New Delhi : At 14,000 feet, patriotism met teamwork as the Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps led Tiranga March in Chuna’s forward areas to mark the 79th Independence Day.

In a novel move, 160 Gorkha troops and 25 ITBP personnel carried the 100-metre National Flag through the lush Himalayan grasslands, joined by approx. 150 local villagers including toddlers and children from greenfield villages of Mago and Chuna in Tawang District marching shoulder-to-shoulder turning the landscape into a vibrant sea of saffron, white and green.

The Civil Administration, under Assistant Commissioner Thutan Wangchu, led the local villagers in the event coordinated and mobilised by the Indian Army. Twenty three students and a teacher from Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi (UP) also joined in the march in search of their patriotic roots.

After the march, all agencies united with immense patriotic fervour and a deep sense of duty for a ‘No Plastic Zone’ cleanliness drive, removing waste and reinforcing the campaign to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.

The tricolour’s sweep across towering peaks became a powerful symbol of unity-soldiers securing the frontier while exemplifying ‘Living for the Land’, villagers safeguarding traditions, and administrators championing sustainability.

The march brought a lesson for everyone to become a valuable citizen, emphasizing on the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mohotsav”, that the future of the nation rests on everyone’s shoulders.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu lauded the effort, calling it the “true spirit of India at its peaks,” as the tricolour transformed the remote border region into a vibrant scene of national pride and environmental commitment.

Every house in Mago and Chuna villages proudly hoisted the National Flag. This collective act of patriotism was a powerful reminder that our freedom is a shared responsibility and a cause for collective celebration.