SWARNIM VIJAY VARSH
(The Vijay Mashaal in Hyderabad)
Vijay Mashaal : To mark the 50th year since India’s victory in the 1971 indo- Pak war, the Prime Minister lit four Vijay Mashaals on 16 December in Delhi. Each of these Victory Torches was carried by runners to the home of every recipient of the PVC, MVC, and VrC gallantry awardee of that war wherever located, ie North, South, East or West of the country. The southern Vijay Mashaal reached Hyderabad on 8 February 2021.
11.2.2021: The felicitation ceremony was organised by the army and held in the central parade grounds in Secunderabad. There was a display of weaponry and the function was open to the public. It commenced with wreath laying at the Martyrs Memorial, reception of the Vijay Mashaal by the Governor, felicitation of five awardees by her Excellency Governor of Telengana and included a band concert, cultural programme and speeches. The awardees comprised one MVC (Air Force) and four VrCs ( two each from the Air Force and the Army including three NOK widows). Citations were read out and each awardee was presented a commemoration plaque by the Chief Guest. (see images).
12.2.2021: A single-service felicitation ceremony was held at the air force station Begumpet, where 70 years ago, this writer had been a pilot trainee! The three air force awardees (one MVC and two VrC NOK widows) were joined by 47 air warriors who had participated in the 1971 war. The Victory Torch was jointly received by the three gallantry awardees who then inaugurated the Vijay Vatika and planted saplings. Thereafter there was a documentary film on the war, a performance by the air force symphony band, an audio visual of each of the three gallantry awardee and felicitation of all 50 air veterans by the Commandant Air Force Academy along with the gift of a shawl.
13.2.2021: Mid-morning saw the lit Vijay Mashaal, carried by a team of runners escorted by outriders and accompanied by the air force symphony orchestra brought to ‘Parkhaven’, 25 Vayupuri AFOCHS Ltd where it was received by this writer. A short ceremony was held for the small group of attendees (neighbours, friends and managing committee members of our society) all of whom were sanitized, masked and socially distanced. After this brief but very emotional ceremony, the Vijay Mashaal was taken by its escorts for its onward journey down south and its eventual meet-up with the other three in Delhi on 16 December 2021 on Vijay Diwas.
14.2.2021: Not part of the foregoing three functions, but following immediately thereafter, was the 65th wedding anniversary of a very tired couple who did manage to host a small tea party to friends to celebrate the occasion in the evening. The three outings of the Vijay Mashaal had been widely covered by the media; we were flooded with congratulatory messages from family, friends and old colleagues. It needed a few days rest before my wife and I could return to the routine of our normal, quiet pace of retired life in Vayupuri. What a wonderful experience of being remembered and honoured it has been for this old pilot now in his 89th year!