Explainer: Unveiling the History Behind Soldier Names On India Gate 

New Delhi (Vishvas News). Viral social media posts frequently claim that the names of 95,300 freedom fighters are inscribed on the country’s national monument, India Gate. Out of these, 61395 are Muslims and 8050 are Sikhs. Apart from these, there are 14480 backward, 10777 Dalit, 598 upper caste, and none from the Sanghi community. In this report, we will find out the answers to these questions.

History

According to the DM New Delhi website, the foundation stone of India Gate was laid by the Duke of Connaught in the year 1921. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the monument was handed over to the country nearly a decade later by then-Viceroy Lord Irwin. It is 42 meters high and is an ‘Arc-de-Triumph’ like archway in the centre of a square.

Looking at the inscription on India Gate, the word ‘India’ is prominently displayed. On wither sides, MCMXIV (1914) on the left and MCMXIX (1919) on the right are inscribed. Additionally, the following dedication is engraved:

“To the dead of the Indian armies who fell and are honored in France and Flanders Mesopotamia and Persia East Africa Gallipoli and elsewhere in the near and the far-east and in sacred memory also of those whose names are recorded and who fell in India or the north-west frontier and during the Third Afghan War.”

This memorial commemorates the 70,000 soldiers who were martyred while fighting for the British Army during World War I. This memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the North West Frontier Afghan War of 1919.

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission. (CWGC) website provides further details about India Gate. According to CWGC, of the 13300 soldiers whose names are given on the memorial, the bodies of over a thousand soldiers are buried in cemeteries located west of the Indus River. The rest died while fighting on the North West Frontier or beyond, including during the Third Afghan War and they have no known graves. India Gate also serves as a tribute to those 70 thousand Indian soldiers who were martyred during 1914-1921. It was inaugurated by Lord Irwin on February 12, 1931.

India Gate also bears the names of 13220 martyrs, including the soldiers from the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. Among them, approximately 12260 soldiers are Indians. The inscriptions provide information,  such as name, rank, service number, unit, regiment, country of service, date of martyrdom, and the place where the name is inscribed. However,  information about religion and caste is mentioned in the memorial.

Amit Rai Jain, Director and Historian at the Shahjad Rai Institute, clarified that the names of revolutionaries are not inscribed on India Gate. Instead, it commemorates the soldiers who fought for the British army, including the British and Australian soldiers.

Memorials elsewhere in the country

The sacrifices of 1.61 lakh Indian servicemen and women who lost their lives during the First World War (1914-1918) are honoured. They fought and perished in nearly 50 countries worldwide. Several memorials across India commemorate these soldiers of World War I, such as:

1. Teen Murti Memorial, Delhi

2. Bengali War Memorial, Kolkata

3. Laskar Memorial, Kolkata

4. Patiala State Forces Memorial

5. The Bombay Memorial, Mumbai

6. Kirki Memorial, Pune

7. Victory War Memorial, Chennai

Additionally, memorials honouring Indian soldiers who were martyred in World War I have also been built in France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Belgium, Malta, Romania, Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and the UK.

War Memorials In India:

Kargil War Memorial: It stands as a tribute to the brave Indian soldiers who were martyred during the 1999 Kargil war between India and Pakistan. This memorial is located in Drass, 60 km from Kargil and at its entrance a plaque with a poignant elegy written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan, dedicated to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during Operation Vijay. The names of the martyrs are inscribed on a pink sandstone wall. Every year on July 26, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated here to commemorate India’s victory.

Darjeeling War Memorial: Inaugurated on April 16, 1995, this war memorial was built to honour and commemorate the Gorkha soldiers from Darjeeling and nearby regions who sacrificed their lives in wars and military campaigns after India’s independence.

Chandigarh War Memorial: This memorial pays tribute to around 8459 martyred soldiers of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy since 1947. It was inaugurated by former President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006.

Sea War Memorial, Visakhapatnam: Established in 1996, this victory memorial honours the warriors of the Indian Navy and the Eastern Naval Command. It commemorates India’s victory during the 1971 Liberation War, when Pakistan attacked the Visakhapatnam port using the submarine PNS Ghazi, aiming to directly target the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. However, the Indian Navy successfully thwarted the attack and emerged victorious.

Tawang War Memorial, Arunachal Pradesh: It was built to honour the brave Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the 1962 Indo-China War. This memorial features inscriptions honouring the names of the martyrs, their regiments, and their sacrifices. This memorial is dedicated to 2420 armed forces personnel who lost their lives in Kameng district during the war and stands as a tribute to their valour.

Siachen War Memorial: It was built in memory of all the Siachen warriors who made the supreme sacrifice while guarding the icy seams of the Siachen region since the launch of Operation Meghdoot. The names of all the martyrs and a list of the battalions that have served in the Siachen Brigade since 1984 are inscribed on its walls.

Conclusion: From time to time, a post goes viral claiming that the names of 95,300 freedom fighters are inscribed on India Gate. In this report, we will find out the answers to these questions.

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• India Gate soldier names
• India Gate soldiers tribute British Indian Army memorial
• India Gate war heroes