Collects soil from martyred soldiers’ memorials to build India Map-shaped War Memorial at J&K

Mysore/Mysuru:  “I have travelled more than 97,000 kms across India collecting soil from Memorials and homes of martyred soldiers; that will be used for the construction of making a big map of India as War Memorial in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Bengaluru-based Umesh Gopinath Jadhav, an artist and a patriotic road trip traveller, who has started his second leg of  the patriotic journey.

He was speaking after being felicitated jointly by Rotary Mysore Ambari, Rotary Mysore, Rotary East, Rotary North, Rotary Panchasheel and Rotary Shreegandha at a programme organised at Rotary Centre on JLB Road here on Nov.1.

Maintaining that his patriotic trip is an apolitical and non-sponsored venture, Umesh Gopinath Jadhav said that he started his trip on April 9, 2019 from CRPF Centre at Yelahanka in Bengaluru.

Pointing out that during his trip, he met numerous families of martyrs, veterans and serving officers of Indian Armed Forces, Para-Military Forces and the Police Department, he said that he covered 28 States and 9 Union Territories collecting soil from their Memorials and homes for the proposed War Memorial in Jammu and Kashmir.

Maintaining that he has covered over 97,000 kms in his first leg, during which he collected soil from Param Vir Chakra (PVC) and Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) awardee martyred Army Officers, he said that the motto of his trip is ‘Janmabhoomi Karmabhoomi’ (Respecting the soil of Motherland India) and Indian First (Awareness).

Contending that his trip is dedicated to the martyrs of Armed Forces, Jadhav said that he has so far collected soil from 134 martyred families, who include Pulwama, Kargil, World War I, World War II, 1971 and 1965 War heroes. He further said that he has also collected soil from homes of legendary Commanders — Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. 

Stating that he was deeply pained by the loss of precious Indian lives in Pulwama attack, Jadhav said that this made him to launch the patriotic trip.

 Maintaining that he has started the second leg of his trip from Mysuru, he said that he will go to Bengaluru from where he will travel to Andaman,  Lakshadweep and such other places.

“I will make a map of India as War Memorial at Jammu & Kashmir with the soil thus collected,” he pointed out adding that he has also collected soil from Memorials of Mounted Cavalry (Mysore Lancers) belonging to the erstwhile  Mysore Maharajas, who lost their lives in Israel’s Battle of Haifa in 1918.

“My mode of travel is my personal Hyundai Accent while a Sedan car with an improvised caravan (trailer) in tow has all martyrs’ soils,” Jadhav said.

Rotary District Governor Nominee Rtn. H.R. Keshav was the chief guest at the felicitation programme attended by Rotarians of various Clubs. Prior to the event, an awareness rally was flagged off in front of Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple at 5.30 pm. The rally culminated at the Rotary Centre on JLB Road.