Salute to our real heroes: Rohit Sharma pays tribute to soldiers martyred in Galwan Valley

Indian opening batsman Rohit Sharma has paid heartfelt tribute to 20 Indian Army soldiers, who were martyred during a violent face-off with the Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in Ladhakh on June 15 night.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, the 33-year-old saluted the country's 'real heroes' who laid their lives while protecting and honouring the border.

"Salute to our REAL HEROES who laid their lives protecting and honouring our border. May god give their families utmost strength #GalwanValley," Sharma tweeted.

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

Besides him, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also paid condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in clash with the Chinese forces.

"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 tweeted.

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

Meanwhile, Indian men's football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia posted a picture of the national flag on Twitter and condemned this cowardly act of China.

"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," he wrote.

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

The violent clashed erupted after Chinese troops tried to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh. Army sources said that the clashes could have been avoided if the Chinese side has stuck to the agreement reached between the senior officers of the two countries. 

On Tuesday, the Indian Army said, "Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20."