Six decades on, Koreans return the favour

Talk about being grateful. That's the virtue a group of South Korean war veterans displayed at the Seonhak Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

An Indo-Pak clash is a money-spinner, replete with thrills, spills and chills. And so it was on Thursday. Many thousand spectators poured in, but a large majority of these were Pakistani expatriates. Younger, noisier and energetic, they easily outnumbered their Indian counterparts.

But standing out starkly amid this frenzy was an unlikely group of India supporters, the largest there was of staid 80-something gentlemen, clad in white T-shirts, enthusiastically waving the Tricolour to register their support for the Men in Blue. They neither screamed, nor cheered. But their very presence spoke volumes.

Times washes over many memories, but for these South Korean war veterans memories of the civil war of 1950 are as fresh as ever. It was during the raging battle that India sent the 60 Parachute Field Ambulance and Surgical Unit as a humanitarian gesture to relieve the wounded and the dying. Many have lived to tell the tale of those horrific days and remain grateful to India for its humanitarian gesture. Most of these veterans are over 80, frail in body and in declining health, not given to shouting and cheering loudly. However, they are always in good spirits.

And a hockey match was a good enough reason for them to come out in large numbers to rally for the Indian team. They are of the firm belief that it is their bounden duty to do so — show solidarity with India at the stadium, because India once ruled the world in hockey.

"They wanted to attend India's match against Pakistan," said Kil Eun Young, a young group leader at the stadium, trying to assist the veterans.

The war veterans know only the Korean language but a young volunteer played translator. "We have good memories of the Indian doctors," said an elderly man who identified himself as only 'Park'.

Park still remembers the winter of 1950 when 346 men and 17 officers from India landed in Korea with medical supplies. Lt Col AG Rangaraj had six months' worth of medical supplies, and he desperately needed help from the Americans to transport them on the military train out of Pyongyang.

The Americans, with an explanation that there were no engines available to pull the train, ordered Rangaraj to destroy the medical supplies. But Rangaraj didn't obey the orders and somehow managed to find a working engine. The Indians drove the train out of Pyongyang, now North Korea's capital city, just before the last bridge over a river was destroyed.

The Indians used these medicines into the combat zone to treat the wounded soldiers. The Indians performed more than 2000 operations and treated more than two lakh patients. That's why Indians are admired by Koreans.

On Thursday, the war veterans sat there quietly, waving Indian flags and enjoying biryani. And whenever India conceded a goal, they looked sad.

CIRCA 1950
With the communist invasion of South Korea in 1950, the United Nations called out for assistance. India, which had become independent in 1947, decided not to get involved militarily. The government, however, chose to contribute a medical unit. The 60 Parachute Field Ambulance served in Korea for four years. It was involved in providing medical cover to the forces of the UN Command as well as the Republic of Korea Army and local civilians, and earned the title, 'The Maroon Angels'. The unit also looked after the North Korean prisoners of war. Thanking India for their role, former South Korea president Lee Myung-Bak said in 2010, "Korea was fortunate to have India, the source of an ancient and noble civilisation, as a friend during the war. The medical unit headed by Col AG Rangaraj valiantly rushed to the aid of wounded soldiers in the face of a fierce crossfire. For its distinguished service, the unit received citations of merit from the Korean government on a number of occasions. Had it not been for the devoted services and sacrifices of the Indian people, Korea would not have become what it is today," Lee added. "We have always remembered their sacrifices and pledged they would not go in vain. Koreans are proud of the achievements of the Republic over the years and hope that Indian people are equally proud," he said.