On the eve of Shaheed Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary, a walkathon stretching from Parliament Street to Kartavya Path in New Delhi brought together Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and hundreds of participants to honour three martyrs who shook the foundations of British rule — and paid for it with their lives at ages barely past twenty.

From Parliament Street to Kartavya Path: the route itself tells a story

The event, titled 'Ek Shaam Shaheed Bhagat Singh' ('An Evening for Martyr Bhagat Singh'), was held on the night of Sunday, 27 September 2026. The choice of route was deliberate — beginning at the legislature and ending at the republic's grand ceremonial boulevard, the walk mapped out the journey from law-making to national duty. CM Gupta recalled the 'courage, struggle, and supreme sacrifice' of what she called Maa Bharati ke amar sapoot — 'the immortal son of Mother India'.

Bhagat Singh, hanged by British colonial authorities on 23 March 1931 at just 23 years of age, remains one of independent India's most invoked symbols of youthful defiance and nationalist resolve. His two comrades — Shaheed Rajguru and Shaheed Sukhdev — were executed alongside him in the Lahore Conspiracy Case, and all three are inseparable in India's revolutionary memory.

Three statues unveiled, one living link to history present

The walkathon's centrepiece was the unveiling of statues of all three martyrs — Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev — at the venue. CM Gupta said the statues would 'forever connect our younger generation to the great tradition of dedication and sacrifice for the nation.' The gesture carried particular weight because of one face in the crowd.

Yadavinder Singh Sandhu, grandson of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and national president of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Brigade, was present at the event — a living thread between the revolutionary era and the present day. Cabinet colleague Ravinder Indraj Singh and other dignitaries also attended.

Why the 'Nation First' message is aimed squarely at youth

CM Gupta framed Bhagat Singh's life explicitly as a template for today's young Indians, describing it as an 'eternal inspiration of Rashtra Pratham' — 'Nation First'. Her message: his courage, sense of duty, and unwavering commitment to the country should drive young people to set larger goals and play their own role in nation-building.

Indian political leaders across the spectrum have long organised public commemorations of Bhagat Singh around his 28 September birth anniversary, combining processions, statue unveilings, and speeches at prominent Delhi landmarks. The combination of a high-visibility urban walkathon and a permanent memorial installation, however, gives this edition a tangible, lasting footprint beyond the evening itself.

Statues endure. Speeches fade. The real test of any such tribute is whether the stone on Kartavya Path becomes a destination — or just a backdrop.