Renovation of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s memorial at Singhu Border on cards
In a landmark initiative to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the Delhi Government on Thursday announced a series of cultural, educational and infrastructural programmes that will be launched this November. The initiatives were announced during a consultative meeting chaired by Art & Culture Minister Kapil Mishra and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa with community leaders and intellectuals.
The government plans to renovate the existing memorial at Singhu Border and launch a daily light and sound show to narrate Guru’s life and sacrifice. Plans are also underway to establish a dedicated Centre for Martyrdom Studies and introduce educational content in schools and colleges to familiarise students with Guru Sahib’s unparalleled sacrifice for religious freedom, the ministers said.
“The tribute is not just an event but a part of a larger cultural responsibility,” said Minister Kapil Mishra. “We are committed to restoring the respect this memorial deserves. Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice stands as a universal lesson in courage and conviction.”
Reiterating the government’s commitment to inclusive heritage, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “Guru Tegh Bahadur is not just a part of our history. He is the soul of Delhi’s spiritual and cultural identity. His martyrdom is the world’s greatest example of standing up for freedom of thought and belief. It is our sacred duty to ensure that every child in Delhi grows up knowing his story, feeling his sacrifice, and carrying forward his message.”
The meeting at the Delhi Secretariat brought together prominent personalities, including DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalra, retired bureaucrats and diplomats such as Charan Singh and Manjeev Singh Puri, and former MP Tarlochan Singh. The gathering saw a heartfelt response from the community, with members praising the initiative and recalling years of administrative neglect of such heritage sites.
In line with PM Narendra Modi’s deep reverence for Guru Tegh Bahadur, the community members during a discussion at the meeting suggested to host the capital’s first Punjabi Literature and Cultural Festival, create educational modules, and organise international seminars focused on martyrdom, religious freedom and human rights.
Community members made several suggestions, including the creation of a research centre, school and college-based education modules and awareness about sites such as Rakab Ganj Sahib and Lakhi Shah Banjara’s historical contributions.
The government has assured that these ideas will be reviewed, and the light and sound show is scheduled to commence by November 2025. Follow-up meetings and wider public consultations will soon be held to finalise the plans.
Delhi