Poonch Martyr School Naming Plan: Four Years On, Several Proposals Still Await Action

Official communications issued in 2021 and 2022 proposed naming government schools after martyrs; activists seek clarity and inquiry into the delay

JJ Toseef R Ganai
Poonch: Four years after the Education Department initiated a formal exercise to name government schools in Poonch after martyrs, several proposals reportedly remain without a publicly visible conclusion, raising questions over the implementation of an initiative aimed at honouring those who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation.
The matter assumes particular significance in the case of Government High School Purani Poonch, which was proposed to be named after martyr Rajinder Kumar Sharma. According to the official correspondence and list available in connection with the proposal, Sharma lost his life during an encounter with militants at the Mini Secretariat in Poonch.
According to official documents, the Office of the Chief Education Officer, Poonch, issued Letter No. CEO/P&S/11218-20 dated June 18, 2022, directing all Zonal Education Officers to obtain resolutions from the concerned Panchayats and Municipality for naming government schools after martyrs.
The communication also referred to an earlier letter, No. CEO/P&S/13516-19 dated August 4, 2021, indicating that the exercise of identifying and proposing schools for naming after martyrs had commenced a year earlier.
A list attached to the official communication identified several government schools in Poonch along with the names of martyrs after whom they were proposed to be named. Government High School Purani Poonch was among the institutions proposed for naming after martyr Rajinder Kumar Sharma.
The CEO’s office had reportedly directed the concerned authorities to obtain and submit the required Panchayat/Municipality resolutions within two weeks. However, several years later, the status of these resolutions and the subsequent action on the proposals remains unclear.
The issue has also been highlighted on several occasions by social activist Parupkar Singh and various media organisations, seeking action to ensure that the sacrifices of martyrs are appropriately recognised. Those raising the matter have emphasised that naming educational institutions after martyrs is not merely an administrative exercise but also a means of preserving their contribution and sacrifice in the memory of future generations.
The prolonged delay has now prompted questions regarding the follow-up undertaken by the concerned authorities. If official communications were issued, martyrs were identified and schools were proposed for renaming, the authorities need to clarify what action was taken thereafter.
Key questions remain unanswered: How many of the proposed schools were eventually renamed? Were the required Panchayat and Municipality resolutions submitted? If submitted, at what stage did the process remain pending? If they were not submitted, why was the exercise not completed within the stipulated period?
The authorities may also clarify the present status of CEO/P&S/13516-19 dated August 4, 2021 and CEO/P&S/11218-20 dated June 18, 2022, particularly in respect of the schools included in the official list.
For the families of martyrs and the people of Poonch, the issue carries significance beyond a change of name. Naming a public institution after a martyr can serve as a lasting reminder of the sacrifice made in the service of the nation and help acquaint students with the history and contribution of those who lost their lives.
In view of the prolonged delay, an appeal has been made to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take cognisance of the matter and consider ordering an appropriate inquiry to establish the present status of the proposals and identify the stage at which the process may have remained pending.
If an inquiry is ordered, it could examine whether the required resolutions were submitted, what action was taken by the concerned authorities, which offices dealt with the proposals, and why the final process of renaming the identified institutions was not completed.
Four years after the initial official correspondence, the issue now calls for a clear and transparent response from the concerned authorities. The people of Poonch, particularly the families of martyrs, deserve to know whether the proposed names have been formally implemented or continue to remain pending in official files.
The matter is ultimately about honour, remembrance and ensuring that the sacrifices of Poonch’s martyrs remain part of the collective memory of generations to come.