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Anyone taking a roadworthy travel from Srikakulam to the past seaport of Kalingapatnam can’t miss the entranceway to the colony of Jonnalapadu, which lies nestled betwixt rivers Nagavali and Vamsadhara flowing down the Eastern Ghats.
Painted successful subject camouflage and decorated by models of weapons, the entranceway arch is designed arsenic a monument honouring the 27 soldiers the colony has sent to the country’s equipped forces implicit 3 generations. It reminds the adjacent procreation of the village’s residents of the valiant deeds of these brave hearts and animate them to travel successful their footsteps.
The arch comprises 3 galleries, including the ‘Wall of Valour and Service’ that displays the portraits of the 27 soldiers, including the that of ex-serviceman Naib Subedar Polaki Chinnavadu, the oldest surviving worker successful the village.
His beingness continues to beryllium a root of inspiration for each the 3 generations of soldiers and younker aspiring to articulation the defence forces. Born successful British India successful June 1947, Chinnavadu enlisted successful the Army successful 1967. “The monument preserves the memories of soldiers and their families and honours their work and sacrifice,” helium says.
A worker of the Madras Regiment, Chinnavadu was 20 erstwhile the Bangladesh Liberation War broke retired successful 1971. His girl was conscionable a newborn erstwhile helium was sent disconnected to the borders.
The village’s fascination with equipped forces is believed to person begun successful the 1960 aft Gunner Pandiri Krishna Murthy and Gunner Pandiri Ramulu enlisted successful the Army. The household of Krishna Murthy, who was a handloom weaver earlier helium joined the Army, continues to service the country.
Artist and sculptor Srimusuru Ramakrishna who led the operation of the subject monument astatine Jonnalapadu colony successful Gara Mandal successful Srikakulam district. | Photo Credit: T. Appala Naidu
His lad Satyanarayana retired arsenic Havildar successful the Supply Corps aft 19 years of work and grandson, Lieutenant Commander P. Kiran Kumar, is simply a doc serving astatine the Eastern Naval Command successful Visakhapatnam. He is the archetypal from the colony to articulation the Navy.
“Beyond remembrance, the monument serves arsenic a root of inspiration for the adjacent generation. It reminds the young that duty, courageousness and work to the federation are halfway ingredients of a soldier,” observes Kiran Kumar.
The portraits of first-generation soldiers who served successful the Army, astatine the subject monument astatine Jonnalapadu colony successful Gara Mandal successful Srikakulam district. | Photo Credit: T. Appala Naidu
“We are arrogant to person served the state connected onshore and astatine sea. My begetter [Gunner Krishna Murthy] participated successful the 1965 India–Pakistan warfare and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, during which helium was sent to the Bum La Pass successful Tawang connected the Indo-China border,” says Satyanarayana, who himself is simply a served astatine Kargil successful Ladakh during the Kargil War of 1999.
G. Ramesh, different of Krishna Murthy’s grandsons, joined the Army successful 2009. Havildar Ramesh is the lone worker from the colony to person served astatine the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield.
The colony has besides sent 4 Agniveers to the Army since the inception of the Agniveer strategy successful the tri-services successful 2022. The youngest among them is 20-year-old Dukka Shanmukha Rao, who joined the Army successful December 2025.
How the monument was built
The monument was the brainchild of radical of serving and retired soldiers arsenic good arsenic a fig of youth, who wanted to observe the warrior tone of their village. For 2 years, they held discussions connected however the monument should look like. In December 2025, worker Gadidesi Dharma Raju of the Border Security Force, ex-serviceman Alla Malleswara Rao, retired Assistant Sub-Inspector Ruppa Appa Rao and sculptor Srimusuru Ramakrishna decided to crook the thought into reality.
Ramachandrapuram Panchayat Sarpanch Golivi Venkata Ramana Murthy granted support to physique the monument connected assemblage land. “We built the monument successful 30 days. Serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and a fewer younker raised the funds,” says Dharma Raju.
Scholars, historians connected a ngo to illuminate Srikakulam’s forgotten heritage
Ramakrishna led the construction, gathering a exemplary subject bunker that seeks to lucifer the existent 1 connected the border. The monument was inaugurated connected January 11 by Srikakulam MLA Gunda Shankar on with retired officers of the Army and the Air Force from Srikakulam District Ex-Servicemen Federation (DEF–Srikakulam).
The caller arch has begun attracting visitors and pilgrims travelling to the Sun Temple astatine Arasavalli and to Srikoormam. Many instrumentality selfies successful beforehand of the monument arsenic arrogant villagers look on. The elderly, younker and residents from neighbouring villages are allowed to walk clip astatine the monument circular the clock.
“We anticipation the younker gully inspiration from the lives of these soldiers,” says Ramakrishna, who contributed his originative enactment for the monument for escaped arsenic a people of respect. The monument has been designed to accommodate portraits of aboriginal soldiers arsenic well.
A awesome of bravery
The monument stands arsenic a arrogant and a historical milestone for DEF–Srikakulam, soldiers and their families. “It symbolises the courageousness and sacrifice of soldiers and the unity of the community,” says president of DEF–Srikakulam Katakam Purna Chandra Rao.
He added that the monument is not simply a operation of chromatic and cement but a surviving emblem of gratitude. “It reminds america of the countless sacrifices made by our soldiers. For their families, it is simply a disposable designation of their soundless spot and unwavering support. It volition stay a imperishable reminder of unity, resilience and nationalist pride,” helium observes.
Major Alla Murali Mohan, a second-generation worker from his household and an aviation technologist successful the Army, says the monument is simply a timeless tribute to soldiers. “I commend my chap villagers for this visionary initiative, which reflects our shared pridefulness successful subject practice and volition ignite the tone of work among the youth.”
Referring to the initiative, MLA Gunda Shankar announced connected January 11 that a Defence Park, named Kargil Park, volition beryllium built connected the banks of the Nagavali stream astatine the Srikakulam territory office to observe the glory of the defence forces.
