Change of painting in Army's chief lounge

14.12.2024 - The Hindu

“The photo/ painting symbolising India’s first major military victory in a 1,000 years and also first as a united nation, in 1971, has been removed by a hierarchy which believes that mythology, religion and distant fragmented feudal past will inspire future victories"

The iconic picture from 1971 shows Lt. Gen. Nia-zi of Pakistan Army signing the instrument of sur-render in East Pakistan in front of Indian Army’s Lt. Gen. Aurora that saw the surrender of 90,000 Pakistani soldiers and the birth of Bangladesh.

Not clear where the old painting was shifted to.

The new painting,

‘Karam Kshetra – Field of Deeds’, done by Lt. Col. Thomas Jacob of the 28 Madras Regiment,

portrays the Army as a “guardian of Dharma, fighting not merely as a defender of the nation but to uphold justice and protect the nation’s values”, and

also captures the Army’s evolution into a “technologically advanced, integrated force”.

It shows snow-capped mountains in the backdrop, with the Pangong Tso Lake in eastern Ladakh on the right, and Garuda and Krishna’s chariot on the left, along with Chanakya and modern equipment such as tanks, all-terrain vehicles,infantry vehicles, patrol boats, indigenous light combat helicopters and Apache attack helicopters.