SHILLONG/ ITANAGAR/ IMPHAL : Captain Clifford Nongrum, one of the youngest soldiers to have laid down his life for the country in the Kargil War against Pakistan in 1999, was remembered gratefully in Shillong on the occasion of Kargil Victory Day on Thursday. Kargil Victory Day marks the anniversary of the end of war on July 26, 1999.A wreath laying ceremony was organized to pay homage to Late Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum at St Anthony's College under the aegis of the National Cadet Corps, Shillong Group. Captain Nongrum had been an St Anthony's College alumnus and a NCC cadet of the 41 Meghalaya Artillery Battery. The function was attended by Major General Raju Chauhan, Northeastern Region NCC directorate additional director general, as chief guest and many other civil and military dignitaries."The real tribute to our martyrs will be achieved, if we, at all levels, put in a place a robust, sensitive and responsive system which will support and remember our fallen heroes and their families," the general observed in his address to cadets and students of St Anthony's College. "There is no bigger sacrifice known to man than to lay down one's life in the defence of the nation," General Chauhan said in reference to the bravery of Captain Clifford.Clifford Nongrum (7 March 1975 - 1 July 1999) was an officer of the 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for showing exemplary valour in combat during the Kargil War.In Itanagar , Arunachal Pradesh governor Brig (Retd) BD Mishra paid tributes to the gallant Indian Army soldiers who were martyred in the war. The governor said, "On the proud occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, I salute the courage, patriotism and sacrifice of our gallant Indian Army soldiers who from May 5 to July 26 1999, valiantly fought at the high-altitude snowbound areas of Kargil mountains in Jammu and Kashmir to liberate the Indian territory from the Pakistan Army, who had perfidiously occupied the bunkers on the top of the mountains during the thinning out period of the Indian Army units.""The vigour and valour of the Indian Army in the Kargil War has been unparalleled and whole nation stands beholden to the Kargil heroes of the Indian Army," Mishra said.The Kargil war was fought on the 'highest battlefield' of the world. "I join my fellow citizens of Arunachal Pradesh in paying our tribute to the plucky and fearless soldiers of Mother India who stood firm in their line of duty and are no more with us. I am sanguine that our great nation will continue to draw inspiration from the sacrifices of those bravehearts. May the martyrs of Kargil war forever live in our memory," the governor added in his message. Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, speaking on Thursday, said the Kargil War had shown the world that Pakistan had illegally invaded Indian territory. The CM also recalled the Manipur-born soldiers who laid down their lives for the country in the war.

Stay updated with all the Latest Imphal headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.