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honour those who had made the For 26 years, Jitendra Singh
ultimate sacrifice. worked as a security guard,

With unwavering resolve, dedicating every rupee he
he began what would become earned to this sacred mission.
his life’s mission: collecting and Today, his collection stands
preserving the stories of India’s as a monumental archive of
martyrs. At the time, he did not national pride: records of 76,000
even have two rupees to buy soldiers martyred in World War
the newspaper carrying that I, 80,000 from World War II, and
inspiring story. Undeterred, he over 27,000 martyrs since India’s
would scour the railway tracks independence. He possesses
of his village each morning and 23,156 photographs and 26
evening, gathering discarded quintals of documents, each
newspapers to piece together page a testament to a life given
the narratives of bravery and for the nation.
sacrifice. From these humble But Jitendra’s work goes

beginnings, the ‘Shaheed beyond mere collection. It is
Sangrah’ (Martyr Collection) an act of love, remembrance,
was born. and connection. He learned

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