Regimental riders conclude 12-day journey across Ladakh
Leh, Aug 12 — A 20-member motorcycle expedition organised by the Regiment of Artillery reached Leh on Wednesday after a 2,400-km, 12-day traversal of high-altitude battlefields and frontier areas of Ladakh, and paid respects at the Hall of Fame to soldiers who died in the 1999 Kargil conflict, officials said.
The team, described by organisers as the Gunners’ Ladakh Odyssey, was drawn from Army units that fought in Kargil. It was flagged off from the Kargil War Memorial at Drass on August 3 by Brigadier Sarit Prakash, Deputy General Officer Commanding, 8 Mountain Division, according to the official report of the expedition.
- The expedition covered approximately 2,400 km over 12 days.
- It was led by Maj Gen Arvind Yadav, Additional Director General, Artillery.
- On reaching Leh the team laid wreaths at the Hall of Fame and remembered the fallen of Operation Vijay (1999).
The riders traversed remote and high-altitude terrain, visiting locations across Ladakh that have military and historical significance. Places named in the expedition itinerary included Nubra, Shyok, Chushul and other frontier valleys. The group also visited sites associated with the Kargil conflict and the country’s frontier sectors, such as Turtuk, Partapur, Khardung La, Siachen Base Camp, Thoise, Tangtse, Pangong Tso and Rezang La, officials said.
"The team laid wreaths in memory of the fallen heroes and recalled their courage, dedication and selfless service," the official communique said.
According to the expedition brief, the riders were en route from Hanle to Leh on Wednesday as part of the concluding phase. The organisers said the journey aimed to commemorate the 27th anniversary of Operation Vijay as well as mark the bicentenary of the Regiment of Artillery. The flagging-off from Drass and the route through historical battlefields emphasised the expedition’s commemorative objectives.
Commemoration, remembrance and a symbolic gesture
In addition to laying wreaths, the team planned to collect soil from key battlefields and forward posts visited during the odyssey. The collected soil will be used to nurture saplings that will later be planted at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass and at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, the office of the organisers said. The scheme was described as a "living tribute" to the sacrifices associated with Operation Vijay.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Expedition name | Gunners’ Ladakh Odyssey |
| Duration | 12 days |
| Distance covered | Approx. 2,400 km |
| Flagged off | Kargil War Memorial, Drass (Aug 3) |
| Leader | Maj Gen Arvind Yadav |
The expedition’s route and the choice of sites visited place the exercise at the intersection of military commemoration and local public memory in Ladakh. Visits to Hall of Fame sites in Leh and to memorials such as Rezang La and Drass are of particular resonance in the region, where the legacy of the 1999 conflict remains part of civic observance and regimental histories.
Officials framed the odyssey as a means of carrying forward values they associated with the Regiment of Artillery and Operation Vijay — patriotism, courage and service — and as an act intended to inspire succeeding generations with the sacrifices recorded during the conflict. The collection and planned planting of battlefield soil as saplings aims to link the physical landscape of Ladakh with national memorial spaces in Drass and New Delhi.
No further operational or security details were released in the expedition communique beyond the itinerary and commemorative activities, the report added.
