Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Oct 5: For centuries, Indian history has been narrated through the lens of the conquerors — glorifying the Mughals, the Lodhis, and the East India Company. Their chronicles found space in our textbooks, while the true guardians of Bharat’s pride — the Cholas, Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan, Tipu Sultan, the Ahoms, and countless unsung warriors — were pushed into oblivion.
“The pen of history forgot those whose swords and sacrifices secured the spirit of this great nation. It is time that we, as a nation, reclaim our heroes — the ones who fought not for glory, but for Dharma, for their land, and for the Tricolour that today flutters in freedom’’ said MLA Udhampur East, R S Pathania, while unveiling bust of Shaheed Subedar Sukhdev Singh Bandral, a valiant son of the soil who immortalized his name in the annals of courage and sacrifice.
Subedar Sukhdev Singh sustained grievous injuries during the Kargil War, yet his spirit remained unbroken. On 5th October 2000, while serving in the Naushera Sector, he took a fatal shot in the line of duty — laying down his life for the motherland. His story epitomizes valor beyond measure, and devotion beyond death.
The ceremony witnessed participation from representatives of the Zila Sainik Board, ECHS, Sub Area Command, 16 Regiment, civil police officers, and prominent citizens of the region.
The family of the martyr was honoured with deep respect and heartfelt warmth, as the gathering — comprising hundreds of locals — stood united in reverence.
The War Memorial at Peoni crafted by the people themselves, also stands as an enduring tribute to 12 such warriors who made the supreme sacrifice. “It reminds us that the soil of Bharat is not just earth — it is sanctified by the blood of heroes who chose duty over life, Peoni itself is a land of warriors and we are all proud of it,’’ Pathania said.
He said “Heroes like him remind us that freedom is not inherited — it is earned and upheld every single day’’.
Let this memorial not be a relic of the past, but a living reminder that Bharat’s strength lies in her sons and daughters who fear not death, but dishonour, said Pathania.
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