The Promise to a Fallen Son

The Promise to a Fallen Son – A Father’s Annual Pilgrimage to Kargil | Father’s Day Special. Read the true story of Colonel Virender Thapar, who treks to Drass every year to honor his son Captain Vijyant Thapar, martyred in the Kargil War at 22. A Father’s Day story of a promise kept.

Introduction: A Pilgrimage of Love

Every year, in the months of May and June, an elderly man boards a flight from Delhi to Ladakh. He travels to the tiny town of Drass – one of the coldest inhabited places on earth. He does not go for sightseeing. He does not go for leisure. He goes to keep a promise.

Colonel Virender Thapar (Retired) is now over 75 years old. He has a pacemaker. The journey is arduous – the trek up the mountain is physically demanding, the altitude is punishing, and the memories are painful. But he goes anyway. He has been doing this for over 25 years.

The promise was made in a letter – a letter written by his son, Captain Vijyant Thapar, just days before he was killed in the Kargil War. The young officer was only 22. He had written: “If you can, please come and see where the Indian Army fought for your tomorrow”.

Colonel Thapar has kept that promise every single year.

He believes his son still lives in Kargil. “I believe Vijayant still lives in Kargil, and that is why I go there every year to meet him,” he said.

This is the story of a father’s love, a son’s sacrifice, and a promise that death could not break.

Historical Context: The Kargil War of 1999

The Conflict That Shook the Nation

Between May and July 1999, India and Pakistan fought a fierce conflict in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani forces had infiltrated across the Line of Control (LoC) and occupied strategic peaks, threatening vital supply routes. The Indian Army launched Operation Vijay to evict the intruders.

The war was fought at high altitude – some battles took place at elevations of over 16,000 feet. The terrain was treacherous, the weather brutal, and the enemy well-entrenched. Indian soldiers fought with extraordinary courage to recapture the peaks. 527 Indian soldiers were martyred in the 85-day conflict. Thousands more were wounded.

The war ended on 26 July 1999 with India’s victory. But for 527 families, victory came at an unbearable cost.

The Battle of Tololing and Knoll

Among the fiercest battles of the Kargil War were the assaults on Tololing and Knoll – strategic peaks in the Drass sector. The 2nd Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles was at the forefront of these operations.

Captain Vijyant Thapar was part of that battalion. He was given the task of leading his platoon to capture the Knoll – a near-impossible objective. The enemy was well-entrenched, the terrain was open and exposed, and the artillery fire was relentless. Yet he led his men forward.

His unit achieved its objective. The Knoll was captured. But Vijyant Thapar did not come home.

The Son: Captain Vijyant Thapar – A Life Cut Short

Born into a Legacy of Service

Vijyant Thapar was born on 26 December 1976 in Nangal, Punjab. He was named after the Indian Army’s Vijayant battle tank – a name that means “victorious in the end”. It was a fitting name for a boy destined for greatness.

He was a fourth-generation Army officer. His great-grandfather, his grandfather, and his father had all served in the Indian Army. The military was not just a career choice for Vijyant – it was his birthright and his calling.

He studied at Tara Hall, St. Mary’s Academy in Meerut, St. Joseph’s Academy, Army Public School, and finished his schooling from DAV College, Chandigarh. He graduated from Khalsa College, Delhi University.

The Dream of Joining the Army

From a young age, Vijyant dreamt of serving his country. His father recalled that even as a child, he didn’t want to do the things other children did. By Class 9, he had already fired all infantry weapons.

When he was very young, his father took him to an Air Force base to watch night-flying. The roar of the engine scared him – but he didn’t flinch, didn’t cry. Even then, there was something different about him.

He made a mock fighter plane cockpit in his garden, using a joystick between his legs to pretend he was flying. The Air Force was his first love. But the Army was his destiny.

The Indian Military Academy

Vijyant was selected for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. At IMA, he received a Silver Medal for being the second-best cadet in his first term. He called his time at IMA the “best and happiest period of his life”.

He was commissioned on 12 December 1998 and joined the 2 Rajputana Rifles at Gwalior. The motto of his unit was “Ever Victorious”. It was a perfect fit.

The Nickname “Robin”

To his family, Vijyant was always “Robin”. It was a name that captured his playful, mischievous side. His father recalled an incident when Vijyant was in Class 6 or 7. One morning, after returning from PT, Colonel Thapar found his son eating breakfast – with a bottle of rum half-filled with milk and a green snake in it. Vijyant was trying to feed the snake milk because it might be hungry.

That was Robin – curious, kind, and utterly fearless.

His mother Tripta described him as “different” – a son who was always dreaming, always reaching for something beyond.

The Final Letter: A Son’s Last Words

The Letter That Would Change Everything

Before leaving for Kargil, Vijyant Thapar wrote a letter to his family. He asked that it be handed over to them in case he failed to return. The letter is a testament to his courage, his love for his country, and his deep affection for his family.

The letter reads:

“Dearest Papa, Mama and Granny,
By the time you get this letter I’ll be observing you all from the sky enjoying the hospitality of the Apsaras. I have no regrets, in fact even I become a human again, I’ll join the Army and fight for my Nation. If you can, please come and see where the Indian Army fought for you tomorrow.
*As far as the unit is concerned the new chaps should be told about this sacrifice. I hope my photo will be kept in the ‘A’ Coy Mandir. Whatever organ can be taken should be done. Contribute some money to orphanage and keep on giving ₹50 to Ruksana per month and meet Yogi Baba. Best of luck to Bindia, never forget this sacrifice of men. Papa you should feel proud, Mama so should you meet **** (I loved her). Mamaji forgive me for everything wrong I did. Ok then its time for me to join my clan of dirty dozen, my assault party has 12 chaps. Best of Luck to you all, Live life King Size, Yours Robin”.*

The Promise Within the Letter

In that letter, Vijyant made a simple but profound request: “If you can, please come and see where the Indian Army fought for you tomorrow”.

It was not a demand. It was not an expectation. It was a quiet plea – a son asking his father to witness the ground where he and his comrades had laid down their lives.

Colonel Thapar read those words and made a decision. He would fulfill his son’s final wish, no matter what it cost.

The Request for Ruksana

The letter also contained another heartfelt wish – that his parents continue to give ₹50 per month to a little girl named Ruksana.

Ruksana was a six-year-old girl from Kupwara in Jammu & Kashmir. She had witnessed her father’s murder by militants and had become so traumatized that she had completely stopped speaking. When Vijyant found out, he would play with her and buy her candy. The girl started talking again before he left for Kargil.

Vijyant believed that to be a good officer, you first had to be a good human being. His parents have kept that promise too – they are still in touch with Ruksana, who has now completed her graduation and is getting married soon.

The Father: Colonel Virender Thapar’s Promise

The First Pilgrimage

Vijyant Thapar was killed on 29 June 1999, shot by a Pakistani sniper while leading the assault on Knoll. The news came as a phone call from the Army’s casualty unit. Colonel Thapar was in Alwar at the time. “I was hoping he was only wounded, but the worst had happened”. He retired that same year.

The first time Colonel Thapar visited the site of his son’s martyrdom, he was deeply moved. The ground was littered with empty cartridges – the bullets his son and his company commander had fired in their final battle. He heard the accounts of the bravery his son had displayed. He was moved, both as a father and as a soldier.

He knew then that he would return. He has returned every year since.

The Annual Pilgrimage

For over 25 years, Colonel Thapar has made the journey from Delhi to Drass. He treks up to the Knoll – the spot where his son fell. The trek is physically grueling, especially at his age. He now has a pacemaker. But he does not stop.

“It’s been 26 years since Mr Thapar has been honouring his son”.

On social media, he shares photos of his pilgrimage. In one post, he wrote:

*”Shall go on my annual pilgrimage to Drass to pay homage to those who fought and fell in the Battles of Tololing and Knoll Three Pimples 19 years ago. All heroes of the country, including a 22-year-old Capt. Vijayant Thapar, officers, JCOs, men of 2 Rajputana Rifles. We remember”.*

The Temple at Knoll

At the exact spot where Vijyant had his final gunfight, soldiers later built a small temple. The temple stands as a sacred reminder of the young officer who gave his life for his country.

Colonel Thapar wrote about it:

“Close by were 3 martyred Pakistani soldiers. Proud he acquitted himself so well. With a pacemaker you can’t go to this mandir any longer; hence, love to see this picture”.

Even when his body can no longer make the climb, his heart remains there.

What the Pilgrimage Means

For Colonel Thapar, the journey is not just about remembrance. It is about connection. “We say a little prayer in memory of him every morning, and believe that everything good that happens to us is because of him”.

His wife Tripta shares his grief and his pride. She once said:

“He died just as a soldier should – on the battlefield, with a rifle in hand, after completing the mission, getting hit by that one bullet from the enemy, and falling in his comrade’s arms. That is how my son laid his life for the country, and I am very proud of him”.

A Father’s Legacy – Keeping His Son’s Memory Alive

Naming a City After a Son

Colonel Thapar has ensured that his son’s name will never be forgotten. In Noida, the neighbourhood is called Vijayant Enclave. There is a Vijayant Thapar Park a few metres from his home. A road is named Captain Vijayant Thapar Marg, and a chowk is named Vijayant Thapar Chowk. The petrol pump he runs is called the Vijayant Thapar Petrol Pump.

Colonel Thapar said:

“It is always the children who are known by their parents’ name and deeds. However, we, as parents, feel extremely proud to be known not by our names, but as Captain Vijayant Thapar’s parents”.

Writing a Biography

Colonel Thapar co-authored a biography of his son titled “Vijyant at Kargil: The Biography of a War Hero”. The book, published by Penguin, explores Vijyant’s life from his birth to his death on the battlefield.

Colonel Thapar said of the book:

*”For the past 18-and-a-half years, I’ve been penning down the reality of what happened and the emotions attached to it. These movements and incidents caused a big storm in my heart, and I started recording everything about this historic battle, with anecdotes from his childhood and accounts from his team mates”.*

The book was released on Kargil Vijay Diwas – 26 July – in loving memory of his son.

The Biographical Film – “Vijyant at Kargil”

In 2025, a biographical war film titled “Vijyant at Kargil” was announced. The film will chronicle the life of Captain Vijyant Thapar, based on the biography written by his father.

His father’s relentless efforts to keep his son’s memory alive have ensured that the nation will never forget the young officer who died at 22.

How the World Reacted – The Viral Father’s Pilgrimage

A Photo That Touched Millions

A photo of Colonel Thapar at the IGI Airport, ready for his annual pilgrimage, went viral on social media. Netizens from across the country reacted with an outpouring of love and respect.

One user wrote: “Touching. Warm hug to the father”.

Another commented: “The Armed Forces of this country were venerable once. Stories like these… are a testament to the character of the men who truly served to protect us”.

A third wrote: “Your sacrifice and your son’s bravery will always be an inspiration to us, sir! Thank you so much. Take care. Jai Hind!”.

The Small Temple, Huge Significance

A 2017 photo of Colonel Thapar accompanied by Army officials at the small temple in Knoll went viral. The caption read: “A father’s pilgrimage to a small temple for his son who fell fighting @22 during Kargil war”.

One comment captured the sentiment perfectly: “Sir the temple may be small in size, but it’s HUGE in significance and reverence for what it represents”.

Another wrote: “Salute to the Braveheart and also a Salute to his brave parents. Thank you Sir for giving a Gem like him to the country. JAIHIND”.

Why This Story Still Matters

Colonel Virender Thapar is not a general or a politician. He is a father who lost his son. And every year, despite his age and failing health, he climbs a mountain to keep a promise.

His son, Captain Vijyant Thapar, was not a celebrity. He was a 22-year-old officer who loved his country, loved his family, and believed that serving the nation was the highest calling. He wrote a letter predicting his own death – and asked his father to visit the place where he would fall.

This story is about a promise that death could not break. It is about a father’s love that transcends grief. It is about a son’s sacrifice that continues to inspire millions.

Colonel Thapar’s annual pilgrimage is not just a personal act of remembrance. It is a public declaration that the sacrifices of our soldiers – and the families who love them – will never be forgotten.

In his own words:

“I believe Vijayant still lives in Kargil, and that is why I go there every year to meet him”.

And that is why, even today, a father climbs a mountain to honor a son who gave everything for his country.

Sources & Further Reading

NDTV – “Come See Where We Fought”: He Honours His Son, A Kargil War Hero, Every Year
News18 – This Father Visits Drass Every Year To Keep A Promise Made To His Fallen Soldier Son In Kargil
India TV News – Grief to Gratitude: Father travels to Drass, Kargil every year to pay tribute to son’s courage and sacrifice
Hindustan Times – ‘I believe Vijayant still lives in Kargil… I go there every year’
Hindustan Times – Kargil war hero Captain Vijayant Thapar’s last letter to parents: ‘By the time you get this…’
The Quint – A Kargil War Hero’s Last Letter: Father Reads Son’s Final Goodbye
The Indian Express – 20 years after Kargil: ‘When his box came home, all it had was Rs 300 — and the chocolates he loved’
The New Indian Express – INTERVIEW| I have read each and every book on Kargil War: Col VN Thapar
Penguin Random House India – Vijyant at Kargil: The Biography of a War Hero
Indian Express – *Father climbs 16,000-ft peak for son’s last wish*