of the insurgency. Realizing the futility and destruction caused by violence, he surrendered in 1994, renounced militancy, and joined the pro-government Ikhwan before eventually enlisting in the 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, in 2004. Over the next fourteen years, he became one of the Army's most effective counter-insurgency soldiers, using his knowledge of the Valley to help security forces dismantle militant networks across South Kashmir. He was awarded the Sena Medal in 2007 for gallantry and received a Bar to the Sena Medal in 2018 for another act of exceptional bravery. Fellow soldiers and local accounts credit him with participating in numerous successful operations against terrorist groups and helping save the lives of both civilians and security personnel. On the night of 25 November 2018, during Operation Batagund in Shopian, his unit, attached to 34 Rashtriya Rifles, launched a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF after intelligence indicated the presence of senior Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants. During the fierce encounter, Wani rescued a wounded fellow soldier under heavy fire, then pressed forward despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. He entered the building where the militants had taken cover, personally eliminated two terrorists, injured another, and continued fighting until the remaining militants were neutralized. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The operation resulted in the elimination of six terrorists, including senior commanders responsible for several attacks in South Kashmir. For his conspicuous bravery, indomitable courage, and supreme sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, on Republic Day 2019, becoming the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to receive the Ashoka Chakra. He is survived by his wife, Mahajabeen, a school teacher, and their two sons. Nazir Ahmad Wani's journey from a misguided youth who rejected violence to a decorated soldier who laid down his life protecting others stands as a powerful reminder that many Kashmiri Muslims have fought terrorism from within the Valley and made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of peace and the people of Kashmir.

The sight of Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi's tricolour-draped coffin and his grieving family is a heartbreaking reminder of the immense sacrifices made by our brave security personnel. He laid down his life while serving the nation and protecting others during Amarnath Yatra security duty. His courage, dedication, and selfless service will always be remembered.

in peace, Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Jai Hind. 🇮🇳🕊️

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sorry for the mistake

Following the terror attack in Anantnag that claimed the life of a J&K Police head constable, security forces demolished the houses of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists Adil Thokar and Haroon Rashid Ganaie during an overnight operation.

>The crackdown targeted the residences of both terrorists as part of intensified counter-terror operations in south Kashmir.

Head Constable Aashiq Hussain of Beerwah, Budgam attained veergati in this terror attack.

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Inna Lillahe. Hope the attacker is brought to justice soon.

Police javan has died at hospital after this terror attack and pakistani terrorist group the resistance front has taken responsibility of this attack.

Source: PTI twitter