The military is not accorded the respect it deserves in India compared to other countries. The only time people think of the military is during war, at other times, it is a forgotten institution.
The low-key celebrations of any military-related event is probably a deliberate action on the part of the government and bureaucracy to forever relegate the armed forces to a secondary, subservient role in order to emphasize the principle of civilian control.
The only time GOI brings out its forces is on the August 15 and January 26.I grew up in Air Force family and never experienced the day where GOI would pay homage and respect to unified Armed Forces of the nation.I am curious.Is there Remembrance Day In India? November 11 in most Commonwealth countries.
Thank you Ray for your contribution, I look forward to reading your posts. I also read in one of the post that you were in Army. Where can I read in more details about your life in Army. I have few classmates who were commissioned in the three wings of our Armed forces.Yes.
Remembrance Day is remembered in India, in honour of the many soldiers who died in WWI and WWII and also for those who died after Independence.
It is only the Army who do the honours by laying the wreath at the India Gate and the Cenotaph in Kolkata.
WWII casualty - Undivided India (87,032).
WWI casialty - Undivided India 74,187
Independent India does not have a National Military Memorial.
We use India Gate which was constructed for the Indian soldiers who died in WWI and WWII.
India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931. Originally known as All India War Memorial.
I was in the Army.Thank you Ray for your contribution, I look forward to reading your posts. I also read in one of the post that you were in Army. Where can I read in more details about your life in Army. I have few classmates who were commissioned in the three wings of our Armed forces.
Regards.
Late 50's. and feel like 16 year old. This number has struck with me for ever. I do not know why.I was in the Army.
Now, I am retired and relaxing.
I am not aware as to how young you are, but then I am as far and beyond as Mohenjodaro and Harappa all rolled in one!
Yes, we should remember all Indian soldiers throughout history. But I cannot help but feel sad that millions of Indian lives were thrown away to fight in pointless European wars with no meaning to us.
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The Scots and Irish no doubt have the same feelings.
If your empire is big enough and diverse enough there is an obvious pattern. An example is using soldiers from Mongolian SSR to beat down the Hungarians in 1956.Let us not get carried away because these same Indian soldiers under the brits were also used to beat down Indians in India.
I wonder if by that logic, I should not get carried away about Marattas because the same chaps under Maratha ruler and his marauders (callled borgis in Bengal)regularly raided Odisha and Bengal and devastated the people and took away the grains and riches.Let us not get carried away because these same Indian soldiers under the brits were also used to beat down Indians in India.
Thank you for sharing the history of gone by years. I learned something new.I wonder if by that logic, I should not get carried away about Marattas because the same chaps under Maratha ruler and his marauders (callled borgis in Bengal)regularly raided Odisha and Bengal and devastated the people and took away the grains and riches.
Bargis indulged in large scale plundering of the countryside dominated western part of Bengal for about ten years (1741–1751). Bargi invasions took place almost as an annual event.
The Bargi invasions played on the creative impulse of the people. Even to this day, mothers in Bengal sing the cradle song to put their children to sleep -
chhele ghumalo, pada judalo bargi elo deshe
bulbulite dhan kheyechhe, khajna debo kise?
ছেলে ঘà§à¦®à¦¾à¦²à§‹ পাড়া জà§à¦¡à¦¼à¦¾à¦²à§‹ বরà§à¦—ী à¦à¦² দেশে
বà§à¦²à¦¬à§à¦²à¦¿à¦¤à§‡ ধান খেয়েছে খাজনা দেব কিসে
ধান ফà§à¦°à§‹à¦²à§‹ পান ফà§à¦°à§‹à¦²à§‹ খাজনার উপায় কি?
আর কটা দিন সবà§à¦° কর রসà§à¦¨ বà§à¦¨à§‡à¦›à¦¿à¥¤
When the children fall asleep, silence sets in, the Bargis come to our lands
Bulbulis (birds) have eaten the grains, how shall I pay the rent?