On the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, India paid tribute to two of its brave soldiers Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan who laid down their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions last year.
The United Nations posted a tweet on (May 29) that both peacekeepers will be posthumously awarded the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal next week in recognition of their courage, dedication and supreme sacrifice in the service of global peace.
Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh was serving with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), while Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan was deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) when they lost their lives in the line of duty.
In a post marking the International Day of Peacekeepers, United Nations India honoured the memory of the two Indian soldiers, stating that their sacrifice reflects the highest ideals of UN peacekeeping and international service.
Commemorating the occasion, Indian Army Deputy Chief of Army Staff (IS&T), Lieutenant General Vipul Shinghal, laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in honour of Indian peacekeepers who made the supreme sacrifice while serving under the UN flag.
The Army said, “Dag Hammarskjöld Medals were awarded posthumously to Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan in honour of their exemplary courage, dedication and sacrifice in the line of duty.”
As part of the observance, the Indian Army hosted a dialogue on “Future of UN Global Peacekeeping” at the Manekshaw Centre. The event was attended by senior dignitaries, including Stefan Priesner, Ruchira Kamboj and Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, named after the former UN Secretary-General, is awarded to military, police and civilian personnel who lose their lives while serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
India remains one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions and has a long-standing legacy of supporting international peace and security. The nation joined the global community in saluting the bravery, service and sacrifice of Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan.