Tarun Vijay
tarunvijay55555@gmail.com
Ladakh defines India in more than one ways. It’s the land of the Lamas and most courageous and invincible people who border three countries- that many people are unaware of. Because of 1962’s Chinese aggression , people think Ladakh shares borders with China- Tibet and Pakistan we have had serious conflicts with. Ladakh has an international border with Afghanistan also is a bit lesser known fact.
Ladakh has also a unique distinction – that none of any other Indian state can boast of- to be a cradle of a river that gave an identity to our nation, people and civilisation. The river Indus, called Sindhu in the Vedas, is in Ladakh- flowing more than five hundred kms – entering our present Line of Actual Control in Demchhok from Tibet’s holy Kailas Manasarovar region and reaching Gilgit and Baltistan- in PoJK nrear Batalik . This is the river that gave our nation a name- we are India, and Hindustan , our people are Indian and Hindustani, major religion is known as Hindu and civilisation is called Sindhu- Saraswati – because there is a mighty river called Indus and Sindhu.
And that great river , passes through Ladakh where Buddhists revere it as a holy flow of divinity- as pure as the waters of lake Manasarovar. The crystal clear -Amrut- Jalam – nectar like waters of Sindhu are used in Buddhist monasteries as a medicine to cure several ailments with prayers.
Ladakh gives us the opportunity to have Sindhu snan -holy dip- declared a must with seven holy rivers of India since time immemorial.
Ladakh is much more than that. It has given us some of the greatest Buddhist monks and philosophers who ever lived on this earth like most reverend Kushok Bakula Rinpoche . considered as an avatara or emanation of the Buddha Amitabha he is worshipped as one of the 16 disciples of Buddha (Naytan Chudrug, or the Sixteen Arhats). He was India’s ambassador to Mongolia and he helped revive Buddhism in Russia and Mongolia. In Mongolia, whose President visited India recently, Kushok Bakula Rinpoche is highly revered as a great monk. We have an important road in New Delhi- connecting Rashtrapati Bhawan- named as Kushok road.
And again, Ladakh is much more than that. It is a home to India’s finest and bravest soldiers who have earned a place of highest honour in the hearts of our armed forces. When the Chinese penetrated into Ladakh in 1962, the common Ladakhi became a stonewall against their aggression . The world has seen an awe-inspiring heroism in the actions of Col Chewang Rinchen, who won Mahavir Chakra twice in his life time, brought Turtuk to India in 1971-, a strategically important village in Baltistan. So the first victory to get back Baltistan – as per the unanimous resolution of the Indian Parliament was registered by a Ladakhi hero. His story needs to be a part of our national school curriculums. So are the stories of heroes like Col Sonam Wangchuk , who won Mahavir Chakra for his exceptionally brave action in Kargil war and many more . The Kargil intrusions by Pakistanis were first spotted and reported by Ladakhi shepherds and they were Ladakhi youth who took heavy weapons and armoured guns up the difficult hills on the strength of their sinews.
Ladakhi youth are brilliant and have joined Ladakh Scouts in large numbers to serve Bharat Mata. The war cry or the Ladakh Scouts Ki Ki So So Lhal Gyalo – meaning Victory to the Gods- creates fear in the hearts of the enemies . The Ladakhi girls and boys have shone in the fields of medicine, engineering, administration, and have won laurels in various IITs, IIMs, designing and culinary skills, running some of the best eateries in Leh and Goa.
I have had the privilege to help several Ladakhi children in their pursuit of education and today they are shining as stars in various fields . Their patriotism, brilliance, deep rooted devotion to the Tricolour inspires me. In fact in one of my visits I had told them its not that tricolour lives in your hearts, in fact you live a tricoloured life- it is in your blood.
Visiting Ladakh means paying our tribute to the heroes who defended India- and having an opportunity to stand in silence at Kargil War Memorial, the Ahir Dham in Chushul, Major Shaitan Singh’s battlefield that still reverberates with his incredible saga of bravery, a holy dip in Sindhu river , worshipping in great ancient monasteries like Hemis , Thiksey , Alchi and Lamayuru and meeting family of Col Chewang Rinchen is a pilgrimage for Mother India – something that we must not miss in our life time.
Transformation of Ladakh into a new futuristic region
*Creation of new districts: In October 2025, the Central Government created five new districts in Ladakh-Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang-in addition to Leh and Kargil. This was done to improve governance and ensure government benefits reach more remote areas.
Infrastructure and connectivity
Road construction: Since becoming a UT in 2019, Ladakh has seen approximately 1,670 km of new roads built, blacktopped, or metalled under central schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). This has improved connectivity and boosted tourism.
Strategic road projects: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed seven projects in 2024, including new bridges and double-lane roads, to enhance military logistics and socioeconomic connectivity.
Power transmission:
* In late 2025, the Government approved a revised cost estimate of Rs 1,925 crore for the Nubra and Zanskar power transmission lines to provide reliable, 24/7 power supply across Ladakh.
* Construction was completed on critical transmission lines and grid stations in Nubra and Zanskar in 2024.
* Green energy corridor: The Government approved Phase-II of the Green Energy Corridor project to support a 13 GW renewable energy project in Ladakh, with an estimated cost of ?20,773 crore. It is targeted for completion by 2029-2030.
Economic and industrial initiatives
* Promoting local products: The government is promoting exclusive local products like seabuckthorn (Leh Berry) and is working to commercialize high-altitude medicinal plants, including “Sanjeevani Booti”.
* GST reforms: Significant GST reductions introduced in October 2025 benefit local industries by lowering costs for artisans, farmers, and small businesses.
* GST on Pashmina wool, Namda rugs, and other handicrafts was reduced from 12% to 5% to support over 10,000 artisans.
* The GST on hotel tariffs below ?7,500 was reduced to 5% to boost eco-tourism and support local homestays.
* Over 6,000 apricot-farming families benefit from reduced GST, which increases the market viability of locally produced apricots and related products.
Astro-tourism: A Night Sky Sanctuary is being established in Hanle village to boost astro-tourism, making it one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical and gamma-ray telescopes.
Healthcare and education
Healthcare facilities: All 95 Health and Wellness Centres have been made fully operational as “Ayushman Arogya Mandirs,” delivering comprehensive primary care.
Targeting malnutrition: Health supplements have been distributed in schools and Anganwadi centres to combat anaemia among children and pregnant women.
Recruitment: The administration has successfully recruited 3,200 non-gazetted posts and is addressing issues to fill other gazetted positions.
Citizen concerns and ongoing dialogue
While development has been significant, local representatives have also raised concerns about preserving Ladakh’s cultural identity and land rights. In October 2025, talks resumed between representatives from the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance and the Ministry of Home Affairs to discuss demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.
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