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In remembrance
OB Bureau
J
uly 26 marks 16 years since
the Kargil war was fought and
won by our brave soldiers. To
commemorate India’s victory over
Pakistan in the war, Kargil Diwas
is observed across the country. In
Bangalore too Kargil Diwas is observed to mark India’s victory over
Pakistan and to remember the 527
Indian soldiers who sacrificed their
lives for the country.
A Commemoration Ceremony
on Kargil Diwas is held every year
to pay homage to the brave soldiers
who laid down their lives during
the Kargil Operations in 1999. The
ceremony is conducted with due
solemnity and decorum at the National Military Memorial.
Political leaders, officers of the
armed forces and military veterans
lay wreaths and pay homage to the
martyrs by laying a wreath at the
statue of the ‘Unknown Soldier’.
Retired officers who had taken
part in the war also give a talk on
the genesis of the Kargil conflict and
how our soldiers fought bravely.
A silent march is also organised
as part of the ceremony, wherein
youngsters march from the Queens
Statue to the National Military Memorial carrying pictures of martyrs.
While this important ceremony
has been held at the National Military Memorial since the past five
years, the memorial itself is yet to
be inaugurated and every year the
Memorial Committee plans to inaugurate the memorial on either
the Vijay Diwas (December 16) or
Kargil Diwas (July 26).
However, this year too the status
quo will remain as hurdles in transporting the Veeragallu (a monolith
pillar, which is about 70-feet-tall
and weighs about 400 tonnes) from
the outskirts of the city to the memorial site at the Indira Gandhi
Musical Park still exists.
Though the delay in transporting
the Veeragallu and its installation at
the memorial has led to the delay
in the inauguration of the memorial, which is said to be the country’s
first, various exhibits like a decommissioned MiG-23, Vijayanta Main
Battle Tank, Armoured Personnel
Carrier and models of the Agni,
Bhramos, Nag missiles along with
that of the Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle, INS Virat and a Talwar
Class ship have been installed inside the memorial premises.
The tallest flag mast in the country also finds a place in the memorial. A gigantic tricolour measuring
48X72 feet and weighing 31kg is
hoisted at the memorial. Hoisting
the flag alone takes about five minutes. The tricolour will not be lowered at sunset and is illuminated.
Extensive landscaping and horticulture of the park, along with
rain water harvesting, and irrigation systems and the layout of new
walkways have also been completed.
The 10,000 square feet underground motivation hall in the memorial park is also ready.
A sneak-peak inside the hall by
Our Bangalore revealed that models of weapon systems have been put
on display and so are the plaques
erected with names of soldiers who
have been awarded with the Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra,
Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra, Kirti
Chakra and the Shurya Chakra. In
total, names of about 21,000 soldiers etched on the plaques have
been already displayed.
The museum also displays busts
of India’s tallest military heroes like
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and
Field Marshal KM Cariappa.
A tribute to
veterans of
the war
The Unknown Soldier
The Unknown Soldier was initially
located at the Minisk Square. It was
relocated to the National War Memorial located inside the Indira Gandhi
Musical Fountain Park after work on
the Namma Metro commenced at
the Minsk Square near the General
Post Office.
Bust of Field
Marshal Sam
Manekshaw
A decommissioned MiG-23
Bust of Field
Marshal KM
Cariappa
The 10,000 sqft underground motivation hall at the memorial park.
The hall of
fame inside the
underground
motivation hall.
The history
of the IAF
through
pictures.
Students checkout the battle tank.
Plaques carrying names of
martyrs at the
entrance of the
park
A model of the PSLV.
Models of Agni, Bhramos
and Nag missiles.
Entrance
to the
motivation
hall.