(Retd) Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai completed the challenging journey from Srinagar to Drass to honour the 25th anniversary of the Kargil War that officially ended on July 26, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
High-altitude run to honour fallen heroes of Kargil
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai, who retired as an Indian Army officer, completed a 160-kilometre run from Srinagar to Drass to observe the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Lt Col Rai, who lives in Siliguri in north Bengal and who has a deep personal connection to the army, undertook this journey not only as a tribute but also to honour the bravery and sacrifices of soldiers who fought in the Kargil War. “I ran to honour our bravehearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation,” she told PTI.
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
Srinagar to Drass in four days
Lt Col Rai completed the run over four days. “The physical pain my body endured in this run pales in comparison to the hardships faced by our soldiers during the war. Through this run, my aim was to raise awareness about the sacrifices made by our soldiers,” she told PTI.
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
40 km of running every day
Lt Col Rai’s run began on July 19 and concluded on July 22. Each day, she covered approximately 40 km, maintaining a steady pace despite the demanding conditions. Her journey from Srinagar to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass was planned minutely with attention to pay homage to the martyrs on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
Along the LoC, through Kashmir towards Ladakh
Starting from Srinagar, Lt Col Rai reached Wusan on Day Two, then ran to Sonamarg at an altitude of 9,000 feet. The third day involved surmounting the Zojila Pass, which stands at 11,649 feet on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, connecting the Kashmir valley with the Ladakh region. She reached Matayen before finally arriving at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass on the fourth day.
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
A fauji daughter salutes her fauji father
The sole reason behind her run was deeply personal and rooted in her family’s military background. “I was in Class VII when the Kargil War started and my father, Colonel Keshab Rai, who retired 10 years ago, had then moved out overnight [to the border] along with his entire unit.
For fauji families like ours, what followed were days of uncertainty, loss and despair. This run was not just a personal journey for me, but a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the soldiers who fought valiantly during the Kargil War,” she shared.
With a little help from the Chinar Warriors
Throughout her journey, Lt Col Rai was supported by the Chinar Warriors marathon team in various stretches. Upon completing the run, they collectively paid tribute to the martyrs at the Kargil War Memorial.
Army is there in my blood: Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai
Lieutenant Colonel Barsha Rai spoke to The Telegraph Online on why she undertook the arduous run. “I am a fauji daughter,” she said proudly. “I live and breathe fauj literally and the army is there in my blood, my veins, my spirit and soul. Today, if somebody asks me if not the army then what, I think I would have no answer. The army has provided me with infinite opportunities, learnings and growth. I strongly feel that what I am as a person today and how my character has grown I owe it all to the Indian Army.”
An officer and a fighter for equality
Lt Col Rai told The Telegraph Online that women should consider the army as a career that treats them equally: “I think there is no better opportunity for a woman than being in the defence forces, when the world is actually fighting for pay parity, this is one field where a woman is paid equally. So what I am getting per month the same my male colleagues also get. There is no discrimination, you are what you are, you are what your job is. This is how your work speaks to you.”