SWARNIM VIJAY DIWAS CELEBRATIONS TO COMMEMORATE THE 50 YEAR OF 1971 WAR

Col . Ashok Mor, NCC cadets of IIT along with NCC staff and veterans celebrated the Vijay Diwas at Kargil Heights Chook at IIT Kanpur to mark 50th anniversary of India’s win in 1971 war.

December 16 is a significant day for India and its neighbours Bangladesh and Pakistan. In 1971, India won the war against Pakistan that resulted in the birth of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan).

On this day 47 years ago, Pakistan lost half its country, its forces in the East, and had to publicly surrender to India. It was also the largest military surrender after World War II.

The war started when Pakistan launched air strikes on 11 Indian airbases. It was perhaps the first time in which India's all three forces fought in unison. India quickly responded to Pakistan Army's movements in the west and captured around 15,010 kilometres of Pakistan territory. The war ended after the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the joint forces of Indian Army and Bangladesh's Mukti Bahini.

General A A K Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka, marking the formation of East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan also lost half of its territory with the birth of Bangladesh.