For a cause, Munde rushes forth

PUNE, Sept 30: The unique post-independence War Memorial erected in Pune by the Express Citizens' War Memorial Committee and the proposed...

PUNE, Sept 30: The unique post-independence War Memorial erected in Pune by the Express Citizens8217; War Memorial Committee and the proposed victory memorial to be erected by the Express-Nagarik Wadgaon Vijaystambh Pratisthan commemorating the triumph of Indians over an invading army of Englishmen in 1779 have an ardent admirer in Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde.

Handing over a donation of Rs five lakh towards the proposed victory memorial at a brief ceremony in Mantralaya in Mumbai on Wednesday, Munde said the Maharashtra government, inspired by Pune8217;s War Memorial, has decided to erect another State-level war memorial in Mumbai. Drawing inspiration from the design of the proposed victory memorial of the Battle of Wadgaon, Mumbai8217;s war memorial will have a lofty deep-maal, Maharashtra8217;s traditional tower of lamps, instead of a tower in European architectural style.

The pratishthan has pledged to erect by the end of 2000 AD modern India8217;s first victory memorial along Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore national highway with two components 8211; a 20-ft deep-maal representing the victory pillar and a tableau of five life size bronze statues depicting the surrender of the East India Company to the Indians led by Mahadji Shinde on January 16,1779.

8220;Indians are second to none,8221; is the theme of the project that the foundation has chosen to inspire young Indians to give international class performance in all fields in these days of globalisation.

While there are memorials in India commemorating the British victory over Indians, this will be the first victory memorial commemorating Indians8217; victory over Europeans.

Complimenting the pratisthan for its novel project, Munde said he was fully confident that the victory memorial would inspire future generations in giving the best performance in every field of activity.

The donation was accepted on behalf of the pratisthan by Lt Gen Y D Sahasrabuddhe retd who said that the keen personal interest evinced by Munde both in the war memorial and the proposed victory memorial has strengthened the confidence of the citizens who have taken up the victory memorial project that it would indeed be completed in a record period just as the war memorial did.

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Executive president of the State planning commission Prakash Jawadekar was all praise for the pratisthan8217;s objective, the citizen initiative taken by the Express-Citizens8217; War Memorial Committee and multifarious civic crusades launched in Pune by the Express Citizen8217;s Forum.