On the occasion of golden jubilee of India’s historical win over Pakistan in 1971, a Vijay Divas was celebrated by the Veterans Club Odisha (VCO) in a patriotic and nationalistic environment here on Wednesday.
VCO president Bidyadhar Nayak recalled the valour, dedication and sacrifice of the martyrs of the 1971 Indo-Pak war and said that India created history by exhibiting one of the rarest gesture of observance of peace and universal brotherhood in the history of human civilization by setting free 93,000 Pakistani war prisoners and set a golden precedent.
The Club paid tributes to Param Vir Chakra (PVC) Lance Naik Alber Ekka, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh, Major Hussiar Singh, Second Lieutenant Arun Kshetrapal along with 67 Mahabir Chakra winners and 12 Veer Chakra winners for showing their valour, courage, sacrifice and bravery in the war .
VCO general secretary Bibhu Prasad Swain highlighted the heart-throbbing joint and three dimensional attack by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force on Pakistan, especially the destructive and decisive attack of Indian Navy in the night of December 3, 1971 on Karachi harbour and destroying the petroleum plants in the mouth of harbour and drowning three war ships of Pakistan.
The attack broke the backbone of supply chain and economic status of Pakistan and that led to the subsequent and obvious win by India.
It was unanimously resoluted by the members present to place this heroism of Indian Armed Forces in the Indian national history through school syllabus to instil patriotism, nationalism and respect for the soldiers among the future generations, Swain added.Veteran Rabindra Kymar Sahoo (Sena Medal), Capt Rabindra Kumar Pattnaik, Capt Manmath Kumar Singh, Hara Prasad Dora, Gopinath Mishra, Bimal Prasad Barik, Shesadev Mishra, Manoj Kumar Senapati, Dinabandhu Sadangi, Antaryami Dash, Dillip Kumar Sahoo and Satyajit Patra, were among others present.