India has produced many patriots who have served the country in different capacities. These real-life heroes have always placed the interests of the nation above their own lives. To honour such brave hearts, the government of India has instituted Gallantry Awards which are given twice a year. Sadly, most of the citizens are unaware of their bravery. To spread awareness among the students about the inspiring deeds and bravery of such people, Veer Gatha Project was launched collaboratively by the Ministry of Education, the Department of School Education and Literacy, and the Ministry of Defence.
This project commenced on October 21, 2021 and will go on till November 20, 2021. As per a circular issued by CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) on October 14, 2021, it is especially for the students from grades 3 to 12. The purpose of this project is to honour the courage and sacrifices of the “officers/personnel of the Armed Forces, other lawfully-constituted Forces and Civilians”.
According to the circular, various activities have been planned for the students of different classes. They are required to write a poem or paragraph or to paint a picture. Students of grades 3 to 5 are required to write 150 words, which increases to 300 words for grades 6 to 8 students, 750 words for grades 9 and 10, and 1000 words for grades 10 and 12 students. Students of grade 6 onwards will need to use multimedia presentation as well. Two topics provided are-
1) ‘If I had been (name of the Gallantry Award winner), what would I have done for my nation?’
2) ‘(Name of the Gallantry Award winner) motivates me to …’
Schools will be conducting the activities during these dates, and upload one best entry from each category on CBSE’s Veer Gatha portal between 1st and 30th November, limited to four entries per school. Six entries from each category and seven from the category of grades 11 and 12 will be selected for a cash prize of Rs 10,000 along with the invitation to the 2022 Republic Day celebrations in Delhi.