In an emotional and historic moment, the parents of martyred soldier Gajendra Rao Surve received a new home in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Wednesday — 19 years after his sacrifice — thanks to the efforts of the Shaheed Samrasta Mission and public contributions.
The fully equipped residence, symbolically named Rashtra Shakti Mandir, was built at a cost of ₹21 lakh through donations. As a touching gesture, a group of youth laid their palms on the ground for Surve’s mother to walk upon as she entered the house, while chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Shaheed Gajendra Rao Surve Amar Rahe” filled the air.
Surve lost his life on February 2, 2006, while defending the nation in Ladakh. His elderly parents had lived in hardship for years, owning land but unable to afford construction. “What the government, politicians, and officials could not do for years, Mohan Narayan and his team have done for us,” said Surve’s mother, Kalpana Surve. “Today, my son, wherever he is, would be happy to see that the dream he left incomplete has been fulfilled.”
Shaheed Samrasta Mission founder Mohan Narayan said the organisation, which has been supporting martyrs’ families for 18 years, considers it a national duty to ensure they live with dignity. He also called for a parliamentary law to safeguard the welfare of the over 36,000 families of soldiers who have died in service since independence.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated the mission for its work and extended greetings to the Surve family. “I pay my tributes to Gajendra Rao Surve and commend the Mission for providing a permanent home to the families of national heroes,” he said.