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Veterans benefits

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:17 am
by CZHarry
I was sitting around today, contemplating my mortality. A bit morbid, but we all must prepare for the inevitable, sometime.
I have certain benefits due me, being a war veteran, but especially, I have any number of National Veterans Cemetaries within which I will rest my weary bones, or in my case, ashes, for free.

My question would be, does India provide free health care or internment for Armed Forces Veterans?
For whatever reason, I couldn't recall Indian participation in a world-wide conflict, but I went ahead and checked with the Korean war, since it was a UN type thing, and it was after Independance. Sure enough, I located this Indian group:

60th Indian Parachute Field Ambulance - Indian Army Medical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_Regiment_(India)
(In part...) "With the communist invasion of South Korea in 1949, the UN sent out a call to the free world for assistance and received huge response. India being a peace-loving country decided not to get involved militarily contributed a medical unit, the 60 Parachute Field Ambulance which served in Korea for a total of three and a half years, the longest UN tenure by any army unit anywhere. The unit was involved in providing medical cover to the forces of the UN Command as well as the ROK Army, local civilians. The unit also looked after the North Korean POWs. The highlight of the tenure undoubtedly was when the unit provided their services during Operation Tomahawk in March 1951 to the US Army’s 187 Airborne Regimental Combat Team for which the unit was awarded two MVCs, one bar to VrC, six VrCs and a host of other decorations."

And of course, the Army website:
http://indianarmy.nic.in/
Unfortunately, I ran out of time before being able to peruse it at length.

Re: Veterans benefits

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:48 am
by MoA
CzHarry... any war fought in the last century or so, has had major Indian contributions.
India does provide free health care to its veterans, other than for cancer or tubercolosis.
There are few is any armed forces cemeteries in India, primarily since the majority of the population does not practise burial due to religious reasons. Cremation is very common.
Pre Independence WWI and WWII come to mind immediately. Post Indiependance Korea and Congo are the most prominent. However contributions to UN lead efforts are very common.
India didnt participate in Desert Storm I or II for political reasons.

Re: Veterans benefits

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:19 am
by BJL
Yeah, India has taken part over 49 UN peace keeping operations. Before Independence,the Indian army was in multiple theaters wherever the British were in conflict.

Re: Veterans benefits

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:35 am
by Sakobav
czharry

another good site for such information is http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/


You can also post any queries there.

Best