Leh: On the final day of her visit to Ladakh, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman paid tribute to the brave Indian soldiers at the Rezang La War Memorial in Chushul.
The memorial was built in honour of the soldiers of the 13 Kumaon Regiment who selflessly laid down their lives during the 1962 war for the Country.
The Minister viewed the museum and a short film highlighting the courage of the martyrs led by MVC, Major Shaitan Singh.
Later, she visited Merak village, near Pangong Lake, to see the site for the proposed National Large Solar Telescope (NLST). This is proposed to be India’s largest ground-based solar telescope, designed to study the Sun and space weather.
Prof. Ravindera B, Project Manager, NI Indian Institute of Astrophysics, gave a detailed presentation about the project and its future benefits. Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam, the Institute’s Director, also joined the visit.
At Merak, Minister Sitaraman also met local delegates, including the Councillor of Chushul constituency, Konchok Stanzin, Nambarders of Phobrang and Man-Merak villages and women SHGs who submitted memorandums requesting redressal of their problems and demands.
The Minister was accompanied by Secretary, Tourism, Vikram Singh Malik; Secretary, S&TW Department, Shashanka Ala, Chief Conservator of Wildlife, Sajjad Mufti, DC Leh, Santosh Sukhadeve, SSP Leh, Shruti Arora, Science & Technical Staff of the Indian Institute of Astronomical Observatory, Hanley and concerned officers.
