- Veer Bal Diwas is observed on 26thDecember every year to commemorate the martyrdom of the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh the tenth and last Sikh guru –
- The four sons were named Zorawar Singh, Fateh Singh, Jai Singh and Kulwant Singhwho fought against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his army.
- Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were captured by the Mughals at the age of six and nine respectively after they had defended their fort of Anandpur Sahib from a siege.
- They were taken to Sirhind, where they refused to convert to Islam and were sentenced to death by being bricked alive in 1705.
- Jai Singh and Kulwant Singh were also captured at Anandpur Sahib, but they managed to escape from Sirhind with the help of some loyal followers. They joined their father in his final battle at Sirhind, where he was wounded by a musket shot.
- Guru Gobind Singh’s sons sacrificed their lives for the cause of Sikhism and their courage inspired generations of Sikhs.
- French President Emmanuel Macron to Grace India’s Republic Day –
- In a testament to the enduring friendship between India and France, President Emmanuel Macron is set to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. This marks the sixth instance of a French leader gracing this prestigious occasion, highlighting the significance of the bilateral relationship.
- President Macron follows in the footsteps of his predecessors, with former French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac having been the Chief Guest in 1976 and 1998. Additionally, former Presidents Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Francois Hollande have all contributed to this tradition in the years 1980, 2008, and 2016, respectively.
- This year’s Republic Day celebrations hold special significance as India and France commemorate the 25th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership.
- Under the India-France Strategic Partnership, the two nations collaborate closely in critical areas such as defence, space, civil nuclear, trade, investment, education, culture, and people-to-people ties. This multifaceted engagement underscores the shared commitment to mutual growth and global cooperation.
- Recently INS Imphal was commissioned into the Indian Navy –
- INS Imphal (Pennant D68), the third of four warships of Project 15B that together form the Visakhapatnam class stealth-guided missile destroyers, is commissioned into the Indian Navy.
- The Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, also classified as the P-15 Bravo class, or simply P-15B, is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
- It is built by also known by the name Yard 12706 and was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL).
- The propulsion system includes combined gas and gas (COGAG) configuration with four gas turbines.The maximum speed is 30 knots and range is 4000 nautical miles.
- It is named after the city of Imphal, honoring the strategic and historical significance of the Northeast region.