Major Gopakumar: Remembering a war hero from Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu
Major Gopakumar’s brave actions in the eastern sector during the 1971 Indo-Pak war won him the Vir Chakra. The arrival of ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’ (Victory Flame) in Kerala capital on Saturday is an occasion to remember him
The arrival of the ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’ (Victory Flame) in the capital on Saturday was an occasion to remember a hero from this city whose brave actions in the eastern sector during the 1971 Indo-Pak war won him the Vir Chakra. During the war, Raman Pillai Gopakumar, a young Army captain at the time, was posted as GSO-3 (Intelligence) at the Eastern Command. He organised and led the Mukti Bahini operatives in a series of daring missions against the enemy. This included the capture of a well-fortified position that forced the surrender of enemy soldiers.
Over the decades, the Anglo-Indian Grand Christmas Ball in Chennai has stepped into many venues, from Railway enclaves to private halls. It has left an indelible mark on some of these venues, Faiz Mahal and Shiraz Hall, both in Egmore, counted among them. This Christmas Day (December 25), Faiz Mahal is playing host to yet another Grand Christmas Ball. The soiree is organised by Anglo-Indians but by no means restricted to them. In these times of dwindling Anglo-Indian presence even in enclaves with a distinctive Anglo-Indian flavour, this event signifies an effort to preserve a cultural tradition that has enriched Chennai












