Golden jubilee of triumph over Pakistan: Victory Flame reaches Kerala

The team accompanying the flame would collect the soil from the house of Capt Gopakumar Raman Pillai

Celebrating the golden jubilee of India's triumph over Pakistan in 1971, the 'Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' or Victory Flame arrived at the Pangode Military Station here on Saturday from New Delhi.

The Victory Flame started its journey from the eternal flame of the National War Memorial in the capital and was received in Thiruvananthapuram by Station Commander Brigadier Kartik Seshadri.

Seshadri paid tribute to the heroes of the 1971 war by laying a wreath at the Pangode War Memorial, a defence release said.

"As a mark of honour and respect, the Victory Flame will visit the house of 1971 war veteran Captain Gopakumar Raman Pillai, Vir Chakra, and will felicitate his wife Geetha Gopakumar at Observatory Lane, Thiruvananthapuram, on July 4" the release said.

It said the team accompanying the flame would also collect the soil from the house of Capt Gopakumar Raman Pillai.