Ex Servicemen from the 8 Mahar (PVC) Regiment paid tribute to Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran to mark the anniversary of Operation Pawan.
The ex-army personnel organized a program at Aadat Lawn near Pathankar Square on November 25, offering floral tributes to Major Parameswaran. The event also provided an opportunity for former colleagues from the 8 Mahar (PVC) Regiment to bond and honor the sacrifices they made for the nation.
Major Parameswaran’s unit was part of the 54 Infantry Division, tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed on July 29, 1987.
Following the induction of Indian forces in August 1987, militants were expected to surrender. However, the dreaded LTTE reneged on the agreement and launched attacks against Indian forces.
On the late night of November 25, 1987, Major Parameswaran led a team of soldiers on a search mission in Kantharodai near Uduvil in Jaffna, an LTTE stronghold. While en route to locate a cache of weapons hidden by LTTE militants, his team of approximately 30 soldiers inadvertently entered a militant hideout and came under heavy fire.
The militants, armed with AK-47s, grenades, explosives, and deadly heavy machine guns (HMGs), inflicted significant damage. They had also mined the area, restricting the movement of the soldiers, who found themselves at a disadvantage.
Major Parameswaran quickly assessed the situation and decided to launch a counter-ambush to save his men. Leading a group of 10 soldiers, he moved forward under relentless HMG fire. Displaying remarkable bravery, Major Parameswaran crawled through the coconut grove toward the source of the ambush, disregarding his own safety.
Startling the militants with his audacious maneuver, he managed to surround them. However, a burst from an HMG operated by a sniper perched in a coconut tree struck his left wrist, nearly severing his hand. Undeterred, he charged at the nearest militant, seized his weapon, and shot him down. Just then, another HMG burst hit him in the chest.
Major Parameswaran was carrying a Mini Signal Pistol in his pocket, which exploded due to the HMG hit, fatally wounding him. Despite his collapse, his bravery inspired his soldiers, who successfully repelled the militants.
Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, for his cold courage, indomitable fighting spirit, and supreme sacrifice. He remains the sole recipient of the PVC from the IPKF operations in Sri Lanka and the first officer from OTA Chennai to receive this prestigious honor.