Kolkata: The 33rd 'Vijay Diwas' was celebrated today (Dec 16, 2004) at the Eastern Command headquarter in Kolkata with due solemnity, marking the victory of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force over the Pakistani forces in 1971 that led to the emergence of Bangladesh.

GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen J S Verma placed a wreath at the Vijay Smarak war memorial at Fort William where floral tributes were also paid by top Air Force and Navy officers.

It was on this day that the greatest military surrender since World War II took place, when the then GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen J S Aurora accepted the instrument of surrender from Lt Gen A K Niazi of the Pakistani Army in Dhaka.