Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Wednesday, 21 October honoured 145 police personnel who died in the line of duty at a solemn ceremony held at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in Gandhinagar, marking Police Commemoration Day. The event paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of officers who laid down their lives in service of the nation.

New Facilities Inaugurated at RRU Campus

Governor Acharya Devvrat inaugurated a series of new infrastructure and training facilities at the RRU campus during the programme. These included a Police Martyrs' Wall, a Physical Training and Adventure Wall, and the Dronacharya Firing Simulator Lab. He also virtually inaugurated the Gujarat Police Martyrs' Dashboard — a digital initiative designed to preserve the memory of police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation.

Governor's Address: Duty, Bravery and National Values

In his address, the Governor paid homage to the martyrs and conveyed condolences to their bereaved families. 'The nation would remain indebted to those who sacrificed their lives to maintain peace and law and order,' he said. Invoking the maxim 'Veer Bhogya Vasundhara', he stressed the importance of bravery, moral resolve and firmness in resisting injustice, cautioning that acquiescence in the face of wrongdoing could encourage further violations.

Referring to India's civilisational values of ahimsa, peace, tolerance and fraternity, Acharya Devvrat noted that protecting peace and truth also required the courage to confront wrongdoing. He also drew on the symbolism of Vijayadashami — the triumph of good over evil — to underline the continuing importance of righteousness and the determination to uphold justice.

RRU's Role in Modern Policing and Security

The Governor recalled that RRU's foundation was laid during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, and highlighted the university's growing role in specialised training for police personnel from multiple states. Areas of focus include cybercrime and technology-driven security challenges. RRU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bimal N. Patel outlined the institution's mandate in education, research, specialised training and capacity-building across policing, internal security and allied disciplines.

Trainees Recognised, Families of Martyrs Attend

The university distributed certificates to 20 newly recruited GIPCA Jail Sahayak trainees who had completed their training at RRU, underscoring the institution's role in developing personnel for correctional administration and the wider criminal justice system. The event was attended by university officials, faculty members, senior officers, trainees, representatives of police and security forces, and families of the martyrs. The commemoration highlighted the importance of professional training, institutional capacity and technological preparedness in policing and internal security.