National war memorial inauguration highlights: PM Narendra Modi unveils India’s first National War MemorialNational war memorial inauguration highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India’s first National War Memorial on Monday. The war museum has come at a cost Rs 176 crore near India Gate in New Delhi. The memorial is located in a sprawling 40 acres of land. On Monday evening, PM Modi has lighted the flame positioned at the bottom of the stone-made obelisk. The event is being attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chiefs of Tr-services- the Air Force, Army, and Navy. The National War Memorial has been built within a year from February 2018 to February 2019. The National war Museum has 16 walls made of granite pieces. These 16 walls have names, ranks and regiments of 25,942 war-heroes etched on it.
Talking about the National War Memorial, PM Modi has said that he always felt pain for not having such a museum in the country. PM Modi during his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ said he believed that for Indians, a visit to the National War Memorial will be the same experience as visiting a holy place. PM Modi said that the National War Memorial is a symbol of the nation’s gratitude to those brave-hearts who laid down their lives after India’s Independence.
According to Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar, from now on the National War Memorial will host the wreath-laying ceremony. There will be a flame at the National War Memorial. However, the eternal flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti will remain as it is. Amar Jawan Jyoti was built in 1972.
Highlights
The surrounding areas of India Gate where the National War Memorial is located, has been decorated with lights.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inspecting the National War Memorial at India Gate
In a veiled attack at Congress, PM Modi said "about two and a half decades ago the file of this memorial started moving, for a brief period during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's regime, the process was expedited but after him, situation was back to square one."
PM Modi: Khud ko Bharat ka bhagyavidhata samjhne waale logon ne rashtra ke suraksha se khilwad karne mein koi kasar nahi chodi. In 2009, Forces demanded 1,86,000 bullet-proof jackets, but faced enemies without them. Our govt in 4.5 yrs bought over 2,30,000 bullet-proof jackets pic.twitter.com/OcqsexkpxB
— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2019
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"From Bofors to Helicopter deal, all the investigations are pointing to one family, it says a lot, now these people are putting all the efforts to make sure that Rafale aircraft don't arrive in the country," said PM Modi.
PM Modi said that contribution from all parts of society is necessary in security of the nation. "Because of this ideology, for the first time women are getting the opportunity to become fighter pilots. Decisions are being taken to strengthen the participation of daughters in the forces," PM Modi said.
"At this historical place, I pay my tribute to the brave soldiers who lost their lives in Pulwama and all those bravehearts who sacrifice themselves for protection of India," PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a dig at previous Congress governments over One Rank One Pension and National War Memorial during an address to the ex-servicemen
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during address to ex-servicemen raked up One Rank One Pension (OROP) and listed out the benefits of the programme.
According to officials, footfall of about 250 can be accommodated at a time at National War Memorial in Delhi
The 42 m-high India Gate was built during the British Raj as the All India War Memorial Arch to honour the soldiers who died in the First World War (1914-1918) and the Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919). The landmark has the names of soldiers inscribed on its surface.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressing ex service men. National War Memorial will be inaugurated shortly.
Lt Gen PJS Pannu, who also interacted with the media, said, "Amar Jawan Jyoti is an inseparable part of our history." "So much emotions are attached to it. And, it is located beneath the India Gate which itself is a war memorial, built during the British-era. So, if any old regiments wish to commemorate their important days and mark an event and pay respect, they can still do it there as well," he said.
Amar Jawan Jyoti is a memorial symbolised by an inverted bayonet and soldier's helmet over it with an eternal flame burning beside it. It was built in 1972 underneath the India Gate arch to commemorate soldiers martyred in the Indo-Pak War of 1971. Tri-Services chiefs pay respect on occasions of national importance like Independence Day, Republic Day at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. "Wreath-laying ceremony on all designated days will be held at the National War Memorial built in memory of soldiers and unsung heroes who have laid down their lives defending the nation since Independence. A new flame will come up there. But the eternal flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti will stay. We have inherited that flame," Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar said.
The India Gate itself is a war memorial built during the British Raj as the All India War Memorial Arch to honour the soldiers who died in the First World War (1914-1918) and the Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919). The landmark has the names of soldiers inscribed on its surface.Rose petals will be showered during the course of the event by helicopters and a fly-past in 'Missing Man' formation will also be part of the event. PM Modi will also attend a rally of ex-servicemen at the National Stadium before unveiling the memorial.
The memorial pays tribute to soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation during Indo-China War in 1962, Indo-Pak Wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Srilanka and in the Kargil Conflict in 1999.It also commemorates the soldiers who participated and made supreme sacrifice in the UN Peace Keeping Missions, during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations, counter-insurgency operations and Low Intensity Capital Operation (LICO).
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar said the memorial epitomises and showcase undaunted courage and exemplary valour displayed by the Indian soldiers, many of whom are unsung heroes."The memorial is also a place to inculcate among the next generation a high sense of national pride, patriotism, sacrifice and belongingness," he said.
The outermost circle i.e. the 'Rakshak Chakra' comprises rows of more than 600 dense trees with each tree representing many soldiers who guard the territorial integrity of the nation round the clock, officials said. Besides, the main complex, a Param Yoddha Sthal has also been built on the northern side of the India Gate's C-Hexagon area. The park is dotted with bronze busts of the 21 awardees, fifteen posthumously, of the Param Veer Chakra, country's highest wartime gallantry medal.
At the Naional War Memorial will have 16 walls. These walls in concentric fashion have been constructed in the 'Tyag Chakra' area for paying homage to the over 25,000 war-heroes. The names of soldiers who have made supreme sacrifice have been inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets arranged in a circular pattern which symbolises the ancient Indian war formation 'Chakravyuh', the official said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the National War Memorial on Monday evening. The programme will be aired by DD News and DD National. Those who want to watch the event YouTube, please go the Youtube channel of DD News and DD National. Reliance Jio users can watch the unveiling of National War Memorial on Jio TV.
The central obelisk is topped with an Ashokan Capital and the base bears the famous couplet 'Shaheed ki mazron par...' by poet Jagdamba Prasad Mishra 'Hitaishi'. Six bronze murals, made by noted sculptor Ram Sutar, depicting famous battles fought by the Army, Air Force and Navy have been put up in a gallery in the Veerta Chakra zone, he added.
The museum complex has been built at Rs 176 crore. At the central part of the complex looks like a sunken plot. The design looks like the heritage look of the Central Vista of India Gate, according to officials. The layout of the memorial is located across the National Stadium and behind the India Gate canopy. The national war memorial has four concentric circles, radially outwards, namely, the 'Amar Chakra' or Circle of Immortality, 'Veerta Chakra' or Circle of Bravery, 'Tyag Chakra' or Circle of Sacrifice and 'Rakshak Chakra' or Circle of Protection, according to the senior official.