Security guard, praised in PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat, wants martyrs' museum

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, praised Jitendra Singh Rathore, a security guard from Gujarat's Surat, for his unique way of paying tributes to the martyrs and described him as a "great inspiration for every patriot".

For nearly three decades, Jitendra Rathore has devoted himself to collecting information about soldiers who laid down their lives for the country.

PM Modi, during his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme, lauded the security guard for collecting the information of all those soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending Mother India.

PM Modi's admiration has lifted his spirits and also encouraged him to take forward his benevolent mission with greater urge.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "Today Prime Minister Modi Ji mentioned my name, I am very happy with this. This honour is a matter of pride for me. Whatever I earned from two security jobs, I spent it all in preserving the memories of the martyrs."

He also appealed to the Prime Minister to build a 'martyr museum' where these pictures and letters of the martyrs could be preserved.

"I wish that a good museum should be built for the martyrs, where the coming generations can get true inspiration on patriotism," he added.

Jitendra said that during the 1999 Kargil war, the words of a martyred father -- "son gaya to kya hua, vatan to salamat hai na" (So what if my son is gone, the country is safe, isn't it?) -- changed his life and he vowed to keep the memories of the martyrs alive forever.

He has been collecting information and photographs of martyred soldiers.

Till date, he has collected details of more than two lakh martyrs, photographs of more than 23,000 martyrs and got this information recorded in 176 registers.

Over the years, he has collected contact numbers of more than 15,500 martyred families.

He has been sending postcards to the families of martyred soldiers for the last 20 years, bringing smiles on the faces of the families of so many martyrs.

Till date, he has sent more than 15,500 postcards to the families of martyrs.

He said this act may not bring back the martyred soldiers, but shall make their families feel that their lives are remembered and valued.

--IANS

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