As India is celebrating 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', everyone should visit the National War Memorial to pay tributes to the soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice, Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh said on Wednesday.
At an event held at the memorial here, tribute was paid to the fallen heroes as 144 earthen pots containing soil from the hometowns of Army martyrs from across the country, including the 40 killed in the Pulwama attack, were put on display, according to an official statement. Umesh Gopinath Jadav from Bangalore traveled more than 1.15 lakh km by road and met families of the 144 martyrs and collected the soil from outside their homes as part of the journey -- 'Bharat Ki Mitti Ka Samman', it said.
"As we are celebrating 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' and we are going to enter into the 'Amrit Kaal', I appeal to everyone to come and visit the National War Memorial during the Amrit Kaal and pay tributes to the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the nation," Singh said. The ministry celebrated 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' at the memorial on Wednesday by organizing a visit of various tourism-related stakeholders there. It also felicitated seven kith and kin of the martyrs, the statement said.
The guests were taken on a guided tour of the memorial and they also witnessed the 'laying the wreath ceremony' which is observed every day. The evening ended with Beating the Retreat Drill before sunset. Over 150 people from the travel trade industry, students, Incredible India tourist guides, travel bloggers and social media influencers, and other stakeholders took part in the event.
Spread over 40 acres in the midst of India’s national capital stands the National War Memorial as a tribute to all the soldiers who fearlessly fought for India and lost their lives, the statement said.
Inaugurated on February 25, 2019, this memorial stands in the glow of the eternal flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti as a national pride depicting a nation indebted to its soldiers, it said.
