Punjab's Ferozepur has wrapped up the first edition of its Heritage, Military, and Literary Festival, closing two days of programmes that brought together gallantry award winners, literary figures, and residents of the border city in what organisers called a landmark tribute to a region whose identity has long been shaped by its military history.
The festival held on March 28 and 29 was organised through a collaboration between the Military Literature Festival Association, the Golden Arrow Division, and the DCM Group of Schools, a pairing that its architects said was an attempt to bridge the gap between military traditions and civilian life in the heritage city where the two have coexisted for generations.
It was held across two venues - Sunder Singh Stadium, and Dass & Brown World School in Ferozepur Cantonment.
The closing ceremony was addressed by PK Sinha, IPS, Special DGP and Chief Director of Punjab's Vigilance Bureau, followed by a formal declaration of closure by Major General RS Manral, General Officer Commanding the Golden Arrow Division.
Maj. General Manral credited the unique synergy between the armed forces and the school group for creating what he described as a platform to inspire the next generation, one that would continue to foster national pride long after the festival concluded.
The stadium hosted a military equipment and weapons display that drew large crowds, alongside 'Samvaad' - face-to-face sessions with gallantry award winners that gave residents and visitors an unusual opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of valour from the men decorated for it.
Across the cantonment at Dass & Brown World School, the programme ran in parallel with panel discussions, a book exhibition, theatre, photography, a regional food festival, and dedicated sessions on careers in the armed forces.
The event was anchored in part by Dr Anirudh Gupta, CEO of the DCM Group of Schools, whose institution co-hosted the festival, and helped give its distinctive character as part intellectual forum, part cultural celebration, and part military showcase.
The border city Ferozepur has in recent years seen renewed interest in heritage tourism. Organisers said the inaugural edition was intended to set a new benchmark for heritage preservation in the region, ensuring the stories of India's heroes are told with the dignity they deserve.
