[EXCLSUIVE] Lt Col A G Rangaraj figures in Korean calendar on War Heroes
NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Colonel A G Rangaraj, the Commanding Officer of 60 Para Field Ambulance of the Indian Army has secured an important place in the annual calendar published for the Korean war veterans by the Korean Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs.
As Asian Community News (ACN) Network had exclusively revealed in its news Lt. Col. A G Rangaraj declared Korean War Hero for the month of July 2020 dated Nov 26, 2019, Col. Rangaraj was announced as the Korean War Hero for the month of July 2020 by the Korean ministry in recognition of the contribution of the Indian Army in inter-Korean War (1950-53).
The annual calendar “이달의 6.25 전쟁 영웅” (Monthly 6.25 War Hero) published by Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs (MPVA) for the year 2020 carries 12 Korean War Heroes, one for each month. And Col. Rangaraj (June 5, 1916-March 23, 2009) finds a place in the month of July.
The ware had erupted on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea, and it ended on July 27, 1953.
South Korea is currently commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War in which UN forces with 21 nations including India had supported South Korea while others led by the erstwhile Soviet Union and China had backed North Korea.
According to Col. Lee IN, the Defense Attaché, Embassy of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in New Delhi, Col. Rangaraj’s photo has been published for the month of July 2020 in the MPVA calendar to pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Indian soldiers who participated in the Korean war.
Also read: 70th Anniversary Special: Heroic deeds of Korean War Hero Lt. Col A. G. Rangaraj, remembered
However, the MPVA this time has not displayed the photographs of Korean War heroes at Korean War Memorial and other public places in Korea as it would do earlier and has instead chosen to publish a calendar to pay tribute the Korean War heroes.
“When I was in Korea I used to see many pictures of war heroes on the buildings and parks but this year only the MPVA has published calendar. According to Korean MPVA’s reply, there isn’t any public commemorate activities for Lt. Col. Rangaraj in Korea. They just have published Korean War hero Calendar for commemoration,” said Col. Lee.
The Korean War Hero for the month of June is Korean Lt. Col Jang Cheolbu (Calvary unit Commander), and it is “57 Navy Warriors of Battle Ship Jirisan” for the August month.
