Correspondent
KOHIMA, April 18, 2019: Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the battle of Kohima WW-II (1944-2019) a gallantry award ceremony was held at Kohima on Thursday. The event was organised by the Kohima Educational Trust and Kohima Educational Society.
Chief Secretary Temjen Toy, said “we are gathered here today because of the war, specifically the battle of Kohima, the battle which was not ours, but the battle which was fought in our land and that has brought changed in the history of Nagas forever and the world as well. In view of this, Temjen Toy said, the state government has decided to make the 75th anniversary a yearlong commemoration by organizing a number activities as a remembrance for those who took part, lost their lives during world war II and to make it a platform for reconciliation and to look for a bright future. He paid tributes to those who were involved in the fierce battle and those suffered immensely during the war.
Charles Chasie sharing the history of the Gallantry Award Medals said that the history of discovering the Naga gallantry award winners and recovery of the documents and medals was a long and interesting journey and started without any proper focus on it. In 2014, during the observation of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima, the seed was planted to record the experiences of the Naga veterans who were still alive.
Chasie said 69 Gallantry Awards won by Naga soldiers during the 2nd world war were traced out and hoped to uncover more who had won the Gallantry awards.
Meanwhile, descendants of the awardees gave a brief account on their grandfathers during the World War II. They shared about the struggles faced by them.
Later, the Guest of Honours, Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy and Curator, Kohima Museum, York, Bob Cook presented Naga Gallantry awards to 43 personnel honouring them for their deeds in different categories in the Order of the British Empire, Member of the British Empire, British Empire Medal, Imperial Service Medal, Military Cross, Military Medal, Indian Distinguished Services Medal and the Indian Police Medal.