Puri: Saluting the valour and courage of the country's bravehearts, an artist from Odisha has created a model of an Indian Army tank using matchsticks as a mark of tribute to the soldiers on the occasion of Army Day today.
It took around six days for Saswat Ranjan Sahoo, the young artist from the pilgrim town of Puri, to prepare the miniature Indian Army tank using 2254 matchsticks. The tank's length is 9 inch while the breadth measures 8 inches.
"I made this idol to pay tribute to our real heroes who sacrificed their lives to save our lives. This year India is going to celebrate 73rd Army Day. By making this idol, I pay my respect to our soldiers of the Indian Army," said Saswat.
[caption id="attachment_509683" align="aligncenter" width="750"]
Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik also paid tributes to the heroes of the nation through a sand art at Puri sea beach.
Army Day is celebrated on the 15th of January every year, in recognition of first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa, as it was on this day in 1949 that the command of the Indian Army was taken over from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India.
President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi, CDS General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General MM Naravane and others paid homage to the fallen heroes who have sacrificed their lives protecting the country.
READ | Army Day: Life Will Never Be The Same For Galwan Vally Martyr Naib Subedar Nuduram Soren’s Family