New Delhi, July 3: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will name the wards of a new COVID-19 designated hospital in Delhi after the Indian Army soldiers who were martyred in Galwan Valley last month. The move is aimed at honouring the jawans who laid down their lives for the nation, said a statement issued by the military agency on Friday. PM Narendra Modi Addresses Indian Army Soldiers in Ladakh, Pays Tribute to Troops Martyred in Galwan Clash.

The DRDO is developing a new COVID-19 designated facility, named after India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The wards will be named after the 20 Indian troopers who were killed in line of action by their Chinese counterparts in a physical clash that erupted on the intervening night of June 15 and 16.

"In honour of Indian Army troops who lost their lives in Galwan Valley clash on June 15, the DRDO has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital, Delhi after them," said the Technology Advisor to DRDO Chairman.

Update by ANI

Names of the 20 Indian soldiers who were martyred in Galwan Valley clash are as follows: Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu, Sep Ganesh Ram, Sep Chandrakanta Pradhan, Sep Ankush, Sep Gurbinder, Sep Gurtej Singh, Sep Chandan Kumar, Sep Kundan Kumar, Sep Aman Kumar, Sep Jai Kishor Singh and Sep Ganesh Hansda, Nb Sub Nuduram Soren, Nb Sub Mandeep Singh, Nb Sub (Dvr) Satnam Singh-Gurdaspur, Hav (Gnr) K Palani, Hav Sunil Kumar, Hav Bipul Roy, NK (NA) Deepak Kumar, Sep Rajesh Orang, Sep Kundan Kumar Ojha.

The Chinese side had also sustained casualties in the clash - that was flared up after personnel of China's People Liberation Army (PLA) attempted to intrude inside in the Indian territory. This was the first major violent incident reported along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 1967. Both sides are using diplomatic and military channels to resolve the issue via dialogue.

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