How Delhi Metro stations got their name…

Team L&M

This station is Akshardham. Doors will open on the left. Please mind the gap… For the last 25 years and more, you have heard an announcement like this before the Metro pulls into a station. But have you ever thought on how and why that station has been named so? We tell you how some Metro stations in Delhi-NCR got their names…

Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Metro Station
Formerly known as City Park Metro Station, Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Metro Station is a terminus station on the Green Line of Delhi Metro and is located at Bahadurgarh which comes under Jhajjar district of Haryana.

Brigadier Singh was born in a Jat family in village Sankhol, near Bahadurgarh, in a Rathee Jat family. This village was part of Rohtak district in undivided Punjab. Now, it is part of Jhajjar district of Haryana. He joined the Rajputana Rifles as a recruit in October 1934 when he was barely 18. Brigadier Singh was promoted to the rank of jamadar in December 1940. As a Junior Commissioned Officer (when known as VCO), he served with distinction in the Middle East with 4th Battalion (Outram’s). He won the IOM, IDSM and CROIX DE GUERRE (French Decoration) for his bravery in the battlefield. He was twice mentioned in despatches for meritorious service.

During the Sino-Indian War in 1962, Brigadier Hoshiar Singh was the commander of the Indian 62 Brigade stationed at Sela Pass with a brigade of Indian soldiers from battalions of various regiments including 1 Sikh, 2 Sikh LI, 4 Sikh LI and Garhwal Rifles. Brig Singh was martyred in action in the NEFA region when his party was ambushed by invading Chinese soldiers while commanding the defence of Sela Pass.

After his martyrdom, the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, along with then Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Pratap Singh Kairon, personally went to Sankhol village to pay homage to the departed martyr and convey their condolences to his parents.

In his honour, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar renamed the City Park Metro Station as Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Metro Station in September 2018.