Army Chief installs iconic 1971 surrender painting at Manekshaw Centre

The Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, along with Sunita Dwivedi, on Monday installed the 'iconic 1971 surrender painting' at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.

The iconic painting portrays the ceremonial surrender of Pakistani soldiers to the Indian Army on 16 December, 1971, in Dhaka following the liberation of Bangladesh was installed on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.

December 16, 1971, was the day when Pakistan signed the instrument of surrender in Dhaka, following a 13-day India-Pakistan War. This resulted in the surrender of over 93,000 soldiers, and the Pakistan Army's capitulation against Indian forces was complete. Following this decisive victory, India announced itself as a major regional force.

"On the occasion of #VijayDiwas, #GeneralUpendraDwivedi #COAS, along with the President #AWWA, Mrs. Sunita Dwivedi, installed the iconic 1971 surrender painting in its most befitting place, The Manekshaw Centre, named after the architect and the hero of the 1971 War, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw." The Indian Army posted on X.

Senior serving officers of the Indian Army and veterans were present on this occasion.

As per the Indian Army, the installation at the Manekshaw Centre, named after the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, will benefit a large audience due to substantial footfall of diverse audiences and dignitaries from India and abroad at this venue.

"This painting is a testament to one of the greatest military victories of the #IndianArmedForces and the commitment of #India to justice & humanity for all. Its placement at the #ManekshawCentre #NewDelhi will benefit a large audience due to substantial footfall of diverse audience & dignitaries from #India and abroad at this venue," the post further reads.

Notably, the painting was earlier installed in the Army Headquarters, New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Manickam Tagore moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on Monday to discuss the removal of a 1971 war photograph from Army Headquarters, New Delhi, and its implications.

In his notice to Speaker Om Birla, Manickam Tagore said that the removal of the photograph, which commemorates the historic surrender of Pakistani forces in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on December 16, 1971, is not only troubling but is a direct affront to the historical memory of this monumental event.

He urged the central government to "immediately" restore the photograph to its original position.

For India, the 1971 victory is a historic milestone, and December 16 is commemorated nationwide as "Vijay Diwas" to honour India's triumph over Pakistan. According to reports, 3,900 Indian soldiers are believed to have died and 9,851 were injured during the war of 1971.