New Delhi: As the world marks the International Day of UN Peacekeepers today, India will posthumously honor two of its brave personnel, Brigadier General Amitabh Jha and Havildar Sanjay Singh among 57 UN peacekeepers who lost their lives in the line of duty last year.
The two Indians will be awarded the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at a solemn ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath in memory of over 4,400 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since the first mission in 1948. He will also present special recognitions, including the Military Gender Advocate of the Year to Ghana’s Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year to Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone.
Observed annually on May 29, the day honors the sacrifices and service of UN peacekeepers, both past and present who work tirelessly in conflict zones to uphold global peace and security.
Every day, in 11 operations around the world, 61,000 UN peacekeepers serve at great personal risk & under harsh conditions to
✔️ Maintain and restore peace & security
✔️ Help and protect communities
✔️Promote human rights
& much morehttps://t.co/mZCGCfyJEj#PeaceBegins pic.twitter.com/jYVWFyMhAJ— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) May 29, 2025
The date also commemorates the launch of the first UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), established in Palestine in 1948.
Peacekeeping has remained a core pillar of the UN’s mission, with operations often deployed alongside humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. Since its inception, over 4,000 UN peacekeepers have died due to violence, accidents, or illness.
India has long been a cornerstone of UN peacekeeping operations, contributing more than 2,90,000 personnel to over 50 missions. Currently, over 5,000 Indian peacekeepers serve across nine active missions worldwide. Last year, India was also recognized for the sacrifice of peacekeepers Shishupal Singh, Sanwala Ram Vishnoi, and civilian Shaber Taher Ali in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
