Breaking: Amit Shah to inaugurate 1857 Martyrs’ Memorial in Ambala on Nov 5
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, October 28, 2026: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Martyrs’ Memorial dedicated to the First War of Independence of 1857 in Ambala Cantonment on November 5, Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij said on Wednesday.
The inauguration will be followed by a workers’ rally at Gandhi Ground in Ambala Cantonment. Vij appealed to people to attend the event in large numbers. The memorial will open to the public from November 6.
Built at an estimated cost of ₹800 crore, the memorial aims to showcase the history of the 1857 uprising through modern technology, exhibitions and interactive displays. Vij said students from schools and educational institutions across Haryana would also be taken to the memorial to familiarise them with the freedom struggle.
Memorial to showcase the 1857 uprising
Vij said the memorial was intended to honour those who participated in the 1857 uprising, particularly those whose contributions, he said, had not received adequate recognition in mainstream historical accounts.
He claimed that the uprising in Ambala Cantonment began at 9 am, around 10 hours before the revolt in Meerut, and said the contributions of the soldiers involved deserved national recognition.
The minister said he had raised the demand for a dedicated memorial several times in the Haryana Assembly over the past 25 to 30 years. According to him, approval for the project was granted after the BJP government came to power in 2014.
68-metre lotus-shaped tower among key attractions
Vij said the memorial complex features a 68-metre-high lotus-shaped tower equipped with two high-speed lifts and a museum inside. The complex will use modern technology to present accounts of battles fought during the 1857 uprising in Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and other parts of the country.
Other features include a gallery dedicated to the martyrs and an open-air theatre with a seating capacity of around 2,500. An evening light, laser and sound show will be projected onto a large lotus-shaped structure.
The minister said visitors could require around six hours to explore the expansive complex, with guides providing information about its exhibits. A helipad has also been provided at the site.
Vij also explained the historical symbolism behind the lotus motif, saying lotus flowers and rotis were reportedly circulated between regiments during the 1857 uprising as symbols associated with the revolt.
He urged people from Haryana and other parts of the country to visit the memorial and participate in the November 5 programme.