Delhi: Photo exhibition pays homage to Kargil bravehearts at Rajiv Chowk metro station

New Delhi: In a letter written to his twin brother Vishal, fondly addressed as Kush, from a height of 17,200 ft, captain Vikram Batra, who signed off as Luv, spoke of the cold, of the heroic capture of Point 5,140 during the Kargil war, and being recommended for the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second highest military decoration in India.

It was only two weeks later, on July 7, 1999, Vikram laid down his life trying to save a fellow soldier during the battle of Point 4,875.

The piece of communication from Vikram to Vishal, showcased at an exhibition here at the Rajiv Chowk metro station’s viewers’ gallery, is one of the five letters sent by Indian Army bravehearts to their families before they were killed in action during the war in the higher reaches of Kargil in 1999.

Organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the exhibition commemorates the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

“We have got congratulatory calls from the Army chief, AG, DGMO and other army cadres from all over. Nothing more to write so I pen down. Do reply soon. I am writing at a height of 17,200 ft. Sorry for hand, as it’s very cold here,” wrote Vikram, before signing off as Luv.

Received from the Indian Army, the other letters are written by Major Padmapani Acharya, Captain Vijayant Thapar, Captain Saurabh Kalia, and Major CB Dwivedi.

In the letter to his father, Wing Commander Jagannath Acharya, Padmapani assures his father of the number of casualties and asks him to “not worry” as it is a “professional hazard which is beyond our control”.

“Yes, the PM’s Kargil visit was a good motivation. Good chap. I am quite a sight now with an unkempt beard and vaseline cream all over my ugly face to counter the icy winds,” wrote Padmapani on June 19, 1999, only nine days before he succumbed to his injuries after capturing an enemy position.

The exhibition, divided into three sections, features the letters, classified photos from the battleground and pictures of a few soldiers who laid down their lives during the Kargil war.

“It has been 25 years since Vijay Diwas. A child who was born 25 years ago, would barely have any memory of this war and the valour of our bravehearts. The NBT and the DMRC decided to send out the message that we should have pride in these memories. And one should work with a ‘nation first’ attitude,” Milind Sudhakar Marathe, chairperson NBT, told PTI.

Talking about the exhibition, Anuj Dayal, executive director – corporate communication, DMRC, said it is an attempt to revive those memories for the younger generation.

“We all remember what had happened in Kargil. Intruders had come in and our Indian Army and the Air Force showed great valour. Our young officers showed such bravery, so many of them lost their lives. So we want our future generations to draw inspiration from this memory. We have tried to revive those memories here,” Dayal said.

The exhibition will come to an end on Vijay Diwas on July 26.