The roll of honour at the Chandigarh War Memorial has been updated to include 240 additional names of military personnel who made the supreme sacrifice, officials said on Thursday. The revision comes nearly two decades after the memorial was inaugurated on August 17, 2006.
Verification process and agencies involved
Col HS Ghuman (retd), Zila Sainik Welfare Officer, Chandigarh, said the office pursued the matter with the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence and the records offices of various regiments to obtain the latest lists of martyrs. The Zila Sainik Welfare staff also consulted the National War Memorial in New Delhi and authenticated each name against records supplied by regimental and central repositories, he added.
"Since 2006, no new names of battle casualties had been added to the roll of honour," Col Ghuman said, explaining the rationale for the exercise.
Authorities said the exercise was intended to ensure that the memorial's roll accurately reflects the personnel from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh who have fallen in the line of duty since Independence.
About the memorial and its significance
Inaugurated by the then President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the memorial already carried around 8,500 names from the three services at the time of its opening. Located in Bougainvillea Garden, Sector 3, the structure is a largely subterranean circular edifice whose only visible element is a three-point star-shaped feature rising 22 feet above ground. The outer walls bear black granite panels on which the names are etched.
The memorial was conceptualised by Lt Gen JFR Jacob (retd) and designed by students of the Chandigarh College of Architecture. Its construction was carried out by the Engineering Department, Chandigarh, which remains responsible for its maintenance and security.
Scope of additions and categories
The newly added names relate to battle casualties and other servicemen from the region who were not previously inscribed on the roll. Officials did not specify the conflicts or time periods to which the additional names pertain; they said the update followed cross-checking across multiple official records.
| Item | Figure/Detail |
|---|---|
| Original names (approx.) | 8,500 |
| Newly added names | 240 |
| Regions represented | Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh |
| Inauguration | 17 August 2006 |
Local custodianship and next steps
The Engineering Department, Chandigarh, which built the memorial, continues to oversee its security and upkeep. Officials said the updated panels will be installed after completion of the authentication formalities and any necessary conservation work.
The addition of names follows a methodical administrative route: the Zila Sainik Welfare Office requested lists from regimental record offices and the Integrated Headquarters, compared these with the National War Memorial records, and carried out local verification before recommending inclusion.
- The update restores missing recognition for servicemen from the region whose names were absent from the memorial since its opening.
- It reflects coordination between local veteran welfare authorities and central military record-keeping agencies.
- Further changes may arise if additional authenticated records are received.
Veteran welfare officials said the exercise underscores the importance of regular audits of public memorials to ensure accurate and complete commemoration. No timeline was given for a formal rededication or public ceremony connected with the updated roll of honour.
Chandigarh's War Memorial is regarded as one of the larger post-Independence memorials in the country. The careful authentication and addition of names are likely to be welcomed by families of the fallen and by ex-servicemen's organisations that have long sought comprehensive recognition for regional servicemen lost in conflicts since 1947.
