I was Sub-Collector (SDO) at Panposh (Rourkela) in Sundargarh District of Orissa for a year in 1971-72.
I remember that just a few days before leaving on transfer, I chanced to see a bundle of old (army?) medals in one of the office almirahs. Those appeared to be medals awarded by the British Indian Government, meant for distribution amongst the the ex-armymen/ their successors of that Sub-Division. The name of each awardee was engraved on each medal. So far as I remember, the names indicated local tribal names. Since this was almost 44 years back, the details are hazy in my mind but the I do remember the basic facts.
We got a list of these medals prepared awardee wise and I sent a letter to the Collector & DM Sundargarh informing him of the medals and suggested that these be taken charge of and got distributed after suitable verification/following of procedure.
I left that assignment within a few days and do not know what happened to the medals thereafter.
Then about 15 years back I happened to remember this and wrote to the then Collector & DM (a Lady Officer) of Sundargarh district enquiring what had happened to the medals. I did not get any reply.
Now that I am working on the lists and graves of the Indian soldiers who died in France during the First World War, these medals have once again come to my mind.
Maybe some younger officer of Orissa Cadre could throw some light on it.
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