Gahmar
Located along the banks of the river Ganga in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh is Gahmar, famously known as ‘Soldiers’ Village’. Gahmar has a unique tradition of producing hundreds of soldiers who have served in the Indian Armed Forces with distinction right from the First World War to the Kargil War.
Every household in this village with a population of over a lakh, boasts at least three or more soldiers! The inhabitants of Gahmar include more than 12,000 military personnel serving in all the three branches of the Armed Forces. There are about 15,000 military veterans in the village.
Youngsters in the village take up training in earnest from a young age. Young boys and men can be seen getting up before sunrise and running barefoot along the riverfront and working out to increase their stamina. Tips from the veterans certainly come in handy. Now even the daughters of the village aspire to join the army.
Military service has also brought prosperity to Gahmar. This is evident by the number of ‘pucca’ houses in the village. This has been possible because of the armymen who send home money.
