75 veterans of Indian defence forces are being honoured to mark India’s 75th Independence anniversary
BRAMPTON: There are about 5,000 veterans from Indian defence forces residing in the GTA.
To mark India’s 75th Independence anniversary, the Consulate General of India in Toronto (CGI Toronto) has decided to honour senior veterans above the age of 75 with `Varishta Yoddha’ Awards – meaning warriors of the highest order.
The Consulate approached the Veterans’ Association of Ontario, an organization formed in 1996 by veterans of Indian origin living in Ontario, to submit details about senior veterans living in the GTA.
Coincidentally, when we prepared an initial list, the number of senior veterans here turned out to be 75.
After getting the list from us, the Consulate General honoured veterans above 90 in 2020. But because of COVID restrictions, no ceremony could be held and Consul General Apoorva Shrivastava decided to honour them at their residences.
It was indeed an emotional occasion for these veterans, some of whom were over 100 and had participated in World War II among other battles, when they were honoured after many years in this distant land.
This year’s function to honour `super’ senior veterans is scheduled to take place at 10.30 am onwards on October 3 at Hotel Holiday Inn near Pearson Airport.
In addition to Consul General Apoorva Shrivastava, Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, and Rajesh Thakre, assistant to military attaché at the Indian embassy in Washington DC, will be present to honour our veterans.
Veterans will share their interesting experiences of various battlefields before being honoured with the `Varishta Yoddha’ Award.
Definitely, this is going to be a very emotional and unique experience for these veterans and their families since most of them participated in the 1948 Kashmir Operation, the Goa Operation, the 1962 war with China, 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, and the Kargil War.
I would like to share three important points about our veterans with the Indian diaspora.
One, the respect and success we Indians initially got in Europe and North America was also due to sacrifices of millions of Indian soldiers during two World Wars in which India had no direct stake.
Two, these heroes fought and laid down their lives in the belief that they were fighting along with other allies for a better world and the truth.
Three, post-Independence, these soldiers ensured the security of India so that the country could progress economically and we could emigrate abroad with some funds to be successful in these countries.
Today, a large number of Indian veterans living in these countries are the best example of honesty, integrity and high moral values as compared to others. That’s why the diaspora must give due respect to Indian veterans. Yes, we do celebrate `Poppy Day’, but do remember your own veterans too.
Consul General Apoorva Shrivastava has done well to set an example of how best to honour our veterans who gave their today for our tomorrow.
I hope this occasion will be remembered by veterans – and their families – getting honoured 50 years after hanging their boots and that too thousands of miles away from their home land.
It will strengthen their emotional bond with the motherland their served with their blood!
Would like to attend the function.