Nagpur: “It was 5 December when the plane was shot down and he was gone.
I had to call his wife DAMYANTI in Delhi last week to say that it was exactly 50 years since Vijay go.” It’s been many years now, “he said, sounding sad,” said Tambay Sunad 95-year-old, a retired officer of the central government who stay in Nagpur.
His nephew, Flt Lt Vijay Tambay was among 54 Indian Army personnel are missing in action and believed to be still in jail Pakistan.
In the midst of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the War of Bangladesh, their stories have been frozen in time.
For DAMYANTI, now in her 70s, has been a struggle for five decades, all to no avail.
The family has sufficient reason to believe that he was alive and in jail in Pakistan.
But the government may not do enough to bring him and others back, they believe.
In the late 1980s, Jayant Jathar, a veteran cricketer of Vidarbha, had gone to Pakistan with the Indian team.
After the game, General Tikka Khan to give a gift when Jathar ask if he could see his nephew – Vijay.
Khan agreed, and Jathar allowed to see from a distance.
“I even waved at him,” said Jathar after returning.
Efforts by the government to bring it back do not produce results, even after a visit Jathar.
Jathar died in April this year because Covid.
Aircraft fly Su-7 on the Western Front, Tambay has taken part in repeated missions deep inside Pakistani territory when his plane was shot on 5 December.
He is reported to have been issued.
“We have many reasons to believe that he is still alive.
The arrest was reported in Pakistani observers, a newspaper published from Dhaka.
News was heard on Radio Pakistan and his arrest record was also released,” said Col (Right) Tambay Pradeep, brother Vijay men.
“There was a naval officer from East Pakistan Erstama, who was imprisoned during the war.
Later, he came to India for a training, and found my cousin.
Seeing her name, she asked if he was associated with Vijay.
The clerk said Vijay kept in jail Pakistan with her, “he added.
Perhaps much can be done when 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war were released.
At that time India had the upper hand, and can ask for the release of those who remained behind.
But somehow bring that back as Vijay does not seem to be a priority, says Pradeep.
Both brothers Tambay went to Bishop Cotton School.
Vijay then joined the National Defense Academy (NDA), while Pradeep went to then VRCE and join the army through technical entries.
Kin had done all they could but in the end the problem needs to be taken by foreign countries, which can only occur through the Indian government.
“I and Kin of missing persons and others have gone to Pakistan twice and was allowed to visit the prison and look for them.
My last visit was in 2007, and we returned empty-handed,” he said.
“The last political leader I met was former Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Now, in the midst of so much celebration, almost no mention of the 54 personnel were missing,” he said.
“At least now he should be allowed to go back, purely on humanitarian grounds so he could spend his last days in the land of his mother,” says Pradeep.
“I remember getting a telegram of Vijay who lost the action of the air base.
At that time we lived in Dharampeth,” remember Sunad.
“Father Vijay Vasant Tambay was an officer of the first batch IAS.
He also served in the Royal Air Force.
The letters were written to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto through Piloo Mody, a politician, like Bhutto was his classmate during pre-independence,” he added.
“I am proud of the country’s victory in 1971, but on the personal front there is still a certain dissatisfaction that the government does not do enough for his soldiers,” said Damyanti.
“Even I have crossed 70, and had no more years.
Instead of missing 54, I prefer to call my husband and others were forgotten 54,” he said.