Three Indian U.N. peacekeepers were honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty at a solemn ceremony at the U.N. Headquarters.
Key points
- The three Indians include Border Security Force (BSF) personnel Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Samwali Ram Vishnoi, who served with the Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Shaber Taher Ali, who was employed in a civilian capacity with the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq.
About Dag Hammarskjöld medal
- The Secretary-General established the Dag Hammarskjöld medal in December 2000 as a posthumous award to members of peacekeeping operations who lost their lives during service with a peacekeeping operation under the operational control and authority of the United Nations.
- Each year on Peacekeeper’s Day, this medal is awarded to any Member State who has lost one or more military or police peacekeepers at a ceremony at UN HQ.
- The medal is the highest honour awarded to U.N. Peacekeepers who have distinguished themselves by exceptional courage, devotion to duty, and sacrifice in the cause of peace.
- The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is organised on May 29 which offers a chance to pay tribute to the uniformed and civilian personnel’s invaluable contribution to the organisation’s work and honouring more than 4,200 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the U.N. flag since 1948.
