Dras | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth and senior military officers on Sunday paid tributes to the country’s bravehearts at a dedicated war memorial here, marking the 27th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The sun shone bright in the morning in the Dras Valley as Singh laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial, offering his homage to the fallen heroes.

Before him, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Army Chief General Seth, and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, laid wreaths at the war memorial, among other senior officers of the force.

Three helicopters in arrowhead formation, led by an advanced light helicopter and followed by two Cheetals, showered floral petals on the memorial.

The defence minister, who arrived here on Saturday, was the chief guest at the ‘Shradhanjali Samaroh’ – wreath-laying ceremony – at the Kargil War Memorial.

On a rain-soaked evening in Dras, the Army on Saturday hosted a ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ at the war memorial, honouring the indomitable courage displayed by the Indian soldiers during Operation Vijay in 1999 and paying rich tributes to the fallen heroes.

The defence minister participated in the solemn event and also handed a ceremonial ‘kalash’ to some of the family members of Army personnel who laid down their lives in the Kargil conflict.

The Army is hosting a series of events here to mark the 27th anniversary of Operation Vijay.

The occasion marks the glorious victory in 1999 when Indian soldiers, braving snow-clad peaks and relentless firing by Pakistani troops, reclaimed the heights of Kargil.

Operation Vijay was the name given to India's limited war after the neighbouring country's infiltration.

Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates the culmination of Operation Vijay on July 26, 1999.