79th I-Day celebrations: Invitations carry logo of Operation Sindoor, Chenab bridge image

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) The official invitation cards issued to guests for the 79th Independence Day celebrations here carry the logo of Operation Sindoor, India's decisive military action, and a silhouetted image of the iconic Chenab bridge, an engineering icon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the celebrations on August 15 at the Red Fort complex, and officials said the "success of Operation Sindoor" is set to be celebrated on the occasion.

The defence ministry in a statement on Wednesday said, "The success of Operation Sindoor will be celebrated during the Independence Day celebrations this year. View cutter at Gyanpath (at Red Fort complex) will have the Operation Sindoor logo." "Invitation cards are also carrying the Operation Sindoor logo. Invitation cards are also carrying the water mark of Chenab bridge, depicting the rise of 'Naya Bharat'," it said.

With the gesture, the government has underlined the significance of the operation that took place three months ago.

India destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir with precision strikes early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre.

Shortly after, the Indian Army's social media handles carried a message with a poster that has now become a defining image of Operation Sindoor.

The poster had 'OPERATION SINDOOR' written on it with a small bowl carrying vermilion (worn by married Hindu women) forming the first 'O' of the second word, while the second 'O' had a dash of the powder around it.

The bilingual -- Hindi and English -- invitation cards for I-Day anniversary celebrations carry this image on the top right corner of the invite, while the silhouetted image of the Chenab bridge, the world's tallest railway arch bridge, sits at the lower side of the cards, which are largely being issued online via 'Aamantran' website of the Ministry of Defence.

According to a recent edition of the India Army's magazine 'Baatcheet' dedicated to Operation Sindoor, the logo of the military action was designed by Lt Col Harsh Gupta and Havildar Surinder Singh.

The e-invitation card also carries a list of fundamental duties of a citizen as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

The Chenab bridge in Jammu and Kashmir was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in June.

Modi, on the occasion, had said that the structure stands as a "testament to India's ambition." He also observed that while people travel to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower, the Chenab Bridge surpasses it in height, making it not only a crucial infrastructure achievement but also an emerging tourist attraction. PTI KND VN VN