Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta on Sunday said Pune has not only educated students from Ladakh, Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir, but has also embraced and nurtured them as its own.
Sarhad, a Pune-based social organisation working with people from border areas, organised the Ladakh Festival in the city. As part of the festival, the Kargil Gaurav National Awards 2025 were presented to distinguished individuals from various fields by Gupta.
The dignitaries present on the dais included Pune Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Ladakh’s First Lady Bindu Gupta, Sarhad Founder President Sanjay Nahar, Sushma Nahar, Arham Institute Director Shailesh Pagaria, and Samvad Foundation’s Sanjeev Shah, among others. Gupta said the relationship between Pune and Ladakh has transcended geography to become one rooted in emotion and humanity.
Awards were conferred on Cosmos Bank Chairman Dr Pralhad Kokare, Major General Shashikant Pitre (Retd), Kesari Tours Director Jhelum Chaubal, senior journalist Rajiv Sabade, senior architect Dilip Kale, social worker Raj Deshmukh, Tarun Uppal of Nirbhay Bharat Foundation, and Mangesh Chivate, Head of the Chief Minister’s Medical Cell of the state government, in recognition of their contributions.
Speaking at the event, Gupta said, “It is a matter of great pride for me to be associated with the Kargil Gaurav National Award as part of the Ladakh Festival. This occasion also reaffirms the deep and enduring bond that Indians share with their borders. Pune is not merely a hub of culture and education; it has also served as a crucible of nation-building. For decades, Pune has not only educated students from Ladakh, Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir, but has embraced and nurtured them as its own. For this, I express my heartfelt gratitude to Pune. The city has instilled confidence and self-belief in these students, and that is why the relationship between Pune and Ladakh has transcended geography to become one rooted in emotion and humanity.”
The Ladakh Lieutenant Governor added, “We often confine the idea of national security to armed forces and weapon systems. While it is true that our Armed Forces safeguard the nation’s physical borders, organisations like Sarhad remind us that the emotional frontiers of the nation are protected by its society. Lasting peace and national integration are possible only when citizens living in border areas feel deeply connected to the national mainstream. During the 1999 Kargil War, the ordinary citizens of Ladakh and Kargil—including villagers and porters from remote areas—emerged as a vital pillar of the security framework. They extended selfless support to the Armed Forces in extremely challenging terrain, without regard for their own safety. Today’s programme in Pune stands as a tribute to their courage and sacrifice.”
