Context
A statue of the legendary Hardit Singh Malik, the first Indian fighter pilot of the Royal Flying Corps, will be erected at Southampton, a city in South East England, in memory of all Indians who fought in the World Wars.
About Hardit Singh and his contribution in World War
- The legendary World War I hero, Hardit Singh Malik was the world’s first Royal Flying Corps (now the Royal Air Force) Sikh.
- Malik is famous as the ‘Flying Sikh’. Among his other nicknames is the ‘Flying Hobgoblin’.
- Hardit Singh Malik studied from Balliol College at the University of Oxford in 1908.
- He later on became the Indian Ambassador to France after a long and distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service.
- He was also leader of the Indian delegation when the United Nations General Assembly was held in Paris.
- Honour: In April 1956, he was decorated as a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honourby the President of France, René Coty.
World War I
- It is also called First World War or Great War.
- It was an international conflict that in 1914–18 embroiled most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions.
- The war pitted the Central Powers—mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States.
- It ended with the defeat of the Central Powers.
World War II
- The Second World War, conflict involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939–45.
- The principal belligerents were the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.
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Important facts about the memorial
- The memorial will be dedicated to black and ethnic minority service personnel who fought for Britain and lost their lives in the World Wars.
- More than 1.2 million Indians fought and 70,000 died during World War I, although only four became pilots.
- More than 80,000 Indians were wounded.
- The memorial will be created by English sculptor Luke Perry, who is associated with other memorials such as the “Lions of the Great War” monument in Smethwick in the West Midlands region of England.
- The statue and plinth are going to be almost 17 feet tall.
- It is planned to be installed by April 2023
