Know history behind Amar Jawan Jyoti & all about the merger with National War Memorial

Slamming the opposition, sources from the Government of India on Friday said that the flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti is being merged with flame at National War Memorial. Air Marshal Balabadra Radha Krishna, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, in the absence of serving Chief of Defence Staff is all set to merge the flames of Amar Jawan Jyoti with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial in a ceremonial function. The sources added that the names of the jawans who were martyred in all wars prior to 1971 and after it is housed in the National War memorial.

History of Amar Jawan Jyoti

The Amar Jawan Jyoti was constructed as a memorial for Indian soldiers who were killed in action in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which India won, leading to the creation of Bangladesh. It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, on January 26, 1972.

It is a monument symbolised by an inverted bayonet and soldier's helmet over it with an eternal flame burning beside it. The flame that burns at the Amar Jawan Jyoti is kept alive all year. There are four flames on each side of the cenotaph. Only one flame burns throughout the year. However, on Independence Day and Republic Day, all flames are lit. Though liquified petroleum gas was used to keep the flame alive till 2006, it is now lit using piped natural gas.

Here is all you need to know about the merging of Amar Jawan Jyoti with eternal flame at the National War Memorial

Days ahead of Republic Day celebrations, the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate will be extinguished after 50 years and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial on Friday. 

Military officials on Thursday informed that the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti will be extinguished on Friday afternoon and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial, which is just 400 metres away on the other side of India Gate. Sources added that the reason for its move was increasing difficulty in maintaining two flames. While Amar Jyoti had no soldiers' names inscribed, the War memorial inaugurated by PM Modi on February 2019, has the names of 25,942 martyred soldiers inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets - including bravehearts from the 1947-48 war with Pakistan to the clash with Chinese troops at Galwan valley.