Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced a national award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to be presented every year to police personnel involved in rescue and relief operations during disasters. The award will be announced each year on January 23, Bose’s birthday, PTI reported.

The announcement came on the 75th anniversary of Bose’s declaration of the formation of India’s first independent government – the Azad Hind Government on October 21, 1943. “From this year onwards, we will give an award in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to police personnel who do exemplary work while rescuing and providing relief to people during the time of any disaster,” said Modi. He also hoisted the national flag at Red Fort to commemorate the formation of the Azad Hind Government.

Earlier, he inaugurated a renovated national police memorial and a new police museum in New Delhi’s Chanakyapuri on Sunday to mark the National Police Commemoration Day. The day is marked to pay respect to the 10 policemen killed in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area in 1959 after being ambushed by Chinese troops.

The museum, located underground at the National Police Memorial, will house artefacts, uniform and equipment of central and state police forces. The project will be overseen by the Intelligence Bureau and the Central Armed Police Forces.

A black granite central sculpture, standing at 30 feet and weighing 238 tonnes, was unveiled along with a wall of valour with the names of over 34,800 martyred soldiers inscribed on it.

Ministers of State in the Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju and Hansram G Ahir, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other senior officers and personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces and state police forces were present during the event.

A total of 34,844 police personnel from central and state police forces have been killed in the line of duty since Independence, said Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain. Last year, 414 police personnel died.

Modi also thanked the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force personnel for their contributions to relief work. “These NDRF and SDRF personnel are our brave policemen. They are from police forces,” he said. “The country will not forget their bravery, dedication and sacrifice.”