Mandaviya to lead 'Kargil Vijay Diwas Padyatra' in Drass tomorrow

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya will lead a ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas Padyatra’ in Drass on Saturday to mark the 26th anniversary of India’s victory in the 1999 war.

Covering a distance of 1.5 kilometres in Drass along with 1,000 youth, veterans, armed forces personnel, the Minister will also pay homage at Kargil War Memorial, said an official statement.

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth will also join the march which will commence at 7 a.m. from the grounds of Himabass Public High School, Drass, and conclude at the grounds of Government Higher Secondary School, Bhimbet.

After the Padyatra, the Union Ministers, accompanied by 100 youth volunteers, will proceed to the Kargil War Memorial to lay wreaths and offer homage to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil War.

The march is being organised by MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) App, under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

MY Bharat is an online youth leadership and social platform that provides an opportunity for young people to explore various volunteering, experiential learning, and skill-building opportunities, establish new connections, and create a positive impact in the communities.

On this occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Mandaviya will also felicitate 26 women bikers of the Shakti Udgosh Foundation, who will arrive at the War Memorial after completing a long-distance motorbike rally undertaken as a tribute to the martyrs.

The padyatra will also feature a plantation drive under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, underscoring the alignment of patriotic duty with environmental consciousness and a commitment towards sustainable development in a Viksit Bharat @2047.

In the days leading up to the padyatra, MY Bharat has been actively engaging youth and local communities in the region through activities including essay writing, painting, elocution competitions, and Yuva Samvads (youth dialogues), said the statement.

These pre-event activities aim to cultivate civic awareness, celebrate stories of valour, and strengthen emotional connect with the armed forces. Through these platforms, the Amrit Peedhi and nation-builders of tomorrow are being sensitised to the ideals of service, sacrifice and patriotism.

This padyatra is part of the wider Viksit Bharat Padyatras initiative, which aims to foster national pride, deepen civic engagement, and strengthen the spirit of unity among the youth through commemorative and participatory programmes across the country, the statement said.

--IANS

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