Veer Bal Diwas 2025 – December 26

Veer Bal Diwas is annually observed across India on 26th December to honor the martyrdom of the Sahibzadas – the four sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Sikh Guru, who sacrificed their lives in the 17th century.

• 2025 marks the 4th observance of Veer Bal Diwas.

Background:

Declaration: On 9th January 2022, during the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced that 26th December would be celebrated as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’.
1st Observance: The first-ever Veer Bal Diwas was observed on 26th December 2022.

About Guru Gobind Singh Ji & the Sahibzade:

Leadership: Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikh leader in Punjab during the Mughal period, had four sons collectively known as the four Sahibzade of the Khalsa: Sahibzada Ajit Singh (1687–1705), Sahibzada Jujhar Singh (1691–1705), Sahibzada Zorawar Singh (1696–1705), and Sahibzada Fateh Singh (1699–1705).

Khalsa: In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa, a reformed and purified Sikh community.

Martyrdom: All four Sahibzade were martyred by Mughal forces before turning 19, after the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb laid siege to Anandpur, and the Guru surrendered the fort to safeguard his people.

Tragedy: The youngest sons, Zorawar and Fateh, were seized by the Mughals and buried alive at the ages of 8 and 5.

2025 Event: 

Event: On December 26, 2025, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), observed Veer Bal Diwas at the national level to commemorate the courage, sacrifice, and exemplary values of India’s young heroes at at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (Delhi).

Participants: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Union Minister Annpurna Devi, MoWCD, were participated at the event.

Presentation of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar(PMRBP) 2025: During the event, President of India Droupadi Murmu conferred the PMRBP 2025 on 20 children from 18 States and Union Territories (UTs) in recognition of their outstanding achievements in diverse fields.

Notable awardee: Bihar’s teenage batting prodigy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has been honoured with the PMRBP, India’s highest civilian award for children, following his stellar performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the age of 14.

About Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar(PMRBP):

Award: It is an annual national award administered by the MoWCD and presented by the President of India to recognize children aged 5–18 years for their exceptional achievements in fields such as Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science & Technology.

• It was first awarded in 1996.

Prize: The award for each individual includes a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000 (along with a medal, a citation, and a certificate.

About Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD):
Union Minister– Annpurna Devi (Constituency- Kodarma, Jharkhand)
Minister of State (MoS)– Savitri Thakur (Constituency- Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, MP)