Mandawas school dedicated to Rajouri martyr

JAIPUR: The nondescript Mandawas village in Beawar is upbeat over the naming of its lone government school after its son Mastan Khan, a soldier who attained martyrdom fighting terrorists in Rajouri district in 2009.
The renaming is part of the state government's decision in March 2016 to name government schools after martyrs and those who have shown bravery in the battlefield.Khan, a soldier of the armored corps, was given Vir Chakra for fighting five terrorists for 2.5 hours and neutralizing three of them before he was shot several times.
Six-year-old Zulfana Bano, Khan's daughter, will not only open the renamed school but will also study there. "My brother laid down his life for our motherland. This small gesture by the state will keep the flame of martyrs alive. Officials have contacted us and collected all relevant documents. The school is barely 100 metres away from our home. We are shifting our children from private schools to this school named after my brother," said Rasool Khan, elder brother of Mastan.
The move is intended to evoke a sense of pride for soldiers and encourage students to join the Army. The state has directed district education officers and the Army Welfare Board to identify soldiers in their respective districts and recommend schools to be renamed. Families of martyrs have also been requested to come forward to support this scheme. The order says that either a school in the native village of the matyr or the one close to their village should be chosen for the purpose.
So far the prevalent practice is state schools are named following the Bhamashah scheme or after political and social leaders. The state has already approved the renaming of 110 schools after soldiers in the state. The list includes Kargil martyrs and policemen who were killed while maintaining law and order.
TOI has a list of 63 schools, including 16 from Jhunjhunu, nine from Jodhpur and eight from Jaipur. "The renamed schools will be inaugurated by family members of these soldiers," said the order.
State education minister Vasudev Devnani said this move was important for Rajasthan as the state has a large number soldiers in armed forces. "Many communities have committed generations to this cause. It is just a token of our respect for these brave soldiers," said Devnani.
The minister also added that they would introduce stories of brave soldiers in the revised textbooks of classes X and XII.