1. Indira Gandhi returned 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, but didn't care there were 55 Indians warriors in Pakistani custody. From a post by Indian Armed Forces Confessions on FB.
2. Damayanti Tambay, four time Indian national badminton champion and currently (in 2019) deputy director of physical education at JNU.
In 1970, right before winning her third national badminton title, Damayanti Subedar married Flight Lieutenant Vijay Vasant Tambay.
In 1970, right before winning her third national badminton title, Damayanti Subedar married Flight Lieutenant Vijay Vasant Tambay.
3. Just a year later she lost him when he was captured by Pakistan during the 1971 war. Flight Lieutenant Tambay was serving with the 32 Squadron based at Air Force Station Ambala and was operating Su-7 aircraft during 1971.
4. The IAF launched operation Cactus Lily in response to the preemptive strikes by the PAF on Indian bases on 3rd Dec 1971. As part of this, the 32 Sqn took part in numerous missions against Pakistani targets.
5. 04 Dec 1971, Flt Lt Tambay had already undertaken two missions deep inside Pakistan against its air bases. On 05 Dec 1971, Flt Lt Tambay was tasked to be part of the mission that was to attack the Pakistani air base at Rafiqui.
6. Flt Lt Tambay in a bid to cause maximum damage to the target air field, flew dangerously close to enemy air defence batteries and was shot down by anti aircraft guns. He was declared KIA on 05 Dec 1971.
7. Pakistan officials and government never acknowledged that they have Flt Lt Tambay in their custody but their newspaper did. The Dawn published front page news stating that Flt Lt “Tomboy” had been shot down and captured. Flt Lt Tambay had “Tomboy” written on his flying helmet.
8. And from here starts the wait, a wait that has been going on for the last 48 years. Initially when Damayanti Tambay heard of her husband’s capture, she was relieved in a way as she admits.
9. “I thought since he is captured, he is out of danger. And as a prisoner of war, sooner or later, he would be sent home. There was never any doubt that he will come back."
10. As the days passed and no news of her husband came, the chances looked bleaker and bleaker.
What angered her was the government’s unwillingness to act urgently.
What angered her was the government’s unwillingness to act urgently.
11. Once the Indian government had released over 90,000 Pakistani PoWs without ensuring that each of its own men was returned, it didn’t have the same bargaining power.
12. “How did you not make sure that each of your men came back? How could you slip on this,” she asks. “I keep wondering why the government has not been able to do anything.”
13. Over the years, Damyanti has tried several ways, signed petitions and met various authorities, to at least meet her husband in the Pakistan prison, but to no avail.
14. Flt Lt Tambay was one of the 54 POWs who were never returned to India by Pakistan. Her hopes has been dashed numerous times, she had to bear the disappointment in silence, but she refuses to give up, even after all these years.
15. It's rightly said:
“The day you married a service member is the day you joined the military.”
Salute to all such military families!
Ends
“The day you married a service member is the day you joined the military.”
Salute to all such military families!
Ends
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