PM Modi pays tribute to jawans at National War Memorial

Outgoing Defence Minister and BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman also accompanied Modi along with Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Vice Chief of Air Force Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to jawans at National War Memorial today. (Twitter)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to jawans at National War Memorial today. The memorial honours the soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country since Independence. It is located next to India Gate in the heart of the national capital. Outgoing Defence Minister and BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman also accompanied Modi along with Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Vice Chief of Air Force Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The state-of-art monument spread over an area of approximately 40 acres dedicated to soldiers who laid down their lives defending the nation during Sino-Indian war in1962, Indo-Pak wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Sri Lanka and in the Kar down their lives for the country post-independence.

प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी ने वॉर मेमोरियल में शहीदों को दी श्रद्धांजलि।

लाइव देखें https://t.co/UPGrdO9ogy pic.twitter.com/2QX37JKaGJ — BJP (@BJP4India) May 30, 2019

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute at the National War Memorial in Delhi. Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Vice Chief of Air Force Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria also present. pic.twitter.com/Pr4Vs5XLQQ

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2019

Earlier in the day, Modi also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here ahead of his swearing-in ceremony today evening. The 68-year-old stalwart leader is set to take oath as the Prime Minister of India for the second consecutive term today. President Ram Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy at the function. Modi has reached out to BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) member-states, whose leaders have confirmed their attendance for his swearing-in ceremony. The BJP, which won 282 seats in 2014, improved its tally by notching up 303 seats. Along with its NDA allies, the number swelled to 353 in the 543-member Lower House of the Parliament.

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah pay tribute at Sadaiv Atal Samadhi, the memorial of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. pic.twitter.com/AjOev0ksJP

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2019

About National War Memorial

Modi on February 24 inaugurated the memorial located next to India Gate in the heart of the national capital. The memorial also commemorates the soldiers who participated and made supreme sacrifice in UN Peace Keeping Missions, during HADR Operations, Counter Insurgency Operations and Low-Intensity Capital Operation (LICO). The monument has four concentric circles, namely, the 'Amar Chakra' or Circle of Immortality, the 'Veerta Chakra' or Circle of Bravery, the 'Tyag Chakra' or Circle of Sacrifice, the 'Rakshak Chakra' or Circle of Protection. The complex also includes a central obelisk, an eternal flame, six bronze murals depicting famous battles fought by the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy in a covered gallery (Veerta Chakra). Likewise, 16 walls have been constructed in the Tyag Chakra for paying homage to the 25,942 battle casualties. The names of soldiers who have made supreme sacrifice have been inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets arranged in a circular pattern which symbolises the ancient Indian war formation 'Chakravyuh'. The outermost circle called Rakshak Chakra comprises rows of more than 600 dense trees with each tree representing many soldiers who guard the territorial integrity of the nation round-the-clock. The complex also has graphic panels and stone murals. Busts of the 21 awardees of Param Veer Chakra have been installed at Param Yoddha Sthal which includes three living awardees -- Sub Maj (Hony Capt) Bana Singh (Retd), Sub Major Yogendra Singh Yadav and Sub Sanjay Kumar. The construction of a memorial had received in-principle approval of the Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi on October 7, 2015. (With inputs from ANI)