To mark the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai (retd), completed an arduous 160-kilometre run from Srinagar to Drass.
The run, which began on July 19 and concluded on 22 July, was undertaken to honour the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Kargil War.
“I ran to honour our bravehearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation,” Lt Col Rai (Retd) told reporters.
Her journey took her from Srinagar to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass sector. Along the route, she was joined by the Chinar Warriors marathon team in various stretches, and they collectively paid tributes to the martyrs upon reaching the Kargil War Memorial.
Lt Col Rai, whose husband is an Army officer stationed in Kashmir, averaged 40 kilometres per day. Her route included running to Wusan on the second day and reaching Sonamarg at an altitude of 9,000 feet.
On the third day, she crossed the 11,649-feet high Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, which connects Kashmir valley with the Ladakh region. She finally arrived at Matayen before reaching the memorial at Drass on the fourth day.
Reflecting on her motivation, Lt Col Rai shared, “I was in class 7 when the Kargil war started, and my father, Colonel Keshab Rai, who retired 10 years ago, had then moved out overnight along with his entire unit.
"For fauji families like ours, what followed were days of uncertainty, loss, and despair.” She added, “This run was not just a personal journey for me, but a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the soldiers who fought valiantly during the Kargil war.
The physical pain my body endured during this run pales in comparison to the hardships faced by our soldiers during the war. Through this run, I aim to raise awareness about the sacrifices made by our soldiers.”
Lt Col Rai is a fourth-generation Army officer. Her great-grandfather was a recipient of the Military Cross.
She was commissioned into the Army Service Corps in March 2010 from the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, where she was awarded the Garhwal Medal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ladakh on 26 July to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations marking India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1999 war.
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