How National War Memorial's merged eternal flame does justice to India's immortal martyrs

In a historic move, Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate was merged with the National War Memorial flame on Friday, January 21, ahead of Republic Day celebrations. Air Marshal Balabadra Radha Krishna, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, in the absence of serving Chief of Defence Staff, presided over the event that merged the flames of Amar Jawan Jyoti with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial in a ceremonial function. 

It should be mentioned here that the names of every Indian soldier martyred in all wars prior to 1971 and after have been engraved in the National War Memorial. 

History of Amar Jawan Jyoti

After India gained independence on 15 August 1947, the country has been engaged in counter-terrorism operations and proxy war from across the border, resulting in a number of soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice. However, it was noted that no memorial was established that was all-encompassing at the National level. 

The Defence Ministry informed in a press release that the British had constructed India Gate as a memorial to honour the sacrifice of approximately 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and elsewhere in the Near and the Far East. Hence, it has names of only 12,218 soldiers inscribed on the wall of India Gate itself. 

On 26 January 1972, the Amar Jawan Jyoti Memorial was installed under the Arch of India Gate as a tribute to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in service of the country. The monument consists of a platform on which a cenotaph is situated, and on top of that, a rifle stands on its barrel while a helmet is placed on the top of the rifle.

National War Memorial was under consideration since 1961 

It is to be mentioned that though the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti paid homage to soldiers who sacrificed their lives in 1971 and other wars, none of their names had been inscribed there.

War veterans and former servicemen had been demanding the construction of a National War Memorial and the same had been under consideration since 1961. Later in 2014, the consideration acquired momentum and in a deliberate process, the Union Cabinet on 7 October 2015, approved the construction of the National War Memorial & Museum (NWM&M) within the National Capital's Lutyen's zone. 

Immortalising every Indian soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice   

On 25 February 2019, the National War Memorial was inaugurated to pay respects to the Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in conflicts, including various counter-terrorism operations since India's independence.

Notably, the names of every single Indian soldier who sacrificed their lives during various wars, including the 1971 war have been inscribed at the National War Memorial. The design of the main memorial exemplifies that supreme sacrifice made by a soldier in the line of duty not only makes him immortal but also depicts that the spirit of a soldier remains eternal. 

All homage ceremonies including visits of foreign dignitaries and delegations are conducted at the National War Memorial and not at India Gate, since its inauguration. 

(Image: ANI)