After 50 years, the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame, also known as the ‘eternal flame’ at India Gate, Delhi to be put out at National War Memorial. Its flame will be merged in the flame of War Memorial itself at 3.30 pm on Friday.
According to an officer of the Indian Army, the torch of Amar Jawan Jyoti will be brought to the National War Memorial on Friday afternoon. There both the flames will be merged in a ceremony. Air Marshal Balabhadra Radha Krishna will preside over the function.
The National War Memorial, unveiled on February 25, 2019 to honour thousands of Indian soldiers who died liberating Bangladesh in 1971.On the other hand, Amar Jawan Jyoti was inaugurated by the then PM Indira Gandhi on 26 February 1972.
The memorial is located at two places. The first one was constructed in December 1971 and inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1972 under India Gate at Rajpath in New Delhi and the second one was installed under the National War Memorial to honour all known martyrs (post independence) of Indian Armed Forces with their names written in 'Golden letters'. The decision to merge the two flames was taken as there cannot be two war memorials in close proximity to each other.