Udaipur, Citizens of Udaipur paid tribute to Major Mustafa, a brave son of the city who laid down his life in service of the nation and was the first Shaurya Chakra awardee from Mewar, on his fourth death anniversary through the commemorative event ‘Run for Mustafa’.
Organised in memory of the fallen heroes, the run began at 8 am on October 21 along the Fatehsagar Lake promenade, with participants raising slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Ward Councillor Hidayat Tulla, the coordinator of the programme, said the initiative aimed to honour the sacrifice of soldiers and keep their memories alive among future generations.
Prominent citizens, NCC cadets, Army personnel and students of Government Senior Secondary School, Sisarma, participated in the run along with the school band. Participants raised slogans such as “Major Mustafa Amar Rahe”, “Abhinav Nagori Amar Rahe” and “Archit Wardia Amar Rahe” as they proceeded along the route.
Children from Blossom School added a special touch to the event by appearing in the attire of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Bharat Mata and Rani Lakshmibai. Passers-by also paid their respects to the martyrs along the way.
The parents of Major Mustafa and martyr Abhinav Nagori led the procession carrying flags. While the families continue to bear the pain of losing their sons, they also take pride in their supreme sacrifice for the country. Udaipur Municipal Corporation Deputy Mayor Dinesh Bhatt and former District Collector Tarachand Meena encouraged the families during the programme.
Tribute Meeting Recalls Major Mustafa’s Sacrifice
Following the run, a tribute meeting was organised under the aegis of the Major Mustafa Trust at the Fatehsagar promenade. Former cadet colleagues of Major Mustafa shared their memories of him, while Army personnel also paid homage to the officer.
Dharamchand Nagori, father of martyr Abhinav Nagori, spoke about the spirit of serving the nation and making the supreme sacrifice for its protection. He congratulated Councillor Hidayat Tulla for organising the commemorative event successfully for the fourth consecutive year.
Mother Recalls Major Mustafa’s Journey and Patriotism
Major Mustafa’s mother, Fatima Bohra, shared memories of her son and described him as a bright and promising student from an early age.
She recalled that when he had to choose between pursuing an engineering career offering an attractive salary package and joining the armed forces, he chose to serve the nation in uniform.
Major Mustafa attained martyrdom at the age of just 27. In recognition of his supreme sacrifice and bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra. His mother’s emotional recollections moved many people present at the gathering.
Citizens and Public Representatives Pay Homage
Deputy Mayor Dinesh Bhatt, former District Collector Tarachand Meena, former university student union president Wasim Khan and Anjuman president Mukhtar Ahmed Qureshi also addressed the gathering and paid tribute to the martyr.
Among those present were Vijay Prakash Viplavi, Pankaj Sharma, members of Bharat Vikas Parishad, Bansi Lal Prajapat, Virendra Prajapat, Sushil Bhardwaj, Rais Khan, Shehzad Khan, Kishan Ji, Najma Mewafarosh, Zafar Jilani, Tarannum Sheikh, Latif Mansuri, Someshwar Ji, Yasmin Khan, Rakesh Ji, Pramod Ji Verma, Mubarak Ji, Firoz Khan, Iqbal Khan and Irshad Khan, along with several other citizens.
At the conclusion, programme coordinator Councillor Hidayat Tulla thanked the dignitaries, NCC cadets, schoolchildren and school band members for their participation.
The programme concluded with the national anthem, reaffirming the city's respect for the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the nation.