Italy Honours Indian War Hero

An Indian soldier’s extraordinary World War II story has once again come alive in Italy. The Municipality of Montone and the Embassy of India in Italy jointly commemorated Naik Yeshwant Ghadge, the Indian soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his extraordinary courage during the Second World War.

Ghadge served with the 3/5th Mahratta Light Infantry, now known as the Maratha Light Infantry. On July 10, 1944, in Morlupo in Italy’s Upper Tiber Valley, the 24-year-old soldier single-handedly attacked and captured an enemy machine-gun post. He first used a grenade to disable the machine gun, then engaged the gun crew before being fatally shot by enemy snipers. His Victoria Cross citation described his courage and devotion to duty as outstanding. His body was never recovered.

The commemoration also connected the past with a new generation, with students from Army Public School, Belagavi, interacting virtually with students of Giuseppe Polidori Secondary School in Montone. The Embassy said the exchange helped children from India and Italy learn about Ghadge’s sacrifice and the shared history between the two countries. Ghadge is commemorated at the Cassino War Memorial in Italy, while a statue in his honour stands at the Tahasil Office in Mangaon, Maharashtra.