Published: Jun 17, 2020, 03:41 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 17, 2020, 03:41 PM (IST)
India’s leading sportspersons, including cricket captain Virat Kohli, former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and football Sunil Chhetri, have paid tributes to the 20 Army personnel killed during a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. The clash at the Galwan valley was the biggest Indo-China military confrontation in over five decades and escalated the volatile border standoff in the region. As per the media reports, India lost 20 of its soldiers in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley region on Monday night. The Chinese side has also suffered heavy casualties of over 40 soldiers.
“Salute and deepest respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect our country in the Galwan Valley. NO one is more selfless and brave than a soldier. Sincere condolences to the families. I hope they find peace through our prayers at this difficult time,” Kohli wrote on his twitter page.
Kohli’s white-ball deputy Rohit Sharma also mourned the death of the soldiers.
“Salute to our REAL HEROES who laid their lives protecting and honouring our border. May god give their families utmost strength,” Rohit tweeted.
Salute and deepest respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect our country in the Galwan Valley. NO one is more selfless and brave than a soldier. Sincere condolences to the families. I hope they find peace through our prayers at this difficult time. 🙏
Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 17, 2020
Salute to our REAL HEROES who laid their lives protecting and honouring our border. May god give their families utmost strength #GalwanValley
Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) June 17, 2020
Resolve this across a table while you can, not at the border. Act swiftly, for the sake of those army personnel who have died and for those who shouldn’t.
I can only hope that the families of those who have laid down their lives find strength to deal with their losses.
Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) June 17, 2020
I salute the courage of our Indian soldiers who have been martyred at #GalwanValley
All these atrocities must stop and hope we can have a peaceful world where human life is valued.
My thoughts are with the bereaved families, I pray for their strength 🙏🏻
Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) June 16, 2020
I salute the Indian army 🇮🇳💪..I salute the Indian soldiers who were martyred at #GalwanValley ..My heart goes out to the families of these brave soldiers..🙏 #JaiHind @IndINDIANARMY pic.twitter.com/L31a3YGlcS
Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) June 16, 2020
Bhutia, who has also dabbled in politics, termed the attack a “planned one”. While the current India football team skipper Sunil Chhetri urged the top bosses to solve the issue over the table.
“China had asked all its citizens to leave India few weeks back. The killing of our soldiers in LAC was a I think a planned one.
“We completely condemn this cowardly act of China. Indian Govt should take strong necessary action and not bow down to Chinese aggression,” Bhutia wrote on the micro-blogging site.
China had asked all its citizens to leave India few weeks back. The killing of our soldiers in LAC was a I think a planned one. We completely condemn this cowardly act of China. Indian Govt should take strong necessary action and not bow down to Chinese aggression pic.twitter.com/PToDa61mLv
Bhaichung Bhutia (@bhaichung15) June 17, 2020
#GalwanValley #IndianArmy #JaiHindKiSena 🙏🙏
Sushil Kumar (@WrestlerSushil) June 17, 2020
Double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, Olympic bronze medal-winning duo of wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and shuttler Saina Nehwal and cricketer Shikhar Dhawan were also among the notable athletes to pay tributes.
The death of Indian soliders were the first since the last major border clash in 1967 between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Both India and China are also the world’s two most populous countries – which have been unable to settle the dispute along their lengthy frontier.
