On 80th anniversary of Russia’s victory over Nazism in World War II, the Russian Embassy in New Delhi held a special ceremony to honour Biju Patnaik and other Indian soldiers who contributed to the Battle of Stalingrad.
Key Highlights
- A memorial plaque was unveiled at the Russian Embassy, New Delhi.
- Tribute paid to legendary Indian leader Biju Patnaik for flying supply missions for the Red Army during World War II.
Other Soldiers Honored:
- Havaldar Gajendra Singh Chand – Awarded the Soviet Order of the Red Star
- Narayan Rao Nikkam – Awarded the Soviet Order of the Red Star
- Subedar Birta Singh Gurung – Awarded the Soviet Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class
Service Details: All four served in the General Purpose Transport Companies of the Royal Indian Army Supply Corps, delivering vital supplies day and night to the Red Army.
Diplomatic Significance: Ceremony attended by high-level dignitaries, underscoring strengthened India–Russia relations and shared history in the anti-Hitler coalition.
About Biju Patnaik
- Full Name: Bijayananda Patnaik (popularly Biju Patnaik)
- Political Career: Chief Minister of Odisha (1961–1963; 1990–1995)
- Military Service: Joined the Royal Indian Air Force at the outbreak of World War II; flew sorties over Stalingrad, dropping arms and supplies to the Soviet Red Army.
- Legacy: Remembered for daring missions during the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the war’s most decisive engagements. Died on 17 April 1997.
Battle of Stalingrad: A Decisive WWII Turning Point
- Date of German assault: August 23, 1942
- Surrender of Germans: January 30, 1943
- City now known as: Volgograd
Key Events
- Operation Barbarossa: Launched 22 June 1941; Wehrmacht (unified armed forces of Nazi Germany) advanced into Soviet territory, seizing Belarus and Ukraine.
- Objective Shift: After failing to capture Moscow, German forces targeted Stalingrad (renamed Volgograd in 1961) starting 23 August 1942
- Urban Warfare: Intense combat, massive Luftwaffe bombing, and artillery reduced the city to rubble; Germans controlled 90% by late 1942
- Turning Point -Operation Uranus: Launched November 1942; encircled nearly 300,000 Axis troops. Harsh Russian winter and lack of supplies crippled Axis troops. Over 90% of city captured by Nazis before tide turned. Turning point that shifted WWII momentum to Allied Forces
- German Surrender: Gen. Friedrich Paulus capitulated 30 January 1943; by February, the Red Army had regained the city and captured ~100,000 German soldiers.
- Aftermath: Defeat marked the end of German eastward advance. The Red Army’s momentum carried them to Berlin by 2 May 1945; German surrender on May 9, 1945, now marked as Victory Day in Russia
Importance of Stalingrad:
- Major industrial city on the Volga River
- Symbolically important as it bore Stalin’s name
- Home to artillery production for the Red Army
- Critical shipping route to the Caspian Sea