<span style="color: #222222;">Today is International Day of UN Peacekeepers. This day is observed on the 29th of May every year to pay tribute to peacekeepers' contribution and to honour over 4,000 peacekeepers who lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948.<br />”<br />”The theme this year is – &quot;The road to a lasting peace: Leveraging the power of youth for peace and security.&quot; Around 90 thousand men and women work in peacekeeping missions worldwide to protect civilians, help achieve and maintain peace and defend human rights. The peacekeeping force was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.<br />”<br />”India has been and remains one of the largest contributors of troops to UN peacekeeping missions. More than 2 lakh Indian troops have served in UN peacekeeping operations so far. Over 160 Indian peacekeepers have lost their lives serving under the UN flag. Indian Army contributed troops during the Korean War from 1950 to 1954. Since then, India has participated in more than 50 missions. Indian peacekeepers have been deployed in some of the most dangerous and challenging missions including in South Sudan, Congo, and &nbsp;Mali. Retired Major General SB Asthana of United Services Institution in India says that they play an important role in restoring peace.<br />”<br />”Former Head of Mission of the United Nations Protection Force in &nbsp;erstwhile Yugoslavia, Padma Bhushan awardee Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar says that India has been playing an important role in this mission since the very beginning. This is a day to remember and honor all peacekeepers who have lost their lives while serving under the UN flag over the past seven decades.</span><br />