EMN
Dimapur, June 21
Pacifist heritage agency, the United Service Institution of India (USI), and the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India are undertaking a joint initiative to chronicle the role of India in the First World War, as a way of acknowledging the contribution of her troops in staving off the axis onslaught.
The venture is called the ‘Joint USI-MEA Great War Centenary Commemoration Project’ and aims to mark the occasion and “focus on the oft-forgotten role of India in the conflict through a series of events that explore various aspects of Indian involvement,” a press release from the initiative stated on Saturday.
“The USI Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, in conjunction with the Government of India Ministry of External Affairs, is planning to organize a range of events across four years (2014-2018) as part of the Joint USI-MEA Great War Centenary Commemoration Project, to highlight India’s role in World War 1,” the press release stated. The First World War (1914-1918) or the Great War for Civilization, as it was known at the time, was a watershed event in modern world history. “The events of that conflict changed the social and political map of the world forever. Its repercussions reverberate through time and many contemporary conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, trace their roots directly to the fallout of that war,” the institution stated.
“Though a colony at the time, India actively supported the war effort in its bid to gain dominion status; the overwhelming majority of mainstream political opinion in 1914 was united in the view that if India desired greater responsibility and political autonomy, it must also be willing to share in the burden of Imperial defense.”
As a result, India contributed immensely to the war effort in terms of both men and material. The USI stated: “Her soldiers served with credit and honor in numerous battlefields around the globe: in France and Belgium, in Aden, Arabia, East Africa, Gallipoli, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Persia, Salonica, Russia, and even in China. By the end of the war 1,100,000 Indians had served overseas at the cost of 60,000 dead. They earned over 9,200 decorations for gallantry including 11 Victoria Crosses.”
These figures include the contribution of over 26,000 Imperial Service troops who were a part of the Indian States Forces.The Joint USI-MEA Great War Centenary Commemoration Project aims to mark the occasion and focus on the oft-forgotten role of India in the conflict through a series of events that explore various aspects of Indian involvement. Please refer to the brief of planned activities enclosed with this information sheet for more details on our upcoming events.
The objectives of the venture is to examine diverse dimensions of India’s participation in the Great War; present “multifaceted look” at Indian involvement in the war and focus on themes such as inter-cultural interactions, race and gender, war literature, visual representation of soldiers, ‘filmography’ and “increase people-to-people contact with partner nations,” the statement said.
Likewise, it aims to trace and enable descendants of distinguished soldiers to attend planned commemorative ceremonies; inform, educate and raise awareness about India’s oft-forgotten role in the war both in India and abroad, and motivate research studies and encourage scholarly exchanges.
History records suggest that 4000 Nagas were sent by the Government of India to World War 1. The war came as the first big opportunity to come into contact with the outside world. With it the seed of recognition of the Naga inalienable rights to sovereignty and independence was sown in the form of the Naga Club in 1929, It was the Naga Club who submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission which visited Kohima stating that Nagas would not join the Indian Union because they were not Indians.
Researchers are keen to know of any links that Naga families may have with the first 4000 men who left the Naga hills for World War I. The opportunity must be seen as one to re connect to the history of our land and people. Any knowledge of such family history may be communicated to Eastern Mirror.
