Noted newscaster and commentator Surajit Sen Monday handed photographs and mementos collected by him during the 1971 war with Pakistan to the Indian Army chief, Gen. J.J. Singh.

Sen had covered the war first hand, moving along with the Indian Army and was witness to various key events, including the surrender of the Pakistan Army in the erstwhile East Pakistan and formation of an interim government in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh was formed after India liberated the former East Pakistan.

Sen, who has worked with state-run All India Radio and Doordarshan, was the first foreign correspondent to reach Dhaka after the surrender of Pakistani forces.

He collected letters from people who played a major role in the war as well as photographs and mementos. One such memento was a Pakistani .32 pistol made in Peshawar and presented to him by the Indian Army.

Sen formally handed over these historic artefacts, mementos and documents to Gen. Singh for display in any services museum.

Singh thanked Sen for his gesture and assured him that the historical artefacts would find a suitable place in the army.

After reaching Dhaka in 1971, Sen carried out many exclusive interviews, including those with top political leaders of the newly founded Bangladesh, intellectuals, student leaders and members of Badr Bahini and Razakars.

He produced several special features like "In The Name Of Islam" and "The Anatomy Of A Pakistani Soldier".