Bring our heroes home

Defence forces resume their demand to build national war memorial for our soldiers

Bring our heroes home

Defence forces resume their demand to build national war memorial for our soldiers

Have you ever scanned the walls of India Gate? You must have seen the names of the 90,000 soldiers, in whose memory the monument was built. These soldiers gave their lives during the two World Wars.
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But what about the thousands of others who died fighting Pakistan and China after Independence?

Even though India has fought five wars in the last seven decades, including the military conflict with Pakistan in 1948), there is hardly anything to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
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Bravehearts

Curiously, the proposal to construct a National War Memorial in Delhi for these bravehearts was mooted in the '60s. The file, however, has been lost in transit between various ministries.

"The proposal was drawn up in the '60s and is now being revived. The plan is to construct a war memorial near India Gate, which was built in honour of the British Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and II.

We managed to receive sanctions from several parties who have stakes in India Gate, but now the proposal is stuck with the Environment Ministry," said an official from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

He hinted at a strong undercurrent of dissent in the defence forces against India Gate representing the country's martyrs.
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"Celebrating Republic Day at India Gate feels like we are still under British rule. It's unfortunate we could not construct a war memorial for our soldiers even after 60 years of Independence," said an officer of the Indian Army.

Sources say the design of the proposed memorial has been accepted by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Urban Art Commission and the Central Vista Committee.

"But the Environment Ministry is not giving the green signal. It says the proposed structure can spoil the ambience of the present structures at India Gate. But the new memorial won't disturb anything," said the official.

The MoD has decided to bear the entire cost. "The architecture will blend with other heritage monuments on Rajpath. We hope we will be able to honour our martyrs," the official added.

The new memorial

The plan includes a 10-feet-high wall around India Gate on which names of slain soldiers will be etched. There will be an amphitheatre at the back with a ramp on each side.

It will have a central hall decorated with materials recovered from the various wars fought by our soldiers.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0