Teen Murti Marg renamed Teen Murti-Haifa marg

New Delhi: To mark the formal renaming of Teen Murti Chowk to Teen Murti-Haifa Chowk, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and the latter's wife Sara, attended a solemn ceremony at the Teen Murti Memorial here on Sunday.

The war memorial, originally called the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade Memorial, was unveiled in March 1924, to honour the cavalry troopers of princely states in British India.

On his official Twitter handle, the Prime Minister wrote on Sunday, "This year we mark 100 years of the end of the First World War. We remember with pride, the Indian soldiers who fought valiantly in the war."

"In the presence of PM @netanyahu, paid tributes to the brave Indian soldiers who fought at Haifa. The spot where we commemorate their sacrifice will now be called Teen Murti - Haifa Chowk," his next tweet said.

Teen Murti-Haifa Chowk is the roundabout near Teen Murti Bhavan, which served as the official residence of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The two leaders laid a wreath and signed the visitor's book at the memorial.

"One of these pages was written 100 years ago, in the sacrifice of Indian soldiers at Haifa. The sacrifice commemorated at Teen Murti observes its centenary. Naming this spot as Teen Murti-Haifa chowk marks this historic occasion. In the presence of the Prime Minister of Israel, we pay homage to the brave soldiers," Modi wrote in the visitor's book.

The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers, who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.

There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary. The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea.

Forty-four Indian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I. Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or "Haifa Day."