JAMMU, Sept 28: An Indian Air Force (IAF) cycling expedition from Kanyakumari to Kargil proceeded towards Udhampur on Monday after reaching Jammu, as part of an initiative to commemorate the 1999 Kargil War heroes and mark the IAF’s 94th anniversary.
The 18-member team began the final leg of its expedition from the National War Memorial in New Delhi on September 22 and is scheduled to reach the Kargil War Memorial on October 8, Group Captain A K Singh, the team leader, said.
The riders departed from Maharaja Hari Singh Chowk at Tawi Bridge in Jammu for Udhampur on Monday morning.
Singh said the expedition was planned in three phases, with the first two phases already completed and the team now undertaking the concluding stage towards Kargil.
“We started from Delhi on September 22. Our goal is to reach the Kargil War Memorial on October 8 to pay tribute to our brave soldiers, marking the occasion of the 94th Air Force Day,” he said.
The expedition also seeks to engage with young people and create awareness about the IAF, its functioning and the role of the armed forces, Singh said.
The riders began their journey from Pathankot at 7 am on Sunday, reaching Jammu later that night before proceeding towards Udhampur.
Despite challenges along the route, the team is continuing its journey towards the Kargil War Memorial as a tribute to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
The expedition seeks to highlight the values of courage, sacrifice and service associated with the armed forces.
