Who Was Col Waibhav Anil Kale? Indian UN Staffer Killed In Gaza

An Indian UN staffer, Col Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), who served for over two decades in the Indian Army, was killed in Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict on Monday.

In the "first international" casualty for the United Nations since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, a former Indian Army officer, Col Waibhav Anil Kale, who had joined the UN just three weeks ago, was killed in the war-hit Rafah in Gaza.

Folllowing the casualty, the United Nations called for a full investigation, while Israel too ordered a separate probe into the attack, which killed the former Indian Army officer and injured another UN staffer.

Col Waibhav Anil Kale Retired Early To Join UN

A former Indian Army officer, Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, opted for an early retirement from the army in 2022, and thereafter joined the UN as a Security Coordination Officer in the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS).

During his time in the Indian Army, Kale commanded the 11 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in Kashmir and also served as an instructor at the army's Infantry School in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.

He was travelling with another DSS staffer to the European Hospital in Rafah when their UN vehicle was struck on the morning of May 13. Kale is survived by his wife Amruta and two teenage children.

Kale's brother-in-law Wing Commander Prashant Karde (Retd) told news agency PTI that the "former infantry officer decided to join the UN to pursue his career and also because he was keen on humanitarian mission work."

Kale had left the army and settled in Pune three years ago. Hailing from Nagpur, the former Indian Army officer had pursued his studies at Nagpur's Somalwar High School and earned his B.A. from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, Karde said.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Kale also had degrees in Behavioral Science and International Humanitarian Law, in addition to pursuing studies at the Indian Institute of Management at Lucknow and Indore. 

Kale had joined the Indian Army in 1998 and had also served as Contingent Chief Security Officer with the UN between 2009 and 2010. 

During his time in the military, Kale served in the northeast and also at the Siachen glacier. "He was a former deputy commander of Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir and was part of counterintelligence and counter-terrorism operations," Kale's brother-in-law added..

Group Captain Vishal Kale, who is the deceased UN staffer Kale's brother, is also senior officer in the Indian Air Force. His cousin Colonel Amey Kale also serves in the Indian army. 

"Kale's last rites will be held in Pune in two days after his body is flown via Cairo. His mortal remains will land either in Mumbai or Pune depending on the availability of flights,” Karde, a senior commander with IndiGo, told PTI.

Follwoing the incident, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed condolences and said that he was “deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer.”

The Permanent Mission of India to the UN also condoled Kale’s death and tweeted: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time.”  

Col Kale's Family Remembers Him

Kale's aunt, Mugdha Ashok Kale, while remembering him said "...He came from a very happy family so he was not worried about anything. He was brought up with a lot of love and care...They are all patriots in his family. So, they wanted him to join the Defence...When we came to know about the death, we were stunned. We could not believe it..."