Air Force servicemen from the Thanjavur Airbase in Tamil Nadu are on a 700km cycling expedition from their base to the UNESCO heritage town of Mamallapuram and back. This is aimed at commemorating India’s extraordinary military operation in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the selfless sacrifice, dedication, and devotion of the Indian Armed Forces personnel in preserving our freedom.
The team of 16 cyclists were flagged off by Group Captain PA Shah, Station Commander, Air Force Station Thanjavur on 10th September and they pedalled past Kumbakonam, Chidambaram and Pondicherry to reach Mamallapuram. The journey that began on 10th September will culminate on 18th September, Saturday, at the airbase.
As the country celebrates 50 years since our victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the Central Government has dedicated this year to celebrate ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ (Golden Jubilee year of victory), with a series of programmes and activities to mark this occasion.
In a spectacular display of military coordination, precise planning and execution with a determined resolve to succeed, the Indian Armed Forces emerged victorious in one of the shortest yet most convincing and one-sided battles in the subcontinent from 3rd to 16th December 1971. Back then, the Indian Armed Forces captured 15,000square kilometres of Pakistani territory in 1971, which they so graciously returned the following year.
According to the Army, 1,670 men and women from Tamil Nadu, the southern Indian state, served with India’s Armed Forces during the Bangladesh-liberation war. Of the 1670, 42 soldiers made the supreme sacrifice and 37 were wounded. Among those from Tamil Nadu are 3 Vir Chakra Awardees, 1 Mahavir Chakra Awardee and 1 Sena Medal Awardee. It was a war that witnessed 3,800 Indian men and women making the supreme sacrifice besides the 9,851 personnel who were injured.
Source: Thanks WIONews.com