Uttarakhand madrasas to teach Op Sindoor, armed forces history

The Uttarakhand Madarsa Education Board has decided to incorporate Operation Sindoor and other military operations into its curriculum, aiming to instill a strong sense of patriotism among madrasa students.

Announcing the decision on May 20, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi, president of the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Council, said the initiative is intended to educate students about the bravery of India’s armed forces.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, Qasmi said, “Uttarakhand is not just Devbhoomi, which is the land of gods, but also the veerbhoomi, meaning the land of soldiers. We have decided to include Operation Sindoor and stories of other military operations done by our defense forces in the syllabus, which will be taught up to the Alia, that is, intermediate, so that our students get to know about the valor of the Indian forces.”

He added that such educational content would help reinforce a deep respect for the military among students.

“Uttarakhand is the land of heroes, and stories of the armed forces must be taught to each student here,” he said.

Operation Sindoor refers to the recent military response by India following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 civilians were killed.

The Resistance Front, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. In retaliation, India launched precision strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, resulting in a four-day military standoff.

Referring to the attack, Qasmi said, “Pakistan is a nefarious country. It is essential to teach the neighbor a lesson for the way it attacked India and killed people in Pahalgam.”

Currently, Uttarakhand is home to approximately 451 madrasas, with more than 50,000 students enrolled.

The board's new syllabus is expected to be introduced up to the intermediate level in these institutions.