India Honors Peacekeepers with Dag Hammarskjold Medals on UN Peacekeepers Day

Tribute to Fallen Peacekeepers

On May 30, the United Nations recognized the sacrifices of Brigadier Amitabh Jha and Havildar Sanjay Singh, who lost their lives while serving in peacekeeping roles, by awarding them the prestigious Dag Hammarskjold medals.

India's Permanent Representative, P Harish, received these honors from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony dedicated to peacekeepers who have died in the line of duty.

Brigadier Jha served as the acting force commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which is stationed in the Golan Heights to oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Syria following the 1973 conflict.

Guterres praised Jha's leadership, stating, "He operated under challenging conditions after the fall of the Assad Government in Syria and will be remembered for his steadfast dedication to UN peacekeeping, particularly during his tenure as a military observer with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) from 2005 to 2006."

A citation from India highlighted Jha's crucial role in navigating a tense security landscape during the Syrian crisis in December 2024, when the Assad regime collapsed, putting pressure on the UNDOF-supervised border area from both Israel and various Syrian factions.

The citation noted, "Jha was a steadfast leader, as demonstrated by his management of UNDOF during his command. His resolve will be respected by both supporters and critics alike."

Havildar Singh was serving with MONUSCO at the time of his death. Additionally, Waibhav Anil Kale, a retired Indian Army colonel, also perished last year while working for the UN in Gaza, where he was attacked by Israeli forces while serving as a security service coordinator.

The day marked the 77th UN Peacekeepers Day, celebrating the contributions of 61,353 peacekeepers, including 5,375 from India.

In New Delhi, the Indian Army commemorated the Blue Helmets who have died in UN service with a ceremony at the National War Memorial, led by Lieutenant General Rakesh Kapoor, the deputy chief of Army Staff, honoring the 182 Indian peacekeepers who lost their lives on UN missions.