Hyderabad students inspired by Kargil heroes at Major Acharya's 25th Martyrdom Day

HYDERABAD: The story of the Kargil War is incomplete without mentioning the brilliant junior leadership. Major Padmapani Acharya, MVC, was one such officer who bravely fought and sacrificed his life during the Kargil War on June 28, 1999. To honour his story on his 25th martyrdom day, over 5,000 students from different schools in the city gathered at the Prajapitha Brahmakumari Sarovar Auditorium in Gachibowli for the Kargil Vijay Rajat Mahotsav event organised by Lakshya Foundation.

Two Kargil heroes, Brig Mohit Saxena, VrC, from the 2nd Rajputana Rifles, and part of the regiment that fought the battle of Tololing alongside Maj Padmapani Acharya, and Col Jaidev Singh Rathore (Retd) from the 8th Sikh Regiment, shared their experiences with the students. The interactive session was hosted by the founder president of the Lakshya Foundation, Anuradha Prabhudesai.

The officers highlighted a few of their experiences, explaining how they fought and conquered Tololing and Tiger Hill. They spoke about supreme sacrifice of Maj Padmapani Acharya, who was assigned the task of capturing Knoll Hill and succumbed to grenade injuries in the process. The session aimed to raise awareness among students about his sacrifice. Since Maj Padmapani Acharya hails from Hyderabad, his story resonated deeply and inspired the students, emphasising the importance of determination, devotion, and dedication in their lives.

Air Vice Marshal Wadodkar, Col Jaidev Singh Rathore (Retd)

After the brief interaction with the students, Col Jaidev Singh Rathore said, “After seeing the enthusiastic students, I felt that the future of our country is in safe hands. We don’t have to worry about who joins the forces. These students are eager to join the army and are studying hard. I told them they should excel in mathematics and science to join the army because they need to be mentally strong and intelligent to overshadow the enemy. Today, we commemorate Major Padmapani Acharya who is referred as Pearl of Hyderabad, remembering his brave sacrifice and sharing our memories from the Kargil War.”

He emphasised that events like this educate and increase awareness about the Indian armed forces, inspire students to pursue a career in the armed forces, and help them grow up as responsible, patriotic citizens of India.

Air Vice Marshal Wadodkar, who attended the event commented, “Another fantastic effort by Lakshya Foundation to expose the children to the real stories. You can read stories and watch movies, but the interaction with those who actually participated in operations is unparalleled. The interaction between the children and the soldiers who participated in the Kargil War was amazing. This needs to be carried forward, possibly involving personnel from all three services, to motivate children through such interactions to do something better for the country.”