Panchaloha emblem being prepared by city-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj

Mysore/Mysuru: The final phase of construction and beautification of the War Memorial at the NCC Parade Grounds, near the old Deputy Commissioner’s Office in city, is progressing steadily. The main Memorial structure has been erected, with only the installation of the emblem pending.

Granite slabs have already been fixed at the Memorial’s base. A Panchaloha emblem befitting the War Memorial is being prepared by noted Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj, who carved the famed Balak Ram idol installed at Sri Ram Mandir  in Ayodhya.

A landscaped park will be developed around the Memorial, with Rs. 1.5 crore released under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Scheme. The tender process is already on.

In view of these developments, Brig. (retd.) Vinod Hadappad, Col. (Retd.) Vijay Kumar, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Superintending Engineer (SE) Manjunath, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Sathymurthy, Kannada & Culture Department Assistant Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan and Diwakar from the Ex-Servicemen Association visited the Memorial site this morning to review progress.

Ex-Serviceman and senior KAS officer C.L. Anand, currently serving as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) at Chikkaballapur Medical College, who has been overseeing the project since its inception, was also present during the inspection.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Anand said the team identified the need to demolish a 15-year-old overhead water tank near the Memorial, which is no longer in use as households now receive direct water supply connections. The demolition had been planned in the initial phase of the project. A nearby rain gauge will also be relocated from the site to facilitate the Memorial’s development.

Plans for the Memorial include installing decommissioned tanks, fighter jets, naval equipment, guns and other wartime machinery. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already approved and facilitated the allocation of these Military artefacts for the Memorial.

Once the Memorial and the adjoining park are completed, Military tanks, guns and other equipment will be transported to Mysuru and installed at the site, further enhancing its significance. Traditional and decorative plants will be added around the Memorial, creating an inspiring and patriotic environment for visitors, Anand added.