New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Asserting that “Every story of valour deserves to be heard”, MyGov India, the citizen engagement programme of the Union Government, on Saturday announced the launch of Project Veer Gatha 5.0, an initiative aimed at inspiring patriotism among students through stories of India’s gallantry award winners.

Instituted in 2021 under the Gallantry Awards Portal (GAP), the project is a joint effort of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Ministry of Education (MoE), and MyGov.

It provides a platform for school students across India to creatively present the heroic tales of soldiers and warriors through poems, essays, paintings, and multimedia projects.

Over the years, Veer Gatha has witnessed massive participation – from 8 lakh students in its first edition to 1.76 crore in Veer Gatha 4.0 (2024–25). Both the Defence and Education Ministries have hailed it as a revolutionary effort in shaping civic consciousness among youth.

“Veer Gatha has been a phenomenal success with 8 lakhs participation in Veer Gatha 1.0 conducted in 2021-22,19.5 lakhs in Veer Gatha 2.0 conducted in 2022-23, 1.37 crore in Veer Gatha 3.0 conducted in 2023-24 and 1.76 crore in Veer Gatha 4.0 conducted in 2024-25,” it said.

In Veer Gatha 4.0’s felicitation ceremony held on January 25, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted the bravery of historical figures like Prithviraj Chauhan, King Kharavela of Kalinga, and the Cholas, urging inclusion of pre-independence warriors in the new edition.

For ‘Veer Gatha 5.0’, he recommended incorporating technological elements such as videography, anchoring, and reporting under the theme ‘Samarik Parampara’ (military traditions).

The initiative will also establish a dedicated ‘Veer Gatha Corner’ in every school to showcase student creativity.

A total of 100 national winners – the ‘Super 100’ – will be felicitated jointly by the MoE and MoD, each receiving a Rs 10,000 cash prize. State and district-level winners will be honoured locally.

With each edition, ‘Project Veer Gatha’ continues to deepen its mission – connecting India’s young minds to stories of courage, sacrifice, and service, ensuring that the legacy of the nation’s heroes lives on through the voices of its students.

–IANS

sas/svn