In an effort to reach out to the young population while celebrating the valour of the Indian armed forces, Veer Gatha: Stories of Param Vir Chakra Awardees — a series of five books on war heroes who have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military award for valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy — will be launched by the Narendra Modi government on January 25. The government had announced last year that the series of books would be published and they is being unveiled on the eve of Republic Day this year. The publishing of these books fulfils a long-pending demand of armed forces veterans for proper acknowledgement and recognition of their role before the students of the country.
The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has prepared these supplementary readers on stories of PVC awardees in consultation with the defence ministry and armed forces. These books depict the heroic role of the PVC recipients along with illustrations for students, sources stated. The series of books being unveiled are based on the lives and heroic deeds of Major Somnath Sharma, Major Shaitan Singh, CQMH Abdul Hamid, Lt. Arun Khetarpal and Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar will be the chief guest on the occasion with about 400 students from various Kendriya Vidyalayas also participating in the event.
The government has asked the National Book Trust to publish the Veer Gatha series in multiple Indian languages so that it can be read in every part of India.
The series is a collaborative effort by the HRD and defence ministries. The decision to publish the book was taken at NCERT’s 52nd general council meeting in New Delhi.
HRD minister Smriti Irani had said, while addressing the NCERT general council, that NCERT should compile a book in consultation with the defence ministry on persons who had sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom of our nation.
