President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, led the nation in paying tribute to the soldiers of the 1971 war on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.
Vijay Diwas is annually celebrated on December 16 to commemorate India's historical victory over Pakistan.
On this day, Pakistani forces were forced to surrender to the Indian Army in 1971, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. The stupendous victory in the war following the surrender of over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers on December 16, 1971 ended horrific violence unleashed by the Pakistani army on millions of Bangladeshis.
Taking to X, President Murmu said a grateful India "remembers the ultimate sacrifice of our bravehearts whose stories inspire every Indian and shall remain a source of national pride."
Their selfless dedication and unwavering resolve safeguarded our nation and brought glory to us, wrote PM Modi in a social media post. The PM termed the day a tribute to their extraordinary valour and unshakable spirit.
Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tribute to the soldiers and said the nation will always be in debt to the service of these people to the country.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and paid homage to the bravehearts.
In a social media post, the defence minister said the unwavering courage and patriotism of the soldiers ensured that our country remained safe.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan too paid rich tributes to the fallen heroes of the war. Gen Chauhan conveyed his compliments to all serving personnel, veterans and 'Veer Naris' for their dedication, resolve and "enduring commitment" towards the nation.
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