PUNE: They’ve been the nameless, unsung heroes of India, however a memorial now honours the valour and sacrifices of Navy Intelligence (MI) personnel who laid down their lives within the line of responsibility.
Situated at Wanowrie in Pune cantonment, and named Satark Park — impressed by MI’s motto, “Sada Satark” (at all times alert) — it’s the nation’s first memorial devoted to MI personnel.The park options busts of MI bravehearts, with temporary particulars of their contributions to operations executed on the borders and out of doors the nation.
Among the many busts of the heroes are Kirti Chakra awardees Naik Pratap Singh (June 12, 1977) and Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta (July 7, 2008), Shaurya Chakra awardees Sepoy Om Shiv Sharma (September 5, 1994), Naik Jangbir Singh (August 20, 1996), and Havildar S Samy Kannan (April 2, 2004).
It has been constructed by Navy Intelligence Coaching College and Depot (MITSD), with the assistance of Roadway Options India Infra Ltd. An island strip exterior MITSD, the alma mater of MI personnel, has been transformed right into a park-cum- memorial.
Since 1962, 40 courageous personnel belonging to the Corps of MI of the Indian Army, together with 11 officers, have laid down their lives in numerous operations. Nevertheless, tales of their conflict heroes haven’t been informed or mentioned overtly/publicly owing to the “core character” of the companies. However for the primary time, their sagas will probably be briefly shared with the general public.
Conflict Widow Sunita Mehta, the spouse of Kirti Chakra awardee Brigadier Mehta, informed TOI from New Delhi, “Will probably be a giant honour for the households. The folks will respect their wealthy contributions. They’ve been unsung heroes of the nation.”
BK Singh, the director of RSIIL, who has monitored the work on the web site for the previous few months, stated, “While you take a look at the partitions of valour, you see the greatness of MI personnel. Every of these 40 busts represents an unwavering dedication to their duties. Every represents a life that refused to be cowed down by enemies. Via this construction, we are going to at all times honour and bear in mind them.”
Majority of those personnel laid down their lives in Jammu and Kashmir and North Japanese borders through the years. Lt Gen LN Singh (retd), the previous commandant of MITSD, expressed satisfaction over the memorial devoted to Navy Intelligence personnel. “There may be not a single public memorial of MI within the nation,” he stated over telephone from Manipur.
“Pune is a temple for intelligence corps officers. The memorial will assist most people to know in regards to the unsung heroes of MI, whose contributions are recognized solely inside our fraternity,” Singh stated, including, “I couldn’t get the memorial constructed after I was a commandant of the MITSD attributable to bureaucratic hassles. However lastly, it has occurred.”
“In Israel, there’s a devoted tank museum captured by the Israeli Defence Power (IDF) in numerous wars. It’s fantastically maintained. It serves as an inspiration for folks there. It should encourage our generations similarly,” he stated.
Contained in the memorial, a separate platform, in cement concrete on which the pledge of the MI Corps will probably be written, faces a map of India. Two vertical strains of busts (36 inches made up of a mixture of resin and fibreglass, all weatherproof) seize consideration. At one finish of the memorial is a logo of the Corps, whereas the aspect has a tank depicting its presence in numerous formations.
Some intelligence officers consider that their work will encourage future aspirants. “A single quote, sentence, or a quick description of somebody’s bravery is sufficient to encourage one in setting life’s objectives. This memorial will work in that course,” they stated. ‘
A bit of veterans and relations really feel that the tales of the heroes ought to have been made public way back. “Conserving the names of those that fought 4 a long time in the past made no sense. What did we obtain? Our inspiring tales have remained restricted to a small circuit of the intelligence group,” stated a veteran who didn’t want to be named.
