President meets families of 1965 war heroes

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday met family members of the winners of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award along with other veterans of the 1965 India-Pakistan war at the conflict's golden jubilee commemorative exhibition here.

Earlier, the president, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, was taken around the exhibitions area depicting a terrain walk through, battle enclosures, martyrs gallery and others depicting the war in its entirety.

"A heart-warming exhibition showcasing the grit and valour of the Indian soldier. I salute the brave martyrs of the Indian Armed Forces who sacrificed their present for our today. Every Indian should be proud to walk through this exhibition glorifying our victory in the 1965 war. My compliments to the team for organizing this at such a grand scale," Mukherjee wrote in the visitors book.

A carnival to commemorate the 1965 war would be organised at India Gate Lawns on Sunday, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Lt.Col. AB Tarapore of the Poona Horse armoured regiment and Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid of the Grenadiers were awarded the nation's highest gallantry award - both posthumously - for their bravery in the conflict.

The commemorative event was initiated by the president with a wreath-laying ceremony at Amar Jawan Jyoti on August 28.