The members of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka during 1989-90 of the 122 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army), Madras Regiment, are meeting 33 years after the Operation (OP) Pawan. The IPKF Warriors Meet 2024 will be held at the West Hill barracks in Kozhikode from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 14.
The unit commanded by then Colonel P.V. Sahadevan was the only unit of the IPKF that returned home without any casualties. Colonel Sahadevan later became Brigadier and bagged Veera Chakra, Vishisht Seva Medal and Athi Vishisht Seva Medal for his exploits in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and missions against the Naga terrorists in the northeast region before his retirement. He was also Deputy Commandant of National Security Guards and Deputy Director of Border Security Force.
The 122 Infantry Battalion, then based at Kannur under the name ‘Kannur Terriers’, has since then shifted to Kozhikode and assumed the name ‘Malabar Terriers’. It is now being commanded by Colonel D. Naveen Benjit. Incidentally, his father Major General (Rtd) David Iver Devavaram, recipient of Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, who had led one of the battalions of Madras Regiment under Brigadier Sahadevan, will be the chief guest at the IPKF Warriors Meet.
