Imphal: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday visited the Indian National Army (INA) Museum at Moirang in Manipur and paid tribute to the sacrifices of the INA during India’s freedom struggle.
During his visit to the war museum, Radhakrishnan visited the site where INA Colonel Shaukat Malik hoisted the Indian Tricolour on the mainland on April 14, 1944. He also offered floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Moirang, about 42 km from Imphal.
The Vice-President later visited Sainik School Imphal, where he laid a wreath at the War Memorial and received a Guard of Honour from the cadets. He also joined the cadets for lunch at the school mess.
Addressing the cadets, Radhakrishnan recalled the role of the INA in India’s independence movement and noted that freedom fighters from across the country, including a significant number from Tamil Nadu, made the supreme sacrifice.
Drawing a parallel with his recent visit to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where Netaji had also hoisted the national flag, he said such historic sites serve as reminders of patriotism for younger generations.
Radhakrishnan told the cadets that an institution’s legacy was reflected in the character of its students rather than its physical infrastructure. He urged them to develop discipline, courage and leadership.
He described discipline as the foundation of excellence and said courage meant standing up for others against injustice. He said leadership involves taking responsibility, setting an example and having the moral courage to make the right decisions.
On national integration, Radhakrishnan said India’s diverse languages and traditions were united by a shared national identity. He said Sainik Schools promoted the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat by bringing students from different backgrounds together to study, train and live collectively.
He also advised the cadets to engage with emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, space technology, biotechnology, cybersecurity and robotics while remaining grounded in established values.
Radhakrishnan described the Northeast as an integral part of India and urged students to remain resilient amid global changes. Responding to a question on how young people could contribute to building a developed India, he said every student could contribute by performing their daily duties to the best of their ability.
The Vice-President was accompanied by Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh, Ministry of Defence Additional Secretary Deepti Mohil Chawla, Sainik Schools Society Inspecting Officer Major General Shubhankar Basu, Brigadier Amit Chatterjee and Sainik School Imphal Principal Colonel A. Rajiv, among other senior officials.
Radhakrishnan arrived at Imphal airport from Shillong earlier in the day and later departed for Itanagar in a special Indian Air Force helicopter.