Club Service: Kargil -'Leading From Front' Speaker Lalit Roy on 21-09-05:

Our Club hosted an inter-club joint meeting of the Rotary Club of Twin Cities on Wednesday, 21st September, 2005 at 6.30 pm at the K L N Prasad Auditorium, FAPCCI Campus, Red Hills, Lakdikapul,Hyderabad. A decorated war hero, Col. Lalit Rai, Vir Chakra made a presentation on the genesis of the Kargil war titled “ Kargil-Leading from the front”. An audio/video presentation of two hours duration was made. Colonel Lalit Rai, “Vir Chakra”, is an experienced and decorated Army Officer.in his career spaning 28 years he has held many prestigious command and staff appointments. During “OPERATION VIJAY”, he took command of the elite 11 Gorkha Rifles and led the first offensive in one of the fiercest battles of the Kargil War in the Batalik Sector in the most inhospitable and treachous battlefields. The 11 Gorkha Rifles under his dynamic command and inspirational leadershipcovered itself in glory by capturing strategic and formidable enemy positions in one of the toughest terrains. The battalion besides bagging a large numbers of gallantry awards also received the highly coveted Chief of Army Staff Unit citation “Bravest of the Brave”.

The presentation by Col. Rai to a packed audience took the Rotarians present through the genesis of the war, the planning of our defenses, the successful Indian Counter offensive, logistical difficulties of battle in one of the most inhospitable terrains, the horrors of war and sacrifices made, the bravery and gallantry of the Indian Armed forces who defeated the enemy in battle so that we could sleep in peace.