Manohar Parrikar to open a unique kind of war memorial in Kutch, Gujarat

Bhuj

Defense minister Shri Manohar Parrikar will be visiting border district Kutch on Thursday to inaugurate a memorial dedicated to brave village women who built airstrip during year 1971 Indo-Pak war.

According to the state information department he will be arriving at 3.45 pm on August 27 by air and attend the inaugural function of ‘Veerangana Smarak’ of Madhapar near Bhuj at 4.00 pm. He will leave for Delhi at 6.45 pm.

Veerangana smarak has been made at a cost of Rs 45 lakh. The memorial was planned 7 years ago by Arjnabhi Bhudiya and Jayantbhai Madhapariya. The inauguration event has been organized in MSV high school campus. Air Force and Army will display weapons and play the band. A documentary film will be screened on this occasion.

300 women from Madhapar were entrusted with the task of reconstructing destroyed Indian Air Force air strip in Bhuj during 1971 war. The air strip in Bhuj was completely devastated by Pakistani bombers that dropped 14 nepalm bombs on the night of December 8, 1971. The air strip needed to be reconstructed on a war footing, and for which, officials were not in a position to wait for long. They hurriedly took a decision to get the repair work done by locals.

The women, all daily wagers, were summoned from Madhapar village and assigned to rebuild the air strip in 72 hours. Women were instructed to cover the strip with cow dung, in order to camouflage it from the enemy’s planes. While working, the women had to scurry for shelter in bunkers often at the sound of siren. Taking shelter in bunkers during air strikes, they had to survive on Sukhadi’ and chilli.

Eventually, when the war was over, their work was recognized by the Indira Gandhi government and the women were felicitated at a public function where they were also given a group award of Rs 50,000. However, all the women unanimously agreed to spend the amount for a community hall for Madhapar Navavas Gram Panchayat. Some of these women are alive today.

– DeshGujarat