National War Memorial approved: Defence Minister

Finally, plans for National War Memorial approved: Defence Minister
Reported by Sudhi Ranjan Sen, Edited by Amit Chaturvedi | Updated: August 17, 2012 17:38 IST
New Delhi: The long-delayed national War Memorial for Indian soldiers, first proposed in the 60s, has been cleared by a group of ministers handled to manage the project. It will be constructed next to the India Gate in New Delhi, a location preferred by the armed forces.
Defence Minister AK Antony told reporters today, "Most hurdles for the construction of War Memorial has been cleared." While the armed forces wanted the war memorial to be built at India Gate at the centre of the capital, the Urban Development Ministry and other bodies like the New Delhi Municipal Corporation had objected, saying that the construction would mar the landscape that includes Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Indian Parliament. Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy was among the group of ministers who were appointed in 2009 to resolve differences of opinion. They have agreed that the layout of the memorial will be organic to the India Gate vista; it will surround the main canopy or chhattri at India Gate, and will list the names of thousands of soldiers who died in the line of duty.
The Union Cabinet is expected to formally approve the construction in the next few weeks.
India Gate and the eternal flame there, the Amar Jawan Jyoti, which remembers the unknown solider, was built by the British in honour of Indians who died during World War 1. Since its independence, India has gone through five wars; soldiers have died in counter-insurgency operations, too. But there has been no memorial built in their honour.
Armed forces will now consult design experts to finalise the design.
National War Memorial approved: Defence Minister

Air Force Band entralls spectators

Air Force Band playing for the gather public at India Gate in New Delhi on December 26, 2010. Photo no.CNR - 35762

Amar Jawan Jyoti- IAF Band to Enthrall Audiences

Thursday, December 09, 2010 17:53 IST
A 30-member IAF Band will enthrall audiences and visitors to Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on Saturday, December 11. With a combination of Jazz and Military Brass musical instruments, the air warriors will play western, Indian classical, martial, patriotic and popular Hindi tunes during a ninety-minute performance. The free display will commence at 4 p.m.
Air Force Band to Perform at India Gate on Saturday

अमर जवान ज्योति-वायुसेना ग़ुलाम बनाना दर्शकों को बैंड
गुरुवार, 9 दिसंबर 2010 17:53 IST
एक 30 सदस्यीय भारतीय वायु सेना के बैंड ग़ुलाम बनाना दर्शकों और शनिवार, 11 दिसंबर को इंडिया गेट पर अमर जवान ज्योति पर आगंतुकों होगा. जाज और सैन्य पीतल संगीत वाद्ययंत्र का एक संयोजन के साथ, वायु योद्धाओं एक नब्बे मिनट का प्रदर्शन के दौरान पश्चिमी, भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत, मार्शल, देशभक्ति और लोकप्रिय हिंदी धुनों खेलेंगे. मुफ्त प्रदर्शन 4 बजे अपराह्न शुरू होगा
वायु सेना के बैंड इंडिया गेट पर शनिवार को प्रदर्शन करने के लिए

Vijay Diwas 2009: Improved patronage at India Gate

Dear Colleagues,
As you would know from media reports, this year on Vijay Diwas, the gathering at India Gate included many that fall under the category of political who-is-who. In contrast last year Mr Dig Vijay Singh was the sole representative of the ruling Congress Party. All other things remaining the same, it would be correct to infer that the ESM as a community have come to be recognised. Credit goes to those whose struggle has got this recognition

Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM

Construction of War Memorial: GoM to look into the issue

New Delhi, August 6: A Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will go into the issue of finding a location for constructing a National War Memorial in Delhi. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday.

Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony and Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy will decide on the appropriate location of the National War Memorial after considering all aspects of the relevant proposal, PMO sources said.
They said a lot of suggestions, including setting up such a memorial at India Gate complex, Dhaula Kuan and Princes Park in Kasturba Gandhi Marg, had come up at the meeting. The proposal for a War Memorial has been in the pipeline for some years but the issue of finding a location has put a hold on its implementation. The proposal was given an in principle approval during the Vajpayee regime. While Defence Ministry has suggested that the Memorial should come in the open space behind the India Gate hexagon, Union Urban Development Ministry and Delhi Urban Arts Commission are opposed to the view on the grounds that it will not gel with the layout of the area done up during the British era.
Source: PTI
GoM to look into issue

Ministry of Urban Development bowls out National War Memorial

Animals in War
The memorial is located at Brook Gate, Park Lane, on the edge of London's Hyde Park and was unveiled on November 24, 2004 by Princess Anne. The English Sculpture is David Backhouse. The sculpture depicts all the animals that have been used by troops in wartime, which have been killed in conflict while serving their country. Horses and mules to dogs, elephants, camels, canaries and glow worms are included in the memorial. The curved Portland stone wall symbolizes the arena of war, with the animals depicted on it in base. Two life-size heavily laden two bronze mules struggle up the steps towards a gap in the wall. Beyond the gap a bronze 10 foot horse and K-9 gaze into the distance. The memorial stands at 58-feet wide and some 55-feet deep.
New Delhi, August 04, 2009
Military struggles for war memorial sanction by Rahul Singh
On the edges of London's iconic Hyde Park is a monument that could inspire our netas and babus. It's a tribute to the thousands of animals that served alongside the British and Allied forces in 20th century wars. The memorial depicts horses, dogs, mules, elephants, camels and pigeons. It's a Rs 16-crore testimony to their sacrifice. But India is yet to repay a debt of honour to its fallen heroes.

The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has expressed reservations about a Defence Ministry proposal to construct a national war memorial to honour soldiers who fell in the Second World War and post-Independence wars. Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence, told Rajya Sabha that his ministry had prepared a concept paper for a war memorial at India Gate. "However, the MoUD has expressed reservations with respect to statutory clearances and availability of land."

The military has been pleading with the government to build a war memorial at India Gate, which commemorate soldiers who fought for the British in the First War. The MoUD fears the war memorial could ruin the landscape around India Gate. An assurance from the Defence Ministry hasn't worked. Will the unknown Indian soldier's sacrifice go unnoticed?
Military struggles for war memorial sanction
Related reading:
Kargil hilltops lit up as India salutes war heroes

For the Curious who wish to know about National Urban Develpment Ministry wrestling with Land Acquisition Act of 1894- just a century behind times!
Despite the Report of National Commission on Urbanisation (1988) and the two successive National Housing Policies within a span of a decade, the country is yet to evolve a National Urban Policy. States Govts. have prepared their respective State Urbanisation Strategy Reports taking into account the pattern of urban growth, resources and potentials. At the national level, the Planning Commission has constituted a National Task Force on Urban Perspective and Policy in 1995. Three Technical Groups were also constituted on the subjects of Urban Perspectives and Policy, Urban Infrastructure and Urban Planning. The Technical Group on Urban Planning System under the Chairmenship of Dr. Arcot Ramachandran has submitted its final report. The Reports of other two Technical Groups under the Chairmanship of Shri Vaghul and Prof. Y. K. Alagh are yet to be finalised. After the final reports of the Technical Groups are available the Task Force will finalise its recommendations. These will provide input for the National Urban Policy.
Ministry of Urban Development- A website poorly maintained
Have grievances: Click here

Pertinent Question
MoUD can it take a decision for the twenty first century when it is grappling with laws of the ninteenth century? The Military's quest for the National War Memorial will be addressed by a Ministry dealing with the twenty first century matters. MoD needs to redirect its focus!

War memorial: Let's bring our heroes home

By: Anshuman G Dutta Date: 2009-06-19 Place: Delhi
Defence forces resume their demand to build a national war memorial for Indian soldiers
Have you ever scanned the walls of India Gate? If you have, you must have rolled your eyes over the names of the 90,000 soldiers, in whose memory the monument was built. These soldiers gave their lives during the two World Wars. Brave souls, we agree; but what about the thousands others who died fighting Pakistan and China after India's 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.

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 the honour of 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), wishing anonymity.

He hinted at a strong undercurrent of dissent in the defence forces against India Gate representing the country's martyrs.

"India Gate was constructed by the British for the Indian soldiers who served in the Royal British Army. Celebrating Republic Day at India Gate feels like as if we are still under the 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, wishing anonymity.

Sources said 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.

But now the Ministry of Defence is has made up its mind to give a final push to the plan to construct the memorial and has also decided to bear the entire cost. "The new memorial's architecture will blend with other heritage monuments on Rajpath. We hope we will be able to honour our martyrs finally," the official added.


The new memorial
The plan of the memorial includes a 10-feet-high wall around India Gate on which names of soldiers will be etched. There will be an amphitheatre behind India Gate. The amphitheatre, with a ramp on each side, will have a central hall decorated with materials recovered from the various wars our soldiers have fought
Let's bring our heroes home

Indian Army commemorates 61st foundation day

New Delhi: The Indian Army commemorated its 61st Foundation Day Thursday by paying homage to martyred soldiers.

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Fali Homi Major paid floral tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate here.

Army Day is celebrated on Jan 15 every year to commemorate the appointment in 1949 of General K.M. Cariappa as commander-in-chief of the Indian Army - the first Indian officer to hold the post.

On the occasion, the army chief took the salute at a parade held at the Delhi Cantonment. He also presented Sena Medals for gallantry and unit citations.

Addressing the gathering, General Kapoor said: "The country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, has been facing challenges from elements who want to destroy peace in India and we are working to tackle it."

The Army Day parade showcased technological prowess and achievements of the Indian Army. Several serving and retired defence officers were present on the occasion.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service
Indian Army commemorates 61st foundation day

Army Chief, Gen Deepak Kapoor has commended the services of 392 personnel, while Lt Gen N Thamburaj Army's Vice Chief has commended the services of 176 personnel. These awards of Commendation Cards have been announced on the eve of the Army Day.
Army Personnel Commended by Army's Chief and Vice Chief

Homage to Military Martyrs at Delhi

Sure some of us are working, some in our own business, some are busy golfing and some doing domestic chores. BUT REMEMBER, if YOU don't make it to pay homage to OUR martyrs, then YOU have no business cribbing about the Nation OR the Politicians of having forgotten you and our Field Marshals. Be present at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at 1200 hours IST.

Fast for Justice: 27 May 2008 India Gate

Ancient India 1908

We thank Brigadier PT Gangadharan (Retd)for the wonderful photographs