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Memorial at last for those who laid down their lives for the nation

The idea was first mooted in 1960 and later again after China and Pakistan wars to commemorate the bravery of our soldiers. In 2012, a group of ministers (GoM), under the then defence minister A K Antony had also approved the project, but it never reached to the cabinet for final approval.

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The memorial will be built in the Princess Park area near India Gate
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The Union cabinet on Wednesday finally approved the construction of a National War Memorial and Museum in New Delhi at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore. Finance minister Arun Jaitley during his last Budget speech had allocated Rs100 crore for the project, which will be constructed in the Princes Park area near the iconic India Gate in the national capital.

The idea was first mooted in 1960 and later again after China and Pakistan wars to commemorate the bravery of our soldiers. In 2012, a group of ministers (GoM), under the then defence minister A K Antony had also approved the project, but it never reached to the cabinet for final approval.

The memorial will commemorate the sacrifices of more than 22,500 soldiers who laid down their lives post-1947. "The memorial and museum will be built in about five years' time from now, and the progress will be monitored by an empowered steering committee headed by the defence secretary, assisted by a project management team. Post- commissioning too, a management body will be formed for maintenance of the memorial," said the cabinet note.

Since 1947, Indian soldiers have fought three full-fledged wars – with China in 1962 and with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971-- besides the limited war in Kargil in 1999. The Indian soldiers have also fought a number of insurgencies be that in Kashmir or in North-Eastern states.

British had built a war memorial, now called India Gate located astride the Rajpath, and Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to commemorate 82,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the period 1914–21 in the First World War, in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and elsewhere in the Near and the Far East, and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.

Ironically, over the past more than 60 years, it was also used to pay tribute and respect to unknown Indian soldier of independent India as well, in the absence of a proper memorial.

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