Shillong, May 5: In a significant step toward preserving and honouring the contributions of the Garo Labour Corps during World War I, Cabinet Minister and Chairman of the Committee for the Preservation of Garo Culture and Heritage, Marcuise N. Marak, announced that the government has finalised plans to construct a memorial structure at Tura.

The announcement comes ahead of the annual commemoration of Garo Labour Corps Day on July 16.

Speaking to reporters, Marak said that a consensus was reached during a recent committee meeting on both immediate and long-term plans to commemorate the occasion with the respect it deserves. “Yes, we had a meeting, everybody participated. July 16 is the day for celebration and commemoration of Garo Labour Corps Day,” he said.

This year’s celebration will include the installation of a temporary cenotaph at the chosen site, where the tribute ceremony will be held. “We have finalised that we will be making a temporary cenotaph, which will be placed at the designated location. We will lay wreaths, flowers, offer prayers there, and then the program will continue in the auditorium,” Marak explained.

Looking beyond this year’s commemoration, the Committee has taken concrete steps toward building a permanent memorial at the same location. “The permanent structure, which will come up there in the same place—we had, in the first meeting, instructed the architect. Accordingly, the local architect has come up with a design, and everybody liked it,” the Minister said.

Marak confirmed that the Committee has approved the design and asked for further work on it. “We have finalised the design for the permanent structure and asked the concerned architect to come up with detailed estimates and a 3D presentation,” he said. The proposal will soon be submitted to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary for approval. “Once approved, proper tendering and the construction process will begin,” he added.

In addition to the cenotaph, the Committee is considering further memorial initiatives to ensure that all Garo war heroes are remembered—especially those whose names may not be listed in existing records. “We were also discussing about a second site. Now, in case we come up with different names—names that are not there—and if we send researchers, a team to France, and get those names, they will be displayed at the Garo Cultural Centre and Heritage,” Marak shared.

The Committee is also working on a broader vision that includes establishing a museum to preserve and display historical materials related to the Garo Labour Corps. “We are trying to propose to the government the idea of a remembrance museum for war heroes, to be set up either at the old Circuit House or on the Public School campus,” Marak said.

The Garo Labour Corps, often overlooked in mainstream historical narratives, played a vital logistical role in supporting the Allied forces during World War I. These latest efforts aim not only to honour their sacrifices but to preserve their legacy for future generations.

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