Yesterdate: This day from Kolkata’s past, August 9, 1969

On this day, Ochterlony Monument was renamed Shaheed Minar and rededicated to the martyrs of the Indian independence movement. This was done by the then United Front government in Bengal.

Ochterlony Monument was built in 1828 in memory of David Ochterlony, who had been in several commanding military and administrative positions in the British East India Company and was the architect of many successful British campaigns. He had defended Delhi against the Marathas in 1804 and was responsible for the East India Company’s victory armed in the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816) over the Gurkhas.

The monument had been designed by J.P. Parker and was built with public funds.