Key Points:
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha gallery that now has portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees.
Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on December 16, marking Bharat’s historic victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak War, and the liberation of Bangladesh.
This move instills in citizens a sense of cultural and heritage pride, embracing Bharat’s timeless traditions.
Rashtrapti Bhavan now has portraits of all the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees on its wall. The gallery, known as Param Vir Dirgha was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu yesterday, December 16, 2025 on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.
Vijay Diwas is celebrated each year on 16th December, marking the anniversary of the 1971 Bharat-Pakistan war. It marks the extraordinary military might and strategic intelligence of Bharat, which resulted in Bharat’s win and the liberation of Bangladesh. The 1971 war serves as a stark reminder of Bharat’s hard power on the global stage.
President Droupadi Murmu felicitated the Param Vir Dirgha event at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday, December 16, 2025. The Param Vir Dirgha gallery that now showcases portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, previously had portraits of 96 British Aide-de-Camps (ADCs). Param Vir Chakra is Bharat’s highest military honour, awarded for most conspicuous bravery, valor, courage and supreme sacrifice while fighting the enemies. It is second only to Bharat Ratna, Bharat’s highest civilian award.
Param Vir Chakra has been awarded to a total of 21 soldiers, 20 from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force. Some of the awardees include Major Somnath Sharma for the Indo-Pak War of 1947-1948; Havildar Abdul Hamid, for Indo-Pak War 1965; Flying Officer Niramjit Singh Sekhon awarded for his bravery in the 1971 Indo-Pak War, and Captain Vikram Batra, for the 1999 Indo-Pak Kargil War.
Out of the 21 Param Vir Chakra recipients, the only living recipients are Subedar Major Bana Singh, Subedar Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogendra Yadav. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to honour the brave heroes who fought and sacrificed for the nation, ensuring Bharat a historic victory in 1971.
The Gallery honours Bharat’s heroes who displayed immense courage, bravery and self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy while defending our nation. A press release issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan states: “The initiative to display portraits of Indian national heroes marks a meaningful step toward shedding the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India’s culture, heritage, and timeless traditions.”
Suggested Reading: