Battle of Saragarhi. 10,000 Pathans vs. 21 Sikh Soldiers of British Indian Army
Punjab government Wednesday announced that battle story of Saragarhi would be included in the school curriculum in the state as a tribute to those martyrs who fought a spirited battle against 'Pashtuns'.
Paying tributes to the martyrs on 'Saragarhi day' function organised at Gurudwara, Chandimandir, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the contingent of 36th Sikhs (now 4th Sikh Regiment) led by Hawaldar Ishar Singh chose to fight rather than leave their post.
"We are all proud of that rare achievement of Sikh soldiers, who were awarded the Indian Order of Merit posthumously, the highest gallantry award of that time," he said, according to an official release here.
The 21 martyrs of 36th Sikh Regiment of British Indian Army laid down their lives after killing hundreds of 'Pashtuns' while fighting a spirited battle against a force of more than 10,000 attackers in 1897.
Badal said, the significance of that battle could be seen from the fact that Saragarhi was one of the eight collective stories of bravery published by UNESCO for children.
"It is our bounden duty to include such events of history in our textbooks so that our younger generations can draw inspiration from such events and the spirit of bravery and patriotism can be instilled in their minds," Badal said.
He said Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt had told him he was exploring the possibility of making a film on the historic Saragarhi battle and expressed hope that it would soon materialise.
The state government would provide every possible help for this cause, he said.
Saragarhi battle story to be included in PB school syllabus
