Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 10: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday revealed the names of 100 children from across India who have been declared winners of the Pan-India essay writing competition, Veer Gatha, held to mark Republic Day 2025. The winners, who come from four categories based on school grades, will receive a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and will be invited as special guests to witness the Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path.

This year, approximately 1.76 cr students from over 2.31 lac schools participated in the contest. The competition focused on essays about gallantry award recipients, freedom fighters, and historical figures such as Rani Laxmibai.

Veer Gatha is a joint initiative by the ministry of defence and the ministry of education, part of the Republic Day celebrations. The project, launched in 2021 as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ aims to raise awareness about India’s gallantry awardees and their acts of bravery.