In July 1987, the Indian Government ordered the Indian Army to move to Northern Sri Lanka, as peacekeepers and disarm the LTTE who were pursuing Tamil Eelam. As things unfolded, the peace keepers turned into peace enforcers. Over the next three years, almost five divisions of the Army, and the Air Force and Navy, got sucked into a unplanned and unprepared war against the LTTE. It was called Operation Pawan, and until the forces were deinducted in early 1990, almost 1200 officers and men had made the ultimate sacrifice. Another 3000 officers and men were injured, some greviously. Those who sacrificed their lives, were either cremated or buried there. The graves lie unmarked and uncared for. The dead have not been honored in the tradition of our Armed Forces. The dictum - " We do not leave our soldiers behind !" sounds hollow. 

The war in Sri Lanka was a political decision. The Armed Forces just followed orders. It's ironic that they are not remembered or commemorated. The Army fought valiantly against all odds. They earned 1 PVC, 4 MVC's, 40 VrC's and other gallantry awards, which speaks of their gallant actions. We need to bring back our dead who lie in unmarked graves in Northern Sri Lanka. We need to commemorate Op Pawan braves, just like our other wars. They did not die in vain.