The Shaheed Minar (English: Martyrs' Monument), formerly known as the Ochterlony Monument, is a monument in Kolkata that was erected in 1828 in memory of Major-general Sir David Ochterlony, commander of the British East India Company, to commemorate both his successful defense of Delhi against the Marathas in 1804 and the victory of the East India Company’s armed forces over the Gurkhas in the Anglo-Nepalese War, also known as the Gurkha War.

[2][3][4] Known as the "Cloud kissing Monument" by Mark Twain, the Shaheed Minar is located at Esplanade in Central Kolkata in the north-east facet of the Maidan.

[5] The first political meeting on the ground was presided over by Rabindranath Tagore to condemn the killings of Santosh Kumar Mitra and Tarakeswar Sengupta by the Indian Imperial Police in 1931.

[5] The government has planned to open the monument to the public, after the renovation work is completed.

In the second phase a temporary folding stage will be set up at the foot of the 48-metre (157 ft) tall monument[5] to avoid congestion at the Dorina Crossing during rallies.

Stalls selling souvenirs will also be set up just in front of the monument, while the pathways leading to it will be cleaned and decorated with flowering plants.