This Independence Day pay homage to the martyred by visiting these places in Delhi

Apart from the famous India Gate there are other lesser-known war memorials too in Delhi/NCR.
This Independence Day pay homage to the martyred by visiting these places in Delhi

Apart from the famous India Gate there are other lesser-known war memorials too in Delhi/NCR. These are dedicated to people who either were a part of our freedom struggle or guarded our frontiers after we gained Independence. This I-Day, visit these places and get to know some of these names.

Jeetgarh Stambh
Jeetgarh Stambh

Jeetgarh Stambh, Sector 38, Noida
This one is perhaps the oldest war memorial in Delhi-NCR. Located atop a small hillock in the precincts of Noida Golf Course in Sector 38, it was built by the Britishers after they won a war against Marathas - the war was fought near Chalera village in Noida on September 11, 1803. Since this happens to be the first place where the Indian forces put up a commendable fight against the Britishers, Indian historians take it to be the harbinger of Indian struggle for Independence. The Maratha show of strength later culminated in the form of war against the British forces in 1857.

Ajitgarh Memorial, Delhi
Located in Kashmiri Gate, Ajitgarh Memorial was constructed by the British (who named it Mutiny Memorial) in the memory of soldiers who fought in the Delhi Field Force during the First War of Independence (1857). The Britishers called it the Sepoy Mutiny and hence named the Indians who  laid their lives as ‘enemies’. In 1972, the government put up a plaque stating that those referred to as enemies are the “immortal martyrs of 1857 Freedom Struggle”.

War Memorial, Sector 12, Faridabad
It was constructed in 1987 by Haryana govt.and district administration to pay tribute to Faridabad soldiers martyred in the Indian wars of 1962, 1965, 1971 or any of the operations undertaken along the borders or otherwise like Operation Pawan (the fight with LTTE in Sri Lanka). It also has names of soldiers who were martyred in World War II. Since Palwal (it was created a district in 2008) was earlier a part of Faridabad district  so the memorial also carries the names of martyrs of Palwal region as well. “We keep on adding the names as and when a soldier from our region is martyred,” says Major (retd) R K Sharma of the Zila Sainik Board.

Rezang La War Memorial, Sector 1, Gurugram
Constructed in 2012, the Rezang La War Memorial honours 114 martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the historic battle of Rezang La Pass in 1962 against China. The location is fitting since a majority of martyrs of the 13 Kumaon Regiment belonged to Gurugram, Rewari and Mahendragarh.

Shaheed Smarak, Sector 29, Noida
This tri-service memorial is a  collaboration between retired officers and the members of civil society. It was the funeral of Capt Vijayant Thapar, who was martyred in Kargil War, that crystallised the idea of having a martyrs memorial here, informs Shaheed Smarak Sanstha, responsible for its construction and maintenance. The names of martyrs living in Noida are inscribed here.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com