By Brig Vijay Atray
New Delhi. 18 December 2019. Vijay Diwas ( Victory Day) is celebrated on every 16th December in India, to commemorate Indian defence forces victory over Pakistan in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
The end of the war also resulted in the unilateral and unconditional surrender of the Pakistan Army and subsequent secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh. On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the allied forces consists of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, led by General Jagjit Singh Aurora, of India in the Ramna Race Course, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka after their defeat in the war. Same day an event is commemorated in Bangladesh as Bijoy Dibos.
On 16 December every year, Citizens, senior officials, students & war veterans lay wreaths and remember the sacrifices of the soldiers. The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. In the nation’s capital New Delhi, the Minister of Defence and heads of all three wings of the Indian armed forces pay homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi as well as in the National Military Memorial, Bangalore. Noida has large presence of ex – servicemen and they have built a Shaheed Smarak (Smarka ) by their voluntary contribution.
Like every other year the Vijay Diwas was celebrated by first wreath being laid by Air Marshal Arora the Vice Chief of Air Staff followed by the martyrs kith & kin. It was a solemn ceremony organized with military precision and discipline. Besides the veterans & families of Noida , senior serving officers of all the three services ,tri services Guard of Honour & buglers were also present. Army Public School Noida students sang patriotic songs , in rhythm with their band.
