National War Memorial (India)

National War Memorial

National War Memorial

The proposed site of the war memorial, Canopy near India Gate, Delhi

The Government of India has decided to erect a National War Memorial in the vicinity of the India Gate, New Delhi, to honor its Armed Forces and memorialize armed forces members killed in war after Independence in 1947. A War Museum will be constructed in the adjoining Princes Park area. The proposed National War Memorial and the War Museum will be connected by a subway. The War Memorial and Museum are expected to cost ₹400 crore (US$59 million).[1][2]

Design

The memorial will be made around the existing chhatri (canopy) near India Gate. The memorial wall will be flushed with the ground and in harmony with existing aesthetics.[3] Names of martyrs killed in wars in 1947–48, 1961 (Goa), 1962 (China), 1965, 1971, 1987 (Siachen), 1987-88 (Sri Lanka), 1999 (Kargil), and other Operations will be inscribed on a memorial wall. Assistance of foreign architects is expected to be taken. The Government is expected to issue a global tender for the construction of the War memorial.[1][4]

The museum at the adjoining Princess Park will be largely underground, and connected to the chhatri area via a subway.[1] The Princess Park, is a 14-acres area north of India Gate, with barrack-type accommodation, built during World War II, which since 1947 has served as family accommodation for mid level armed forces officers posted in Service Headquarters in New Delhi.[5]

Responsibility

The National War memorial and Museum has been designated as Special Project. The task to ensure its "timely execution" has been allocated to SPECIAL PROJECT DIVISION, which is under Chief administrative Officer, Ministry of Defence.[6]

Timeline

  • 2009

In the face of persistent demand from the armed forces and armed forces veterans for a national war memorial in the India Gate area, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government constituted Group of Ministers' (GoM) headed by Pranab Mukherjee (before he became the President) to examine the demand for a National War Memorial.[4]

20 October 2012

After 50 years, the government decided to mark the anniversary of the offensive by China’s PLA formations from bases in Tibet, against Indian border defenses, on 20 October 1962, by solemn ceremony at the Amar Jawan jyoti, to honor Indian soldiers killed in the 1962 war. At the ceremony attended by chiefs of the armed forces, AK Antony, the Defenses Minister, announced that the Government has conceded the long-standing demand of the Indian Armed Forces for a National War Memorial, and that a national war memorial will be built at India Gate. He added that the group of ministers has cleared all outstanding issues on the matter and the armed forces will finally get their wish.[7][8]

October 2015

Cabinet passed the proposal to build the war memorial.[9]

May 2016

The Union Cabinet, was apprised of the decision taken by the Empowered Apex Steering Committee (EASC) that Princess Park Complex would be the suitable site for construction of the National War Museum. As regards the National War Memorial the same would be constructed at ‘C’ Hexagon of India Gate as approved by the Cabinet in its meeting held in October, 2015.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pandit, Rajat (Aug 21, 2014). "National War Memorial finalized at India Gate complex". Times of india. p. English.
  2. ↑ Rajat, Pandit (Jul 10, 2014). "Budget 2014: India to finally get a national war memorial, Modi govt allocates Rs 100cr". Times of India. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Gokhale, Nitin A. (July 11, 2014). "Fulfilling a sacred contract with the soldier". News Warrior. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Nitin Gokhale (December 16, 2012). "National war memorial - an unrealised dream". NDTV. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "In Delhi, Army loses Lutyens territory; govt plans to build war museum, apartments in Princess Park - Economic Times". Jan 21, 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  6. ↑ "Charter of Duties". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "In a first, nation pays homage to martyrs of 1962 Indo-China war". First Post. PTI. Oct 20, 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  8. ↑ http://www.newsx.com
  9. ↑ "Cabinet clears Rs. 500 crore for National War Memorial", The Hindu, 7 October 2015
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