Over 1.92 crore students participate in Project Veer Gatha 5.0 across all States and UTs
Over 1.92 crore school students from 36 States and Union Territories participated in Project Veer Gatha 5.0, the highest engagement since its launch in 2021.
More than 1.92 crore school students from all 36 States and Union Territories have participated in Project Veer Gatha 5.0, marking the initiative’s largest-ever engagement since its launch in 2021. Students sent in poems, paintings, essays, videos and other creative submissions celebrating the bravery, sacrifice and leadership of India’s gallantry awardees and legendary warriors.
This nationwide project encourages students to explore stories of courage—from officers of the Indian Armed Forces to historical icons such as King Kharavela of Kalinga, Prithviraj Chauhan, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the freedom fighters of 1857, and leaders of tribal uprisings. The aim is to instil patriotism and inspire students by familiarising them with India’s legacy of valour.
Project Veer Gatha was instituted in 2021 to disseminate the life stories of gallantry award winners and to strengthen experiential, project-based learning in line with the vision of NEP 2020. Over the years, participation has grown rapidly:
• 8.03 lakh students in Edition 1
• 19.5 lakh in Edition 2
• 1.36 crore in Edition 3
• 1.76 crore in Edition 4
• 1.92 crore in Edition 5
As part of Edition 5.0, schools conducted activities between 8 September and 10 November 2025 and uploaded their four best entries to the MyGov portal. To deepen student learning, the Ministry of Defence coordinated virtual and in-person awareness sessions across India through field units of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
This year also marks a significant milestone: the project’s international expansion, with Indian schools abroad joining the initiative. Their participation underscores the project’s growing global influence and its contribution to strengthening the cultural bond between the Indian diaspora and the nation’s values of courage and patriotism.
Adding momentum to the 2025 edition, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Test Pilot with the Indian Air Force, delivered a motivational address and shared a video message encouraging students to pursue excellence and embody the qualities of bravery and resilience.
Following past practice, 100 national winners will be selected this year under the 5+3+3+4 curricular structure:
• 25 from the Preparatory Stage
• 25 from the Middle Stage
• 25 from Classes 9–10
• 25 from Classes 11–12
Each national winner will receive ₹10,000, and their felicitation will be jointly organised by the Ministries of Education and Defence in New Delhi. Additionally, there will be 2,956 district-level winners and 288 State/UT-level winners, who will be honoured by their respective administrations.(Based on PIB inputs)
