Ex-servicemen from Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, are dedicating a 500 kg Panchaloha pillar to honor the valor of Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor. This pillar, measuring 8 feet in height, is being crafted in Punliyancheri village and will be installed at the under-construction HQ Integrated Defence Staff building in New Delhi. The project, executed by the Shine Indian Soldiers Social Welfare Foundation, has an estimated budget of ₹10-15 lakh (approximately $12,000 to $18,000 USD). The design includes a lotus-shaped base and a stylized ‘kungumam chimizh’ (vermillion holder) symbolizing the operation. The project is being led by traditional sculptors, or sthapathis, who are utilizing approximately 700 kg of metals to create the hollow structure, ensuring it is lacquered for weather resistance. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, chief of Integrated Defence Staff, has confirmed that the pillar will be given a prominent space at the new headquarters.