Twelve serving army officers from Britain will be visiting Saragarhi Memorial here on September 12 to pay tributes to warriors of the famed battle on its anniversary.
The battle was fought on September 12, 1897 between soldiers of the British Indian Army and tribesmen in the North-West Frontier Province (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). The British Indian contingent had 21 soldiers of the 36 Sikhs (now 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army), who were stationed at an army post attacked by 10,000 Afghans, and were martyred.
The visiting British Army team will be led by Major General Duncon Francis Capps at the state-level martyrdom day observance to be presided over by Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal.
The Saragrahi Memorial Management Trust (SMMT), Ferozpeur, as per a notification issued by the governor, recently took over the historical memorial. The SMMT, led by Maj Gen Rajesh Kundra, general officer commanding (GOC), Golden Arrow Division, who is its ex-officio chairman; and has Ramvir, deputy commissioner, as the vice-chairman, has made plans for improvement in basic infrastructure and arranging a light-and-sound show too. It may here be recalled that earlier the state cabinet had cancelled the previous SAD-BJP government’s orders to entrust the Saragarhi memorial gurdwara management to Baba Nand Singh Gurdwara, Nanaksar Kaleran, Jagraon, for 30 years.
“We have got acknowledgement from 12 army officials from England to participate in the event. All arrangements are being made to make the event successful,” said Ramvir.
