Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, on September 26, 2022, felicitated the families of the brave soldiers of the Armed Forces, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, who laid down their lives in the service of the Nation. The felicitation ceremony was organised at Badoli in Kangra district of the state. The Raksha Mantri paid glowing tributes to the war heroes, including the first recipient of Param Vir Chakra Major Somnath Sharma (1947); Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa, Maha Vir Chakra (1948); Lt Col Dhan Singh Thapa, PVC (1962); Captain Vikram Batra, PVC (1999) and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, PVC (1999), whose names are etched in the hearts of every Indian for their unmatched bravery and sacrifice.
Rajnath Singh paid respects to the families of the war heroes, stating that the country will forever be indebted to the sacrifices made by the valiant soldiers. He stated that the Armed Forces will always be a source of inspiration to the people, especially the youth, as they possess the traits of discipline, devotion to duty, patriotism & sacrifice and are a symbol of national pride & trust. “Background, religion and creed don’t matter, what matters is that our beloved tri-colour continues to fly high,” he said.
The Raksha Mantri asserted that India is the only country which has given the message of peace to the whole world and its military is respected across the globe for its bravery. While maintaining that India has never attacked any country, nor has it captured an inch of foreign land, he assured the Nation that if any attempt is ever made to disturb the harmony in India, a befitting reply will be given. “India is a peace-loving country, but it should not be mistaken with being cowardly or afraid of war. At a time when we were dealing with COVID-19 along with the entire world, we had to face the tension on the northern border with China. The courage of our soldiers during the Galwan incident proved that no matter how big the power is; India will never bow down,” he said.
