New Delhi, July 16
On the seventh anniversary of Vijay Divas, families of 1999 Kargil martyrs will hold a nine-day “sarva dharma prarthana” at Drass in Kargil.

The “shahadat mahayajna”, to be held at Tiger Hill, Batra Top, Battalik Hill and Tololing in Kargil, beginning July 18, will mark the sacrifices of those who participated in the Kargil War.

According to the father of Paramvir Chakra awardee late Capt Vikram Batra, Mr G.L. Batra, the July 18-26 all-religion prayer is an attempt by members of the martyrs’ families to remind the present generation of sacrifices made by the brave young men and also an attempt to make Drass (Kargil) a pilgimage site for the youth to draw inspiration from.

The families of the martyrs also want the government to recognise the sacrifices made by these “modern-day heroes” and find a place for them in history books. “As we don’t have any modern-day heroes after Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose era, these martyrs can fill the gap, said former Inspector-General, BSF, A. S. Jasrotiya, father of late Capt Ajay Jasrotia.