Memorial of Saragarhi martyrs inaugurated

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, who inaugurated a memorial dedicated to the martyrs of Battle of Saragarhi here on Thursday, said the history of the Battle of Saragarhi will be passed on to the next generation. “It will be assured that the proud history of Saragarhi and the 21 brave Sikhs will be taught in schools of Punjab,” he said, as he addressed a gathering that had former Army chief General JJ Singh, members of the The Saragarhi Foundation from Canada and other dignitaries. He said the battle of Saragarhi is considered one of the greatest last stands in the world and is an example of what a few men could do in the face of adversity, with only courage and belief.

Established by the Saragarhi Foundation at the main entrance of the Amritsar at Golden Gate, the memorial has names and portraits of the martyrs of Saragarhi etched in a memorial stone. Saragarhi Foundation chairman Dr Gurinder Pal Singh Joseon explained how since 1984, the organisation has been working to create memorials for the martyrs of Saragarhi and to promote them all over the world.

Avtar Singh Minhas, from the Canada Chapter of the Foundation, said a memorial to the martyrs of Saragarhi is being established at Brampton in Canada and it will be inaugurated in the coming years.

Mandeep Kaur Gill, the fifth generation heir of Havildar Ishar Singh, who led the battle from the front, was among THE dignitaries present to mark the day. Currently based in Canada, she said the family’s ancestral home in Ludhiana hosts a memorial service for Ishar Singh every year to mark the day. “A regiment of the Indian Army every year comes to our home for regimental salute as a tribute. We also host a tribute ceremony in Canada. We are in the process of creating a memorial wall in Brampton, Canada, for the Saragarhi martyrs for which we have also been given the approval by the Canadian armed forces. We would like to open it for the public, so more people from other communities also know about the sacrifices of these brave soldiers,” she said.