Bharat’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, received the Dag Hammarskjöld Medals on behalf of Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal is the highest honour awarded to members of UN peacekeeping operations as a tribute to the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives in peacekeeping operations. The ceremony took place at the UN headquarters in New York on May 25 to commemorate the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi of the Border Security Force lost their lives while serving under the UN flag last year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Meanwhile, Shaber Taher Ali, employed in a civilian capacity with the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), was also posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal, which was received by Under-Secretary for Field Support, Atul Khare.
The three Indians include Border Security Force (BSF) personnel Head Constables Shishupal Singh and Sanwala 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. Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi deployed as part of a United Nations mission at Butembo, Congo, since June 2, 2022 were among five people killed during an anti-U.N. protest in the Eastern city of Goma near the strife-torn country’s border with Uganda. While Mr. Shishupal Singh hailed from Sikar, Mr. Vishnoi belonged to Barmer.
“India’s contribution to U.N. peacekeeping needs no long introduction. Suffice to say that since our first participation in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in 1950, India has been one of the most prolific contributors to peace efforts worldwide,” said Indian envoy Kamboj.
India has deployed more than 2,75,000 troops, including a significant number of women peacekeepers, in over 51 U.N. peacekeeping missions.
