Kendrapara: To motivate students and youth to join Defence forces and promote patriotic spirit among them, a battle tank used by the Indian Army in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, was shifted to Kendrapara Autonomous College here Saturday for display as ‘War Trophy’ memorabilia.
The T-55 Russian made battle tank bearing the legacy of the Bangla liberation war was obtained from the Directorate of Ordnance Services, Master General Branch, Army Headquarters in New Delhi with approval and recommendation of the then Chief of Army Staff and present Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.
The war trophy has been issued for display purposes at the college campus to motivate the students and NCC cadets to join defence forces to serve the country and promote patriotic spirit among the students.
“The War Trophy Tank T- 55 Russian Tank which fought the India Pakistan war of 1971 and gave victory to the country as a symbol of pride and prestige of the nation. The college paid only Rs 1.14 lakh to procure the tank. A concrete pedestal will be constructed at the college campus to display both the tanks. Our two year long efforts have finally paid dividends”, said Rajendra Tripathy, the principal of the college.
The tank would motivate students and youths to join the Indian Army. The tank of the Indian Army will become a major attraction point in the college, added the principal.
T-55 tanks destroyed 58 Pakistani tanks in the 1971 war. Between 1960 and 1980, these tanks had caused a great deal of panic in the Pakistani army on the border.
The battle tank was used in the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. It was reportedly inducted into the Indian Army in 1968 and was in service until 2011, said retired army personnel.
The ex-servicemen from these parts expressed their delight after the college authorities obtained two tanks.
Seventy-three-year-old war veteran Duryodhana Mohanty of the riverside Barunadiha village is among the few lucky soldiers to be still alive who participated in the Bangladesh Liberation war. Mohanty was delighted after the arrival of two tanks in the college.
The Indian army and Mukti Bahini fought with Pakistanis and destroyed many tanks and killed many Pakistanis with the help of T-55 tanks . It is a great day for me as a tank reached the college, said Mohanty.
Bhubaneswar-based veteran journalist Dulal Misra (73), who covered the Bangladesh War for an Odia daily published from Cuttack said: “I was a young reporter then. For the first time, we saw the battle tank and its ferocity. One T-55 tank is apparently equivalent to 100 soldiers. Then in 70s there was no missiles or rockets, tanks were the main ammunition against the enemies.”
PTI
