00:00Dras stands as a symbol of Indian military valor and sacrifice.
00:15The town and its surrounding areas, particularly the Tololing and Tiger Hill bridges, witnessed
00:20some of the fiercest battles between the Indian army and Pakistani forces.
00:27Day 5 began on an emotional note when Vishal Batra, the identical twin brother of Param
00:32Veer Chakra Captain Vikram Batra, went for a walk in Dras town and reached a place from
00:38where Batra Top is visible.
00:40If you look at extremely the point, the finger where I am pointing it out is the Batra Top
00:48which was earlier called as 4875.
00:50This entire feature of Batra Top, you know, saw 25 casualty, we lost two officers, Captain
00:58Vikram Batra and Captain Anuj Nayyar and this is the only feature which has a rare distinction
01:04of having three medals, two Param Veer Chakra which was given to Vikram Batra and Rifleman
01:10Sanjay Kumar who was another brave soldier from 30th Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
01:14and Captain Anuj Nayyar who was awarded a Mahaveer Chakra posthumously.
01:18I think the saga, the bravery of and the tale of each of the feature what the Indian army
01:23captured is incredible and I pay my general salute to each of the men who fought the battle
01:27and of course my kudos to the Indian army who is still guarding these peaks.
01:31Whenever I come here, every alternate year I have been coming to this small town, this
01:35small valley.
01:36It's something like more of a shrine and it is also to relive the memories of Vikram and
01:41all other soldiers who laid down their life.
01:43After some time, the riders were all set to hit the road again to reach the first destination
01:51of the day, the Kargil War Memorial in Drass.
01:54The valley echoed with, Yeh Dil Mange Mohr, Yeh Dil Mange Mohr, Oye Oye, Oye Oye.
02:13The riders received a grand welcome at the war memorial where 101 regulars paid homage
02:27with a wreath laying ceremony remembering the soldiers who died in the Kargil War of 1999.
02:43Yeh Dil Mange Mohr, Yeh Dil Mange Mohr, Oye Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:03Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:11Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:19Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:23Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:27Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye, Oye,
03:31After a
03:58flag-off from the Kargil War Memorial, the riders headed towards Kargil city.
04:08The one-and-a-half-hour ride from Dras to Kargil was filled with pain and pride. The terrain remains
04:14as formidable as ever, but the peace now prevailing fills them with hope and gratitude.
04:20Just as the band of brothers were about to reach Kargil, they stopped at a memorial dedicated to
04:25Gorkhali legend Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana, located five kilometers before Kargil.
04:37His bravery and sacrifice stand as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Indian Army.
04:58Barely months after independence, during the 1948 war with Pakistan,
05:03Subedar Harka Bahadur Rana of the first five Gorkha Rifles played a pivotal role in the
05:09fierce battle for the Kheda Bridge, a strategic point connecting Kargil to the rest of India.
05:15Despite overwhelming odds and difficult terrain,
05:18Subedar Rana and his men bravely engaged the enemy, securing the Kargil region.
05:33Right next to this memorial is an Army Goodwill School, where the one-one regulars received a
05:40warm welcome. This school has been contributing some of the best archers in the country,
05:46and the riders too tried their hand at archery.
06:03After this refreshing and energizing time spent at the school, the riders drove towards Kargil city
06:18and took a halt for langar prasad at the historical Gurudwara Charan Kamal,
06:23associated with Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
06:34From here, the riders headed towards the most prominent
07:02and dominating location in the Kargil region,
07:04Point 13620, which overlooks the national highway connecting Srinagar and Leh.
07:19As the riders reached the top, they were welcomed by snow,
07:23and the one-one regulars paid their tribute with a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the warriors.
07:29During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, Pakistan captured this strategic point.
07:34In May 1965, Major B. S. Randhawa of 4 Rajput led a successful night-time attack to recapture
07:41Point 13620, earning Apostumas Mahavir Chakra for his valour. However, the point was handed
07:48back to Pakistan after the war, under a UN agreement.
07:52In August 1965, Major B. S. Singh of 17 Punjab was tasked with recapturing Point 13620
07:59during a silent night attack, successfully reclaiming it by morning. Yet, it was again
08:05handed over to Pakistan after the Tashkent Agreement in 1966.
08:11During the 1971 war, Captain Pathania of 211 Gorkha Rifles led a fierce assault,
08:17successfully recapturing Point 13620 by December 9, 1971. Since then, the Indian Army has maintained
08:24control over Point 13620, including during the Kargil War in 1999.
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