PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Parakram festival on second anniversary of surgical strikes

JODHPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced the Parakram festival in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan on Friday by commemorating Indian soldiers killed in action at the Konark War Memorial. The Indian Army is going to celebrate a two-day festival two years after destroying terrorist bases in a surgical strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Prime Minister started the Parakram Parva by writing a message for the deceased soldiers.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Jodhpur MP and Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, were present on the occasion. The PM then inaugurated an exhibition of weapons at the Konark Stadium and addressed a conference of top commanders of the three services. He reviewed the weapons from an open gypsy. The exhibition showcases several types of weapons, including a tank, an artillery piece, a radar, and an attack helicopter. During the event, the Prime Minister greeted service personnel, their families and schoolchildren, including NCC cadets.

Rajasthan is considered the land of soldiers as it has given the most number of soldiers to the armed forces, and the maximum number of retired soldiers live in the state. The Parakram Parva will be held from September 28 to 30 at Jodhpur and four other military stations. It will then be held in various places across the country. The exhibition will be open to the public on September 29.