Olympian Sarthak Bhambri pays tribute to Capt. Vikram Batra at National War Memorial

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: “It is often the film celebrities or the sports personalities who are regarded as Heroes but I believe each name inscribed on the bricks of the Tyag Chakra at this War Memorial is a Real Hero of the Nation,” said Olympian Sprinter Sarthak Bhambri during his visit to the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

The Olympian who was very keen to visit the War Memorial, which is a commemoration of the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers since Independence, was moved to see how every area of the premise signifies different values of the Armed Forces.

Taking a round of the Rakshak Chakra, which is formed of over 600 trees that act as a wall and represents the soldiers who protect the country, the Athletics Champion said, “Trees are always the protectors of the environment and I am overwhelmed by how these abundant number of trees, each representing a soldier here, are again reminding us about how safe & alive we are with them around us.”

Meanwhile, the army officials guided him to the Param Yodha Sthal where he paid tribute to Param Vir Chakra awardee Capt. Vikram Batra from the 13 JAK RIF.

The Param Yodha Sthal houses the busts of all the 21 recipients of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honour. Each recipient has been honoured with a bronze bust surrounded by a lush green patch, complete with pathways and informative plaques describing the courage they displayed at the battlefield.