Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday paid tribute to Colonel Manpreet Singh, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Anantnag in September 2023, by dedicating a major road and a public park in New Chandigarh to his memory.
The 200-foot-wide road connecting Mundhopur Chowk with the T-point will now be known as Shaheed Colonel Manpreet Singh Marg, while a park in Sector 5-A has been named Shaheed Colonel Manpreet Singh Park. The state government said the initiative was intended not only to honour the officer’s supreme sacrifice but also to keep his legacy alive for future generations.
Speaking at the naming ceremony, Mann said remembering those who make the ultimate sacrifice for the country is a collective responsibility. He described Colonel Manpreet Singh as a symbol of courage, commitment and selfless service, saying that his sacrifice should continue to inspire young people to serve the nation.
Colonel Manpreet Singh was serving as the Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles when he was killed during an anti-terror operation in Anantnag on September 13, 2023. His exceptional bravery was later recognised with the Kirti Chakra, one of India’s highest peacetime gallantry awards, which was conferred posthumously on August 15, 2024.
Born in 1982 in Bharojian village, Colonel Manpreet Singh received his schooling in the Mohali-Chandigarh region before joining the Indian Army as a commissioned officer in 2005. He followed his father into military service and went on to command a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed in one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most challenging counter-terrorism theatres.
For Punjab, the decision to name prominent public spaces after the officer also carries a strong regional significance. The Chandigarh-Mohali area was closely associated with his early life and education, while Bharojian was his native village.
Mann said the state government would continue to support families of personnel who lose their lives while serving the country. He pointed to Punjab’s policy of providing financial assistance of ₹1 crore to the families of personnel from the Armed Forces, paramilitary forces, police and Agniveer personnel who die in the line of duty.
The Chief Minister said such assistance was intended to provide immediate support to bereaved families while also helping secure their longer-term financial future.
### Focus on Agniveers and employment
Mann also said the government was working to ensure that Agniveers returning to civilian life after completing their military service could find opportunities within the state. He said provisions were being explored to accommodate eligible former Agniveers in areas including the police, banking and forest departments.
The announcement comes amid a wider national discussion over the transition of Agniveers into civilian employment after their period of military service. For Punjab, a state with a long tradition of military service, rehabilitation and employment of veterans and former service personnel remains an important public issue.
Mann said the state’s approach was based on recognising the contribution of soldiers and ensuring that their families and those who serve the nation are not left without institutional support.
### Education also figures in government’s development agenda
Responding to questions from the media, Mann also highlighted education as a major priority of his government. He said infrastructure in government schools had undergone significant improvement and claimed that students from state-run institutions were increasingly performing well in competitive examinations such as JEE and NEET.
The Chief Minister said the progress of government-school students in national-level entrance examinations was an encouraging indication of the changes being pursued in Punjab’s education system.
The ceremony was attended by Lok Sabha MP Malwinder Singh Kang and other public representatives and officials.
By naming a major arterial road and a public park after Colonel Manpreet Singh, the Punjab government has sought to turn a military sacrifice into a lasting part of the state’s public landscape. The initiative also places renewed emphasis on Punjab’s longstanding connection with the armed forces and on the responsibility of governments to remember those who have died in service of the nation.
