First change of guard at National War Memorial

A change of guard ceremony was held for the first time on Sunday at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. It has been shifted from India Gate to the newly inaugurated memorial, built to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who have lost their lives defending the country, post-independence. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

The change of guard ceremony is an old tradition in which soldiers posted at palaces, forts and defence establishments change periodically to enable a new set of troops to take charge. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

The ceremony will now be held at the National War Memorial at 9.50 am every Sunday. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dedicated the National War Memorial to the nation on February 25. The memorial is spread over 40 acres at the India Gate complex. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

The memorial has been moulded as a “national centre for civilian engagement and reverence for the forces'. Over 250 people will be able to visit it at a time. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

The memorial has names of 25,942 soldiers who died in conflicts after Independence engraved in gold on granite tablets, and placed on 16 ‘honour walls’ in two concentric circles named ‘Tyag Chakra’. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

Initially conceptualised in 1961, the memorial came to life after decades of being under process. The project was approved by the Cabinet in 2015, and its total cost has been pegged at Rs 176 crore. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)

Busts of the 21 awardees of Param Veer Chakra have been installed at Param Yoddha Sthal which includes three living awardees Sub Maj (Hony Capt) Bana Singh (Retd), Sub Major Yogendra Singh Yadav and Sub Sanjay Kumar. (Express Photo: Abhinav Saha)