Letters to the EDITOR: Kargil Memorial Day

Kargil Memorial Day

Kargil Memorial Day is observed annually on July 26 to commemorate the bravery and resilience of our troops on the border. The conflict happened in 1999 when Pakistani troops infiltrated the Kargil sector of Kashmir, attempting to occupy a strategic position. The Indian army responded swiftly, launching Operation Vijay to occupy the territory. Our jawans made a great sacrifice for success in the war, and about 500 jawans val-iantly sacrificed their lives to protect our nation.

Kargil Vijay Diwas is generally a tribute to our martyrs who sacrificed and exemplified the highest ideals of patriotism, dignity, and sacrifice towards our nation. The day serves as a reminder of the importance of national security, the bravery of our armed forces, and our need for eternal vigilance. After the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, there had been a long period of relatively few direct armed conflicts involving the military forces of two neighbours, which created an unpeaceful environment.

Manish Kashyap

Tezpur.

Big day for

Indian tennis

It was a big day at Newport, Rhode Island, as two Indian tennis legends, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardee Leander Adrian Paes and Padma Shri awardee Vijay Amritraj, were inducted into the prestigious International Hall of Fame. Leander Paes is regarded as one of the all-time great doubles players. The 51-year-old also holds the record for the most doubles wins in the Davis Cup. He is ranked among the greatest doubles tennis players of all time, with eight men's doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slams. The Indian tennis legend reached 34 finals in Grand Slam tournaments—both categories combined—the joint second-highest for any man.

Also, he won the very rare men's/mixed double at the 1999 Wimbledon Championships and, in association with Mahesh Bhupathi, became the first pair in the Open era to reach the finals in all four Grand Slams in men's doubles in the same calendar year in 1999. Hence, no one was surprised when Paes was selected in the player category, while Amritraj (70) was inducted in the contributor category. The contributor category recognises true pioneers, visionary leaders, or individuals or groups who have made a transcendent impact on the sport. In 2022, the Indian tennis legend Amritraj was feted in London by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Federation for his lifetime contributions to the sport of tennis. It is his, together with those of Paes', that even now act as an inspiration for the playing of tennis and continue to shape its future. Kudos to both Paes and Vijay Amritraj for making us proud of their induction into the prestigious International Hall of Fame.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee

(bkchatterjee9@gmail.com)