Martyrs Honoured, Youth Empowered, Villages Healed, Glaciers Cleaned
Leh, Sept 02: The Fire and Fury Corps, stationed in the high reaches of Ladakh, marked its 26th Raising Day on Monday with tributes to fallen soldiers and a reaffirmation of its twin role of safeguarding India’s borders and driving regional development.
At the Hall of Fame War Memorial in Leh, Lieutenant General Hitesh Bhalla, UYSM, SC**, SM, VSM, General Officer Commanding, laid a wreath on behalf of all ranks to honour the soldiers who laid down their lives in operations across Ladakh.
Raised on September 1, 1999, in the aftermath of Operation Vijay, the Corps was tasked with securing the entire Ladakh region. Today it guards some of the most sensitive locations in the country, including the Siachen Glacier, Daulat Beg Oldie, Demchok and the Zojila–Kargil sector.
While its military duties remain uncompromising, the Corps has become an anchor for Ladakh’s social and economic growth. In the last two years, it has executed 618 projects under Operation Sadbhavana, ranging from infrastructure upgrades in schools to livelihood initiatives in remote villages. Seven Army Goodwill Schools currently educate 2,472 students, with scholarships opening avenues for higher studies. Training programmes have enabled local youth to clear competitive exams such as NEET, JEE and Sainik School entrance tests.
Community engagement has also taken the form of 26 National Integration Tours since 2023, exposing nearly 400 students and residents to other parts of the country. Traditional sports like polo and archery are being promoted alongside modern ones such as ice hockey, for which kits were distributed to remote village teams. Mountaineering expeditions and sporting events have added to Ladakh’s profile as an adventure hub.
Healthcare remains a strong focus. Since last year, 66 medical camps and 21 veterinary camps have been conducted, with ambulances deployed to inaccessible villages. Environmental efforts have seen over 130 tons of waste cleared from Siachen and 14 tons of plastic removed from Nyoma. Solar power projects, tree plantation drives and cleanliness campaigns further underscore the Corps’ commitment to the fragile ecosystem.
Women empowerment centres and community enterprises in weaving, block printing and sanitary product manufacturing are reshaping local livelihoods. Welfare measures for veterans, veer naris and dependents have included more than 45 outreach rallies since 2024.
As part of the celebrations, the Ladakh Women’s Ice Hockey Team was honoured and 24 soldiers were felicitated for outstanding service. Addressing troops, Lt Gen Bhalla said the Corps remained dedicated to defending the nation’s frontiers while standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ladakh in their aspirations for progress.
