NEW DELHI: Portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees are now on display at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha (Gallery) at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 16, coinciding with Vijay Diwas.

The portraits of 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees have now replaced the previously displayed portraits of 96 British Aide-de-Camps (ADCs).

In an official statement, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "The Gallery, which displays portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, aims to educate visitors about our national heroes who displayed dauntless resolve and unconquerable spirit in defending our nation".

The portraits of Param- Vir Chakra awardees include that of Capt MK Pandey,11 Gorkha rifles, 1999, (posthumously), Major Parmeshwaran Ramaswamy, Mahar regiment 1987, (posthumously), Major Hoshiar Singh(Grenadier) ,1971, Sub. Bana Singh (J&K Light Infantry, 1987), Vikram Batra, J&K Rifles, 1999 (posthumously), RFN Sanjay Kumar (J&K rifles, 1999), MaJ. S Singh(posthumously),1962, Mjr. Dhan Singh Thapa (Gorkha rifles),1962 and Jogidner Singh, Sikh regiment,1962 (posthumously) .

The initiative is being hailed as an effort to honour the memory of India's brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the service of the nation and those who are alive as well. Referring to the transformation of the corridor, the statement added, "The initiative to display portraits of Indian national heroes marks a meaningful step toward shedding the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India's culture, heritage, and timeless traditions".