Nearly 25,000 ex-servicemen including Air Force Marshal Arjan Singh, three ex-Army chiefs, two ex-Navy chiefs are expected to attend the function of foundation stone laying ceremony of prestigious Punjab State War Heroes Memorial and Museum at Amritsar on February 12.
The memorial was being set up by the State Government as a befitting tribute to the gallantry services rendered by Army personnel in the post-independent era.
Reviewing the arrangements for the event, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday presided over a high-level meeting with top brass of the State Government and renowned personalities from Armed forces. During the meeting, Badal gave final touches to the historic event in which nearly 25,000 ex-servicemen and around 50,000 people from across the State were expected to participate to pay tributes to the Defence personnel for their heroic deeds. Badal has asked the officers of Defence Services department to ensure elaborate arrangements for organising this State level function as a grand success. Director Sainik Welfare department Brig (Retd) Manit Singh informed in the meeting that Marshal of Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC, General Shankar Rai Chaudhary, General Deepak Kapur and General JJ Singh — all ex-Army Chiefs, besides Admiral Madhvender Singh and Admiral VS Sekhawat — both ex-Navy Chiefs have consented to attend this mega event.
It was decided in the meeting that students in uniform from Sainik School Kapurthala, PPS Nabha, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Institute Mohali and NCC cadets of senior division of Amritsar would also participate in the function.
All the ex-defence personnel including former chiefs and awardees of Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and its equivalent awardees would be honoured by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has also given nod to lay the foundation stone of state-of-the-art War Memorial.