Each year, during the hot months of May and June, a man travels from Delhi to Drass in Kargil to fulfil a promise he made to his son. This journey is not just a routine visit, it is filled with love, pride, and the deep connection between a father and his courageous son.
Colonel Virender Thapar makes this trip every year to honour the memory of his 22-year-old son, Lieutenant Vijyant Thapar, who was martyred in the 1999 Kargil War.
From May to July 1999, India fought a war in Kargil after terrorists entered Indian territory and took control of important mountain peaks. Indian soldiers showed great courage and fought hard to take back the area.
A total of 527 Indian soldiers gave their lives in that war. Lt Vijyant Thapar was one of them.
Before he died, Lt Thapar wrote a final letter to his father. In the letter, he asked him to visit the place where he and his fellow soldiers had fought bravely and sacrificed their lives.
To keep his promise, Colonel Thapar goes to Drass every year to honour his son’s bravery and show respect.
As reported by The Telegraph, Lt Thapar had also requested his parents to donate to an orphanage and to keep giving Rs 50 every month to a young girl named Ruksana.
A photo of Col. Thapar at IGI Airport has gone viral online.
One user on X posted, “Touching. Warm hug to the father.”
Another wrote, “The Armed Forces of this country were venerable once. Stories like these… are a testament to the character of the men who truly served to protect us.”
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