Nearly 300 Village Women Repaired a Bombed Indian Air Force Runway During the 1971 War!
During the India-Pakistan War of 1971, Pakistani air attacks severely damaged the runway at Bhuj in Gujarat, leaving the strategically important airbase temporarily unusable. With repair workers reluctant to return because of continuing air raids, nearly 300 women from the nearby village of Madhapar volunteered to help restore the runway.
Beginning on 9 December, the women worked alongside Air Force personnel, filling bomb craters and repairing the damaged surface. Despite the constant threat of enemy aircraft, they continued their work, taking shelter whenever air-raid warnings sounded. The women worked approximately 12 hours each day over three days, from around 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some left young children and household responsibilities behind to participate in the effort. Their extraordinary effort helped make the runway operational again in approximately 72 hours, allowing Indian Air Force aircrafts to resume missions.
Led by a shared determination to support the country’s defence, these village women played an exceptional role in a critical wartime operation. Remembered today as the ‘Veeranganas of Madhapar’, their courage demonstrates that national security depends not only on soldiers and weapons, but also on the extraordinary contributions of citizens. A memorial at the entrance to Madhapar also commemorates their contributions.