New Delhi, August 28, 2022: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat from August 27-28 inaugurated the Smriti Van memorial on the outskirts of Bhuj town on Sunday. The ’Smriti Van’ memorial is built on the outskirts of Bhuj town in the memory of the 2001 earthquake victims.
In Kutch tomorrow, I will inaugurate Smriti Van Memorial. This Memorial is associated with the tragic Earthquake of 2001 in which several people lost their lives. Smriti Van is a tribute to those we lost and also a tribute to the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch. pic.twitter.com/lQFP6oSzA4
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2022
State of the art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum is segregated in seven blocks on seven themes: Rebirth, Rediscover, Restore, Rebuild, Rethink, Relive and Renew as per a press release by the government.
The memorial is dedicated to the 13,000 people who had lost their lives during the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj and has their names featured in it as a mark of remembrance.
The Smriti Van Museum’s sixth block stands out the most out of the 7 blocks as it helps visitors understand the magnitude of the earthquake through a simulator.
Apart from this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the `Veer Balak Memorial` in Anjar town of Kutch in Gujarat on Sunday. During January 26, 2001, earthquake in Gujarat, 185 school children and 20 teachers were buried under the rubble of nearby buildings while attending a rally in Anjar town of Kutch.
The tragedy of this incident was noticed all over the world. The then Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced the construction of a memorial in memory of these children.