Over 1,000 peacekeepers from India have been awarded the UN medal for their "dedicated service and sacrifice" in the conflict-ridden country of South Sudan, the world body said today.
Highly valued by peacekeepers, the United Nations medal recognises their commitment and service while deployed in peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster relief missions around the world.
In a special ceremony at the United Nations base in Malakal (northern South Sudan), 850 members of the 3 MADRAS Indian Infantry Battalion Group (INBATT1) received medals from the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan Lieutenant General Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, the UN said in a statement.
Medals were also presented to 268 members of the Indian Horizontal Maintenance Engineering Company (HMEC), 50 personnel providing medical care for the UN staff at the Level II Hospital, and 18 members of the Force Signal Unit, it said.
The peacekeepers from India were honoured for "their dedicated service and sacrifice" in the conflict-ridden country of South Sudan, it added.
The event was attended among others by Indian Ambassador to South Sudan Srikumar Menon.
India is the largest cumulative troop contributor, having provided almost 200,000 troops in nearly 50 of the 71 peacekeeping missions mandated over the past six decades, including 13 of the current 16 missions.
So far, about 168 Indian troops have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty under the UN Flag.
India currently deploys more than 7,600 military and police personnel to UN peace operations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Liberia, the Middle East, South Sudan, Sudan and the Western Sahara.
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