India, July 26 -- Exactly 27 years ago, the Tricolour fluttered valiantly against the winds lashing the towering heights from Mashkoh to the South Siachen Glacier. These were flags hoisted on rocky outcrops crusted crimson by the blood of valiant soldiers, who had fought a war limited to regaining India's own territory.

At that time, no one had thought of the alpine flowers that had survived the ravages of war. It was time to count the body bags and rolls of bandages that had laid siege to ghastly wounds: 527 dead and 1,363 wounded and maimed.

The war valleys of 1999 had been dotted with the influx of tents, troops, trucks, artillery guns and rocket launchers much to the relief of the rattled Kargil Generals. The flowers of emerald mead...