Darjeeling, July 21 (Siliguri Chronicle) – The Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), led by chief convener Ajoy Edwards, has started setting up memorials in honour of those who died during the Gorkhaland agitation.
The memorials are being built across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik to pay tribute to the hundreds who lost their lives in the movement.
In the first phase of the project, white marble busts of four Gorkhaland martyrs are being installed. Each bust, weighing over 100kg, is being hand-carved in Jaipur, Rajasthan, using high-quality marble to ensure durability for generations to come.
“We are using white marble as it is a material known not only for its elegance but also for its ability to withstand time and variables of weather. Given its longevity, the marble ensures that these memorials will endure for centuries, standing as timeless tributes to the martyrs,” said Edwards.
Each memorial will feature a QR code that provides detailed historical information about the martyr and the date of their sacrifice, making the sites both commemorative and educational for visitors.
The first phase honours four martyrs: Mahesh Gurung, Bimal Shashankar, and Sunil Rai, who lost their lives during the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation, and Mangal Singh Rajput, who died by self-immolation in Kalimpong during the 2013 movement.
The IGJF also plans to install busts of all known martyrs, starting from the Gorkhaland agitation of 1986.
Some estimates suggest that around 1,200 people have died in the various phases of the movement since then.
“We need photographs, but it is getting difficult to get photographs of people who died in 1986. It seems it was luxury to take a photograph then,” said Edwards.
Installation work is currently underway at Jhepi and Relling in Darjeeling, as three of the martyrs being honoured in the first phase were from that region.
The initiative is being supported by Sachet Yuwa Samuha, a youth-led community group actively involved in the project.
In Kalimpong, the IGJF is working closely with the family of martyr Mangal Singh Rajput to set up his memorial.
“The locals are identifying the sites and building the column while we are paying for the statues,” said Edwards.
Each bust is costing around ₹70,000 to make.
“This is not just about remembrance, it is about asserting our identity, our vision for Gorkhaland, and the ultimate sacrifices made by our people,” said Edwards in a written statement. “These busts will stand as enduring symbols of our people’s resilience and unbreakable spirit.”
Edwards added that the installations mark only the beginning of a larger movement. “We aim to build hundreds of these memorials across the hills so that no sacrifice goes unremembered. Let the next generation know who stood tall when it mattered most.”
The hill party has called on the public to help identify local martyrs from their respective areas so that they, too, can be honoured.
Other political parties, such as the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which led earlier phases of the Gorkhaland agitation, have also installed statues in the past to commemorate fallen activists.
“However, this is the first time that a political party is coming up with a extensive plan to install statues,” said an observer.
Edwards’s team is also helping construct a bridge in Darjeeling, which is being named “Gorkhaland.”
Recently, his party took the initiative to assist villagers in repairing roads and building small bridges by providing free cement and construction rods.
Local residents have supported the effort by offering free labour, making the projects a true community-led initiative.
