Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Viral Airport Photo Highlights Colonel Thapar’s Annual Pilgrimage to Drass

It fulfills his son’s final wish to be remembered on the battlefield, carrying forward the charitable work he outlined in his last letter.

Image
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • For over 25 years Colonel Virender Thapar has traveled from Delhi to Drass each May and June to honor a promise made to his son, Captain Vijyant Thapar.
  • Captain Thapar was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra after he died at age 22 on June 29, 1999, leading an assault on the Knoll complex during the Kargil War.
  • In his farewell letter, Vijyant asked his family to visit the battlefield, donate to an orphanage and give Rs 50 monthly to a girl named Ruksana, directives his father continues to uphold.
  • A recent photo of Colonel Thapar at IGI Airport with suitcases went viral on social media, drawing widespread tributes to his enduring bond with his son.
  • Beyond the pilgrimage, Colonel Thapar co-authored “Vijyant at Kargil,” a biography of his son, and regularly speaks to keep the sacrifices of Kargil War martyrs alive.