Uttarakhand madrasas to include Operation Sindoor in syllabus

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Madarsa Board has decided to introduce 'Operation Sindoor' in its curriculum across the state, a move that will see students learning about the recent military operation.

The announcement was made by Mufti Shamoon Qasmi, President of the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Council, who stated that the step is aimed at instilling a sense of patriotism among students. Uttarakhand has 451 madrasas, with a student population of nearly 50,000.

This decision came after Qasmi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Tuesday, accompanied by a delegation of educationists, intellectuals, and Sufi scholars.

During the meeting, he congratulated the Defence Minister on the success of Operation Sindoor under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singh, and hailed the Indian armed forces for giving a heavy blow to terrorist camps in Pakistan.

He further praised the Indian Army's bravery and highlighted Uttarakhand's legacy of valour, describing it as the "land of heroes".

Qasmi added that the courage demonstrated by the armed forces has earned admiration from people across the country and that madrasa students, too, should learn about this national pride.

"We implemented the NCERT curriculum in madrasas across the country, connecting children with mainstream education. This reform has brought high-quality education to these institutions... We want to share the successful story of the 'Operation Sindoor' with our children so that future generations understand how our soldiers executed it with strength, bravery, and courage, ensuring no civilian casualties," he told IANS.

He noted that a meeting of the curriculum committee will be convened shortly to finalise the inclusion of a chapter on Operation Sindoor in the syllabus.

Uttarakhand Waqf Board President Shadab Shams lauded the initiative, telling IANS, "This is Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, a land also known as Sainya Dham (land of soldiers). If children studying in modern madrasas here do not learn about Operation Sindoor, then where else will they learn it?"

"Uttarakhand is a state where nearly every household has contributed a soldier to the armed forces. The governor is a retired Lieutenant General, the chief minister is a soldier's son, and the people here are deeply patriotic. If children from such a state are not taught about Operation Sindoor, then who will be?" he said.

Shams emphasised that teaching students about the military's heroic battles and the sacrifices made by soldiers is vital in nurturing faith and love for the nation.

"I request Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who himself comes from a military family, to implement all these things in the NCERT syllabus as soon as possible, implement Operation Sindoor, so that the children of modern madrasas can also read these lines, read their stories, read about their valour and feel themselves in this," he mentioned.

Shams concluded by saying, "I believe that youth and children should also get an opportunity to read these lines, read about their stories, read about their valour and feel themselves in this."