Honouring service, sacrifice at war memorial
Standing solemnly on Court Road near Green View Park in Hoshiarpur city, the Martyrs Gallery and War Memorial is a powerful tribute to the brave soldiers from the district who laid down their lives in service to the nation. Inaugurated on March 7, 2020, by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the site embodies sacrifice, patriotism, and remembrance.
At the entrance stands the Martyrs Gallery, bearing the names of 581 martyrs from Hoshiarpur district—one of the highest contributors to the Indian Armed Forces. Behind the memorial tower lies a hall housing the Martyrs’ Photo Gallery, conceptualised by former Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna. Inspired by a war memorial he visited in Australia, Khanna envisioned a similar tribute in Hoshiarpur. The foundation stone was laid on November 11, 2016, by then Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, with funding from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme. Khanna shared that collecting the photographs was a difficult process and, unfortunately, not all could be gathered.
At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the photograph of Sepoy Basakhi Ram, the first martyr from the district, who lost his life in the 1947–48 Indo-Pak operation in Kashmir. The gallery then unfolds a narrative of sacrifice through the decades. It features 26 photographs from the 1962 Indo-China war, 28 from the 1965 Indo-Pak war, 28 from the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, and 9 from the Kargil War under Operation Vijay. There are also 7 portraits from Operation Meghdoot in Siachen, 9 from Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, 27 from the ongoing Operation Rakshak focused on counter-terrorism, and 72 from other key military operations in which local soldiers laid down their lives.
More than just a display of images, the gallery captures the personal histories and silent stories of extraordinary courage. Each portrait stands as a powerful reminder of a life lived with honour and ended in service of the nation. The adjoining war memorial further enhances the solemn atmosphere, providing a sacred space for reflection, gratitude, and learning.
Serving as both a memorial and an educational hub, the Martyrs Gallery and War Memorial instills pride and awareness in visitors, especially students and young citizens. It is a poignant reminder of Hoshiarpur’s enduring legacy of producing brave soldiers and the real cost of freedom. In a time when such stories risk fading from public memory, this gallery stands as a timeless and dignified testament to those who gave everything for the country.
