National Forever

The memorial will retain its 8216;national8217; tag and will be called the 8216;National War Memorial 8212; Southern Command.8217;

The decision to change its name was published by this newspaper on Sunday.

On being asked about the specific plans, the army brass admitted the plan was to change the name to Southern Command War Memorial. In fact, the Morwada site already sports the new nameplate outside, the erstwhile marble board having already been replaced.

As many as 48 new plaques will be unveiled on Tuesday carrying names of 1,500 more martyrs. The reason cited by the Army was that it was now including martyrs from other states too, to include all the jawans with the Southern Command who had laid down their lives.

Following a meeting, the Southern Command agreed to the suggestion by The Indian Express and members of the erstwhile Express Citizens8217; War Memorial Committee that has since been disbanded, that 8216;National8217; should not be superseded by Southern Command.

Due to paucity of time, Vijay Diwas functions will be held on Tuesday at the National War Memorial that sports the new title. The army brass has promised to change it in a few weeks.

The meeting called by Chhabra was attended by Brig R J Sharma Commander, Pune Sub Area, Brig B S Borthakur MI 8211; Southern Command, Lt Gen Retd Ashok Kapur, Lt Gen Retd PPS Bindra, Air Marshall Retd S Kulkarni and representing express citizens forum Maj Gen Retd SCN Jatar and Vinita Deshmukh. Representing The Indian Express, Vinod Mathew, Resident Editor, Pune, attended.

The National War Memorial was dedicated to the nation on August 15, 1998 and was unique as it was a citizens8217; initiative with funds collected under The Indian Express umbrella through the specially set up Express Citizens8217; War Memorial Committee.

At the time, Express Citizens8217; War Memorial Committee had raised Rs 22 lakh from citizens, corporate houses and ex-servicemen. The Express-Citizens8217; committee was dissolved after the Southern Command gave an undertaking that it would maintain the memorial.

Located at Pune Cantonment, the impressive memorial 8212; the first post-independence monument with the names of martyrs inscribed is unlike memorials dedicated to the unknown soldier 8212; rises 50 feet high with four leaf-shaped wings. The main pillar, in cherry-brown granite, is surrounded by marble panels, each eight feet tall, carrying the names of martyrs.

When inaugurated, there were 33 plaques surrounding the 50 feet granite obelisk 8212; set up thanks to the citizens8217; initiative in 1997, spearheaded by The Indian Express.

The names of 75 martyrs from Maharashtra who died in counter-insurgency operations between 2001 and 2004 were immortalised in two marble plaques.

Over 1,080 names of officers and men who died in action since August 15, 1947 were inscribed on marble. The names had been listed year-wise and alphabetically, not according to rank. On August 15, 1998, the then Governor P C Alexander dedicated the memorial to the nation.