Republic Day Celebrations 2026: Veer Gatha 5.0 witnesses record participation of 1.92 crore students

25 from the Preparatory Stage (Grades 3-5), 25 from the Middle Stage (Grades 6-8), and 50 from the Secondary Stage (Equal representation from Grades 9-10 and 11-12).

Project Veer Gatha 5.0, a joint initiative by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education as part of Republic Day celebrations, has received an overwhelming response. This year, approx. 1.92 crore students from around 1.90 lakh schools participated in the project, marking the highest-ever participation since the inception in 2021. According to the Ministry of Defence,100 winners have been selected at the national level: 25 from the Preparatory Stage (Grades 3-5), 25 from the Middle Stage (Grades 6-8), and 50 from the Secondary Stage (Equal representation from Grades 9-10 and 11-12). Launched on September 8, 2025, Veer Gatha 5.0 introduced innovative features to enhance student engagement. For the first time, the initiative incorporated short-video formats such as videography, anchoring, reporting and storytelling, encouraging students to create content centred on Samarik Parampara - India's rich military traditions, strategies, campaigns and heroic legacies.

Students were also encouraged to explore the indomitable spirit and military strategies of great Indian warriors, including King Kharavela of Kalinga, Prithviraj Chauhan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the warriors of 1857, and leaders of Tribal Uprisings, among others. This diverse array of topics not only enhanced the quality of the entries but also deepened participants' understanding of India's historical and cultural legacy. In a noteworthy expansion, CBSE-affiliated schools abroad joined the initiative for the first time. As many as 28,005 students from 91 schools across 18 countries submitted their entries, marking an important milestone in bringing India's stories of valour and national pride to a global audience and further strengthening the initiative's international reach.

The project included schools conducting local-level activities, nationwide interaction programmes by Gallantry awardees (both offline and online), and the submission of top entries via the MyGov portal. The school-level activities concluded on November 10, 2025. Following evaluations at the State and District levels, nearly 4,020 entries were submitted for national evaluation, and the top 100 were selected as SUPER-100 winners. These winners will be felicitated jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education in New Delhi. Each winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and the opportunity to witness the Republic Day Parade 2026 at Kartavya Path as special guests. In addition to the 100 national-level winners, eight winners at the State/UT level (two from each category) and four winners at the district level (one from each category) will be selected and honoured by State/UT/District authorities.

Project Veer Gatha was initiated in 2021 as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark India's 75th year of Independence. The initiative aims to celebrate the courage of Gallantry awardees by showcasing their heroic deeds and life journeys, while nurturing a sense of patriotism and civic responsibility among students. From Edition 1 through Edition 5, the project has evolved into an inspiring movement, steadily expanding its reach across the nation and overseas to Indian schools. Since its launch, Project Veer Gatha has witnessed impressive growth. The first two editions each recognised 25 national winners, with participation from nearly 08 lakh students in Edition 1 and about 19 lakh in Edition 2. Edition 3 marked a significant achievement, selecting 100 national winners and engaging 1.36 crore students, a figure that rose to 1.76 crore in Veer Gatha 4.0. (ANI)

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