Honoring Valor: Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran's Legacy on Balidan Diwas

India pays tribute to Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, a Param Vir Chakra awardee, on his Balidan Diwas. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi honored his extraordinary bravery and sacrifice during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, highlighting his enduring influence on the nation's armed forces.

India's Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, paid homage to Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran on his 'Balidan Diwas', reflecting on his remarkable bravery and sacrifice during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. Singh commemorated the event on social media platform X (previously Twitter), lauding Major Parameswaran's exceptional leadership in the 1987 Jaffna operation.

Earlier, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi honored the solemn occasion at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, paying respects with a wreath and moment of silence for Major Parameswaran and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) soldiers who served during the operation. Widely respected as one of the Army's most gallant field commanders, Major Parameswaran bravely led a besieged unit and executed a counterattack, despite sustaining fatal injuries.

Major Parameswaran's leadership not only resulted in the neutralization of militants but also in weapon recovery, earning him posthumous recognition with the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry award. Operation Pawan, part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987, marked India's first extensive overseas military engagement, aimed at stabilizing the Jaffna Peninsula amid challenging counter-insurgency operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)