2 Indians among 126 fallen peacekeepers to be awarded UN medal

United Nations, May 23

Two fallen Indian peacekeepers are among the 126 military, police and civilian personnel who will be posthumously awarded a prestigious UN medal next week for their courage and sacrifice while serving in the world body's peacekeeping operations last year.

Lance Naik Nand Ram, who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Raju Joseph, who had served in a civilian capacity with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will be awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers observed annually on May 29.

The commemoration next week of the international peacekeepers' day will mark the seventh successive year in which the UN will honour more than 100 "blue helmets" who lost their lives the previous year while serving the cause of peace, the UN said in a statement.

The 126 military, police and civilian personnel lost their lives in 2014 while serving with the UN as a result of hostile acts, accidents and disease and will receive the medal during a ceremony at the world body's headquarters here.

Last year eight Indian soldiers had posthumously received the medal, named after the second UN Secretary General.

India is among the largest contributors of military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping. It currently deploys 8,112 military and police personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations in Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, the Middle East, Sudan, South Sudan and Western Sahara.

So far, India has contributed nearly 180,000 troops to UN peacekeeping missions, including the 103-strong Indian female police unit in the UN mission in Liberia.

This year's International Day of UN Peacekeepers falls during the significant 70th anniversary of the United Nations, offering a chance to honour the Blue Helmets' invaluable contribution to the proud history of the organisation and to reaffirm its commitment to make them even more effective in the years ahead, the statement said.

The theme for the day this year is 'UN at 70: Peacekeeping: Past, Present, and Future'. PTI