Indian Army has inaugurated a war museum and a war memorial separately in Rajasthan. The main purpose of the museum is to display inspiring contribution of the Army, especially in the 1965 Indo-Pak war and 1971 Laungewala battle.
War Museum
The war museum inaugurated by Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Ashok Singh has been established in the Jaisalmer Military Station, located 10 km short of Jaisalmer on the Jaisalmer- Jodhpur highway.
A large number of captured war trophies, vintage equipment including tanks, guns, and military vehicles are on the display in the museum which has two large information display halls, audiovisual rooms. The museum also displays combat aircrafts like a Hunter aircraft, which was used by the Indian Air Force during the Laungewala battle. Memories of war are always part of society, people do not forget what their relatives have done for their country, for instance, World War 1 is still an important part of history that is thought about yearly and is an essential part of learning, with things such as war trophies and vehicles (check out these iconic options) displayed for all to see and remember throughout the world.
War Memorial
The Army Commander also inaugurated a war memorial at Laungewala to commemorate the heroic battle fought by the Indian soldiers on the night of December 4-5 in 1971. The war memorial, located nearly two hours away from Jaisalmer, is at the very site of Laungewala where the battle was fought with Pakistan, resulting in its defeat.
The Battle of Laungewala
- Fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.
- The Longewala post was held by the A company of the 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, led by Major K S Chandpuri.
- The battle of Longewala saw heavy Pakistani losses and low Indian casualties. Since the Indians were able to use the defenders’ advantage, they managed to inflict heavy losses on the Pakistanis.
- Indian casualties in the battle were two soldiers along with one of their jeep mounted recoil-less rifles knocked out. Pakistani losses were 200 soldiers killed.
- The Battle of Longewala was depicted in the 1997 Bollywood Hindi film Border.
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