Kargil Vijay Diwas: Former woman Army Officer completes 160-km run to mark 25th anniversary of day
PTC Web Desk: Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Barsha Rai has accomplished a remarkable 160-km run from Srinagar to Drass to honour the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Completing the run over four days, the former Army officer covered the distance to pay tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation.
Starting on July 19 and finishing on July 22, Lt Col Barsha Rai ran from Srinagar to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass sector. Her journey included stretches with the Chinar Warriors marathon team. The run averaged 40 km per day, with notable challenges such as crossing the 11,649-foot Zojila Pass on Day 3.
Colonel Barsha Rai, whose husband is an Army officer stationed in Kashmir, reflected on her motivation, saying, “I ran to honour our brave hearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation.” She shared that her father, Colonel Keshab Rai, who retired a decade ago, had to move to the border overnight during the Kargil conflict, which deeply impacted her family.
“This run was not merely a personal endeavour but a tribute to the courage of the soldiers who fought in the Kargil war,” she added. She said the physical challenges she faced during the run were insignificant compared to the hardships endured by the soldiers. Her goal was to raise awareness about the sacrifices made by the armed forces.
Lt Col Barsha Rai, a fourth-generation Army officer, was commissioned into the Army Service Corps in March 2010 from the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, where she received the Garhwal Medal for academic excellence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ladakh on July 26 to participate in the 25th-anniversary celebrations of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil war.
- With inputs from agencies
