Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will dedicate the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 closing ceremony at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3 to India’s armed forces. The decision to dedicate the 45-minute ceremony has been taken to honour the valour of the armed forces during their successful conduct of Operation Sindoor.“The BCCI salutes the bravery, courage, and selfless service of our armed forces, whose heroic efforts under Operation Sindoor continue to protect and inspire the nation. As a tribute, we have decided to dedicate the closing ceremony to the armed forces and honour our heroes. While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country. We are proud of our armed forces and thankful to them for ensuring our security and safety at all times,” Saikia told TOI.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“We have sent out invitations to senior armed forces officials for the ceremony. We have also decided to dedicate a few stands in the stadium during the match for the armed forces personnel. The closing ceremony will feature some patriotic songs being played out. It will be a solemn occasion,” Saikia added.
The closing ceremony is also likely to feature a performance by the military bands. The BCCI is expected to bring some prominent singers on board for a musical evening ahead of the IPL 2025 grand finale.In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 7, which was a precise attack on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.IPL 2025 was suspended for a week amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the tournament resumed on May 17 after the ceasefire agreement was announced.
The BCCI recognised the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces upon the IPL’s resumption as players sang the national anthem before the start of the fixtures at several venues. Messages of ‘Thank you, armed forces’ were displayed on the giant screens. BCCI had also paid tribute to the Armed Forces in 2019 when it invited the military band for the opening ceremony. The board had also pledged to contribute Rs 20 crore for the welfare of the armed forces following the Pulwama terror attack, where 44 CRPF personnel were killed.
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