On November 25, veterans of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), along with senior serving officers, will assemble at the National War Memorial in Delhi to pay tributes to Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, who made the supreme sacrifice on foreign soil almost four decades ago, and in the process, was decorated with the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), the highest award for gallantry.
The IPKF was deployed in Sri Lanka from July 1987 to March 1990 under a bilateral accord aimed at disarming Tamil militant groups, particularly the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and ending the civil war.
It was India’s first major overseas military campaign post-Independence. While the deployment is regarded as tactically successful, albeit at a heavy human cost, the political, diplomatic and intelligence aspects continue to be debated. By the time the last Indian troops were withdrawn, the IPKF had lost 1,171 troops with another about 3,500 being wounded.
Initially envisioned as a quick and low-intensity operation with little armed engagements, it quickly escalated into intense combat. The force found itself in gruelling battles involving jungle warfare, urban assaults and counter-insurgency operations and throwing up some hard lessons.
For the past few years, veterans have been holding private remembrance ceremonies. What marks a notable departure this year, according to IPKF veterans, is that for the first time Army Headquarters is officially commemorating Operation Pawan, the most significant operation undertaken in Sri Lanka, coinciding with the day of Major Parameswaran’s heroic stand in the line of fire. For long, veterans have been campaigning for official recognition and commemoration of the Sri Lanka operations.
Operation Pawan was the code name for the IPKF campaign to secure the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE and enforce its disarmament as a part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. After about three weeks of intense fighting, the IPKF succeeded in taking control of the region, something that the Sri Lankan Army had earlier failed to achieve.
As part of the operation, Major Parameswaran of the 8 Mahar Regiment was returning from a search operation late at night on November 25, 1987, when his column was ambushed by a group of militants.
“With cool presence of mind, he encircled the militants from the rear and charged into them, taking them completely surprise. During the hand-to-hand combat, a militant shot him in the chest. Undaunted, Major Parameswaran snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. Gravely wounded, he continued to give orders and inspired his command till he breathed his last. Five militants were killed and three rifles and two rocket launchers were recovered and the ambush was cleared,” the citation for his award reads.
“Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran displayed the most conspicuous gallantry and thought nothing of dying at his post,” the citation adds.
He was the only PVC recipient of the Sri Lanka campaign. In addition, over 250 decorations, including three Maha Vir Chakras, the second-highest gallantry award, were conferred on IPKF personnel.
Operating under Southern Command, the IPKF deployment peaked at around 1,00,000 troops, involving the Army’s 4 Mountain Division, 36 Infantry Division, 54 Infantry Division and 57 Infantry Division, along with paramilitary forces, Special Forces, and elements of the Air Force and Navy.
Jaffna, Palaly, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara and Mannar were along areas in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka where the IPKF was deployed.
While Indian involvement in the Sri Lankan civil strife had been continuing at the political and diplomatic levels since the tenure of Indira Gandhi as prime minister, the induction of the IPKF had been preceded by the first overt military operation, Poomalai, when five IAN An-32 transport aircraft, escorted by Mirage 2000 fighters, flew over Jaffna to airdrop 25 tons of humanitarian supplies in June 1987.
Among other major IPKF operations were Operation Viraat, Operation Trishul, Operation Checkmate, Operation Main Road, Operation Tiger Hunt and Operation Thrividra. Sri Lanka was also the first combat exposure for the Navy’s newly formed Indian Marine Special Force, now known as the Marine Commando Force.
