NATIONAL POLICE
COMMEMORATION DAY
OCTOBER 21
ndia is observing
Police Commemoration Day on October 21 to honour police personnel who lost
their lives in the line of duty. The main ceremony is scheduled at the National
Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah
expected to pay tribute to the fallen personnel. A motorcycle rally involving
approximately 90 police riders is also planned under the theme “Fight Against
Drugs,” with participants set to converge at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, for the Ekta
Parade on October 31.Police Commemoration Day has its origins in the events of
October 21, 1959, at Hot Springs in Ladakh. On that date, ten Indian police
personnel were killed in an ambush by heavily armed Chinese troops. The
incident became a defining moment in the history of India's police services. In
1962, the Directors General and Inspectors General of Police conference decided
that October 21 would be observed annually in memory of the ten personnel and
other police martyrs who lost their lives in the line of duty. The National
Police Memorial in New Delhi was dedicated to the nation in 2018. It comprises
a central granite sculpture, the Wall of Valour and a museum documenting the
history and service of India's police forces. The Wall of Valour honours
personnel who died in service, while the memorial serves as a national site of
remembrance. Over time, the annual observance has become an occasion for police
organisations across the country to pay tribute to fallen personnel and
highlight the responsibilities and challenges of policing
Union Home Minister
Amit Shah is scheduled to preside over the ceremony, address the gathering and
lay a wreath at the memorial dedicated to the personnel killed at Hot Springs
in Ladakh in 1959. The event is listed for webcast by the government’s National
Informatics Centre.A major feature of this year's programme is a motorcycle
rally themed “Fight Against Drugs.” The planned rally involves approximately 90
police riders representing selected states and Union Territories, Central Armed
Police Forces and other central police organisations.
Police Commemoration
Day is more than an annual ceremonial event. It provides an opportunity to
recognise the risks faced by police personnel while protecting communities,
responding to emergencies and addressing threats to public safety. The
remembrance also draws attention to the families of personnel who have lost
their lives in service. Their experiences form an important part of the broader
story of public service and sacrifice. The planned anti-drug rally adds a
contemporary public-safety dimension to this year's programme. Drug abuse and
illegal drug distribution can affect individuals, families and communities.
Public-awareness initiatives can support prevention efforts, although their
longer-term impact depends on sustained education, enforcement, treatment and
community participation. For readers, the key distinction is that the memorial
ceremony is a tribute to those who have died in service, while the rally is a
forward-looking initiative intended to promote awareness of drug-related harms.The
riders are expected to travel towards Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, where they will
join the Ekta Parade on October 31. The initiative combines the annual
remembrance of police martyrs with a public-awareness effort against drug
abuse.The observance also extends beyond the main ceremony. From October 22 to
30, commemorative activities are planned at the National Police Memorial,
including visits by martyrs’ family members, police band displays, blood
donation camps, a Run for Martyrs and educational competitions for children.As
the scheduled programme takes place, the central message remains the
recognition of police personnel whose service and sacrifices have contributed
to public safety and national security.
Prof. John Kurakar
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