Supreme sacrifice etched in memory

A memorial plaque dedicated to seven Sikhs, who laid down their lives during World War-I, in an old police post in the historic Sultanwind village has turned into a place of admiration.

The plaque not only inspires the family members of the martyrs and Army veterans, who gather at the spot to pay their tributes, but also attracts foreign historians. In April 2023, Dr Dominiek Dendooven, a world renowned Belgian historian of World War-1, visited the village along with his wife Mieke De Neve to see the plaque. The marble plaque is captioned ‘From this village, 135 men went to the Great War 1914-1919. Of these 7 gave up their lives’.

It was installed by British in order to recognise the sacrifice of the seven Sikhs who died fighting alongside British troops and their allies against Germans during the World War-1. As many as 135 soldiers from the village were part of the British troops.

The Vishav Yudh-I and II Shaheed Welfare Society has been organising events to pay tributes to the martyrs every year.

Gurinder Singh Mahal, president of the society, said after the World War-I, the British Government metalled the labyrinthine lanes of the village as a reward for the bravery shown by the village residents during the war. He said the British Government also established a court here, which was shifted to Amritsar later. A police post came up on the premises thereafter.

Residents too made the village proud by participating in Jaiton Morcha, Guru Ka Bagh Morcha and freedom struggle. The society urged the government should preserve the structure. It also appealed to the government to take a note of the dilapidated condition of the plaque.

Punjab