India has launched a virtual memorial wall to honour the United Nations peacekeeping heroes who died in service as the first step towards building a permanent monument at the UN headquarters. The digital memorial wall has been unveiled by Permanent Representative Asoke Kumar Mukerji hosted at the headquarters to honour the 125 recipients of the Dag Hammarskjold Medal.

Indians conferred with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal are Raju Joseph, a civilian who died while working for the UN operation in South Sudan, and Lance Naik Nand Ram, who served in the U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.N. Peacekeepers’ Memorial Wall is proposed to be built at the headquarters with the names of the heroes engraved on it.

At another ceremony, Lt. Col. Bharat Sirohi, Lt. Col. Rajneesh Duseja, Lt. Col. Bharat Bhalla, and Deputy Inspector General P.S. Knegi were awarded U.N. Headquarters Medal for service to the world organisation at the department of peacekeeping operations.

Tidbits

• India has contributed over 180,000 troops to 44 U.N. missions so far.
• Currently, 8,112 Indian personnel drawn from the military, police and civilian ranks serve in seven U.N. operations.
• India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute the three largest contigents to the U.N. operations.
• Ban Ki Moon is the present Secretary General of United Nations.