History between India and Israel's Haifa city 'inspiring', also holds a great 'future ahead': Mayor

Haifa: As the northern Israeli coastal city of Haifa on Thursday paid tributes to brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the region during World War I to liberate the city from Ottoman rule, the city's Mayor described the rich history between India and the coastal city as "inspiring", and ongoing collaborations between them as holding a great "future ahead".

Addressing a gathering of about two hundred people assembled to show respect to the Indian soldiers, Mayor Dr Einat Kalisch-Rotem said that he sees India as a very important partner in the big plans for the city of Haifa.

"The rich history between India and Haifa is inspiring and very significant for both of us. This is one of the strongest links (the story of the liberation of the city) between us, in the past, but also for our future," Kalisch-Rotem said.

"We have a lot to do with the port of Haifa. And we have big plans for the city of Haifa and I see India as a very important partner, and for that, I would say that it is not just the history but also the future ahead of us," she stressed.

A consortium of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Israel's Gadot Group won the tender in July of 2022 to privatise the Port of Haifa for a staggering USD 1.18 billion.

It completed the process of purchase on January 11 this year, following which upgradation work has been going on in full swing at the port. The Indian partner in the consortium holds 70 per cent of the stake while its Israeli partner Gadot has 30 per cent.

The successful entry of the Adani Group into Israel through its acquisition of the Haifa port is being seen as a "strategic purchase".

It is probably the biggest foreign investment in this country in any sector in recent years.

A group of Bollywood producers visited Israel last year during Haifa Day and announced a movie, "The Heroes of Haifa", whose posters were also released during their visit.

The movie aims to bring the epic story of the bravery of Indian soldiers to the celluloid screen.

"I have to tell you that in my living room, I have a beautiful poster of the proposed film we hope to see sometime soon, The Heroes of Haifa, that we all are waiting for. I can't tell you how much I love looking at this beautiful poster," The Haifa Mayor said.

In what most war historians consider “the last great cavalry campaign in history”, Indian cavalry regiments armed with spears and swords displayed the highest tradition of valour and cleared the Ottoman forces from the rocky slopes of Mt. Carmel under all odds.

The Indian Army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects to the three brave Indian Cavalry Regiments - Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur Lancers - that helped liberate Haifa following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM) and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh were awarded the Military Cross (MC) as recognition for their bravery in this battle.

Major Dalpat Singh, widely popular as the Hero of Haifa, was awarded a military cross for his bravery.

Addressing the gathering at the Indian cemetery in Haifa, India's Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, described the daring charge led by Indian soldiers as "one of the last classical cavalry actions in an era that saw large-scale mechanisation of war".

The victorious assault on Haifa was carried out by Jodhpur lancers which was then commanded by Thakur Dalpat Singh, whose heroic actions earned him the title of The Hero of Haifa.

Accompanied only by his trumpeter, Thakur Dalpat Singh charged an entrenched machine gun post, killing and scattering the crew and capturing the gun, as also the commandant of a regiment and another officer.

Thakur Dalpat Singh was critically injured with machine gun bullets in his spine, which ultimately cost his life.

As a result, Captain Aman Bahadur Singh took over command of the regiment and rallied his men in the final charge that led to victory under heavy machine gun fire.

The Jodhpur Lancers lost eight men and had 34 wounded. But they also captured over 700 prisoners, 17 field guns and 11 machine guns.

"The battle was described as almost the only occasion when a fortified town was captured by cavalry on the gallop," Singla noted.

Indian troops played a crucial role in the campaign resulting in the defeat of the Ottoman forces in the region.

More than 74,000 Indian troops laid down their lives during World War I, including over 4,000 in the Middle East.

In Israel, memorials to Indian soldiers exist at Haifa, Jerusalem and Ramle, including some Indian soldiers who were of Jewish descent. About 900 Indian soldiers are interred in cemeteries in these cities of Israel.

"These cemeteries for the fallen soldiers are one of the many historical connections that India has to this land," the Indian envoy emphasised.

Singla also informed the gathering that as a tribute to the bravery of these soldiers, the Embassy of India with the help of Israeli authorities is setting up "The India Trail" in the Holy Land.

"It is a project which honours the Indian military units which participated in World War I in this region. Of the dozens of actions in which Indian units fought, six were chosen all over Israel. I am proud to say that Haifa is one of them," he said.

Over 1 million Indian soldiers served and fought in World War I.

"Today, we commemorate the courage and sacrifice of many such Indian soldiers who laid their lives in distant lands far away from their homes. Today we acknowledge our eternal debt to those who served our country", the Indian envoy said.

"These fallen soldiers represented all major faiths and regions of our country. And this tribute shows that their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten," he asserted.

History textbooks in Haifa teach about the story of the liberation of Haifa by Indian soldiers from class 3 to 5. The Haifa Historical Society has also been going around to schools in the city telling the story of the liberation of Haifa to youngsters over the last decade.

A group of students from the local Eironi Gimmel school also participated in the ceremony at the Indian cemetery, accompanied by their history teacher.

"I think it is important for the children of the city to know the history of their place, and in this case, it helps strengthen the strong bonds between India and Israel", historian Igal Graiver from Haifa Historical Society told PTI.

In a symbolic gesture of friendship with Israel, India renamed the iconic Teen Murti Chowk, a memorial erected in 1922 in New Delhi to commemorate this historic deed, as "Teen Murti Haifa Chowk" during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Delhi in January 2018.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Indian cemetery in Haifa during his visit to Israel in July 2017 and unveiled a plaque commemorating Major Dalpat Singh for his critical role in the liberation of the city.

"I am deeply honoured to stand here today to salute the valiant Indian soldiers, who laid down their lives for the liberation of Haifa during WW I," Modi had written in the guest book.

"The exceptional bravery and supreme sacrifice of Major Thakur Dalpat Singh MC, the "Hero of Haifa" and his men, will be remembered forever and continue to inspire generations to come.

Next year, the centenary of the battle of Haifa will present another opportunity to mark this enduring bond between India and Israel," he wrote.

The 61st Cavalry, the name given to the unit created after the merger of the three cavalry units after independence, sent a contingent to Israel in 2018 to participate in the centenary celebrations.

The Israel Post issued a commemorative stamp in 2018 in appreciation of Indian soldiers' role in liberating the city.