The decision of the state government to construct a war memorial dedicated to Neelam Tebi, of Nyelam village in Lower Subansiri district, who sacrificed his life for the country in the 1962 Sino-India war is a very good move. The state government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore in the first phase for the construction of the memorial, which will come up in an area of approximately 45,000 square metres. Tebi, a jawan of the 5 Assam Rifles, was killed in action in the Kameng sector on 20 October, 1962. The memorial, which is expected to be state-of-the-art, will become a major tourist attraction in the days to come.
Apart from being a tourist attraction, it can also be a source of inspiration for the younger generation to join the armed forces and serve the nation. The state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, deserves appreciation for identifying people like Neelam Tebi, who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation but had never been recognised. The formal recognition in the form of construction of a war memorial is a step in the right direction. The government should try to identify other such Arunachalis who sacrificed their lives for the nation and give them formal recognition. For a long time Neelam Tebi was unknown to the people of the state. Finally, it is good to see him being recognised by the state government. The people of the state will be waiting to see the Neelam Tebi war memorial in the coming year.