Op Pawan bravehearts: Homage by Army Chief fills a gap

ARMY CHIEF Gen Upendra Dwivedi laying a wreath at the National War Memorial to honour Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran on his 'Balidan Divas' marks a significant moment. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, too, posted a message paying homage. Though late in the day, these concerted efforts seek to fill a gap in suitably honouring the 1,171 Indian soldiers who died during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. Over 3,000 sustained injuries and several were awarded gallantry medals in what is often labelled as a forgotten war. The veterans of the 1987 Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) harbour lingering resentment that the sacrifices of the soldiers have not been duly recognised. The course correction by the top brass goes beyond symbolism — it is about doing the right thing.While Colombo has a memorial for the IPKF and Palaly for 10 Para, there is no such memorial in India. IPKF veterans, widows and families have been organising private commemorations at the National War Memorial. They have for a long time been demanding official designation of a day to remember Operation Pawan on the lines of commemoration of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1999 Kargil conflict. Since the dead were cremated or buried on foreign soil, they have also sought streamlining of a policy on bringing fallen soldiers back home. There have been calls for setting up a 'Graves Commission' tasked with shifting the mortal remains to an IPKF memorial in India. These demands deserve resolution at the earliest.Memorials are signposts in collective memory. The National War Memorial is a lasting tribute to the sacrifices made by the armed forces — a site of respect and remembrance. Whatever the underlying complications, there is no excuse for minimising the valour and sacrifices of soldiers.

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