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Remembering APJ Abdul Kalam on his 5th Death Anniversary.

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 07:07:00 +0000

APJ Abdul Kalam "Missile Man of India"

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J."Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.Already a highly accomplished and much respected individual when elected to be the president, Kalam had spent four decades as a scientist and science administrator at several prestigious organizations like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Born into a family of humble means in Tamil Nadu, Kalam went on to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology. His initial dream was to become a fighter pilot but he failed to qualify for the Indian Air Force. He then started working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist and was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Eventually he was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and in this position he played a key role in the Pokharan II nuclear tests. He became the President of India in 2002 and was known as the People's President. He left the office after serving one term and became professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University and a visiting professor at several other institutions.

Early life and Education

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He came from a family whose financial conditions weren’t sound enough. As a means to support his family’s meagre income, Kalam took up odd jobs in his childhood but never gave up on his education.

He graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli in 1954 but not satisfied with his degree, he left for Madras later next year to study aerospace engineering. He enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career

After graduating from MIT, Kalam took up the position of chief scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). However, the profile didn’t appeal Kalam much who shifted to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle.His years at the ISRO were the most crucial ones, as they left a lasting impact on him. Kalam lead many projects and turned out to be successful each time.

A milestone was achieved when locally built Rohini-1 was launched into space, using the SLV rocket. Upon watching the raving success of Kalam, the government agreed for initiation of an advanced missile program under his directorship. He played a pivotal role in developing missiles under the missions Agni and Prithvi.

Kalam was the Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P) which researched in simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one by one.

From 1992 until 1999, Kalam was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation. It was during this time that Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator for Pokhran II nuclear tests, after which he was fondly called the “Missile Man of India”.

Kalam succeeded K. R. Narayan to serve as the 11th President of India from 2002 until 2007. It was a highly one-sided contest. With his appointment, Kalam became the first scientist and first ever bachelor to occupy the Rastrapati Bhawan. During his tenure as a President, Kalam was both appreciated and criticised. The latter was mostly due to his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 mercy petitioners.

In addition to all the profiles that Dr Kalam held, he authored numerous influential and inspirational books. Amongst all his books, “India 2020” was the widely read and appreciated one. It forecast an action plan which advocated India turning into a knowledge superpower and as one of the developed nations of the world by the year 2020. His other books include, “Ignited Minds”, “Mission India”, “Inspiring Thoughts” and “The Luminous Sparks”.

In 2011, he launched his mission for the youth of the nation called the “What Can I Give Movement” with the main aim to defeat corruption in India.After completing his term as President, Dr Kalam served as visiting professor in various esteemed institutes and universities of India, such as Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indore. He also served as Chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram, Aerospace Engineering at Anna University (Chennai), JSS University (Mysore).

In the 1970s, Kalam directed two projects, namely, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.

As an Author

Abdul Kalam was also a noted author who had penned books like ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium’ (1998), ‘Wings of Fire: An Autobiography’ (1999), ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India’ (2002), and ‘A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020’ (2014).

Awards and Honors

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has been honored with several prestigious awards from the Government of India including the Padma Bhushan in 1981, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990, and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. He was also the recipient of the Von Braun Award (2013) from the National Space Society "to recognize excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project". Following his death, the Tamil Nadu state government announced that his birthday, 15 October, would be observed across the state as "Youth Renaissance Day".

Personal Life

Kalam was a life-long bachelor. He had four elder siblings—one sister and three brothers with whom he had close relations. He was a very simple person with just a few personal possessions.

Death

He remained active until the last day of his life. He was scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong on 27 July 2015. Only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed and was rushed to the Bethany Hospital where he was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest. His last rites were performed in his hometown, Rameswaram.

Kargil Vijay Diwas

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Sun, 26 Jul 2020 06:51:00 +0000

21st Anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas

July 26 is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas every year to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil conflict.

This is the day to pay homage to the Kargil martyrs and to remember the supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers, to uphold and safeguard the integrity of the nation.

On July 26, every year since 1999, events are held across the country - from Assam to Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari - in honour of the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. A total of 527 Indian soldiers lost their lives during the war.

On 3rd May 1999 Pakistan started this war, when it had infiltrated into the high altitudes in the rocky mountainous region of Kargil with around 5000 soldiers and captured it. When Indian Government got the information about it ‘Operation Vijay’ was launched by the Indian army to throw back the intruders who had treacherously occupied Indian Territory. After the infiltration of Pakistan Army Soldiers as Kashmiri militants into Kargil district of J&K and along the LOC (Line of Control), the Kargil War began and continued for 60 long days. The war was fought in harsh conditions under minus 10 degree temperature and at an altitude of 4500-5000m. Non-motorable roads, inadequate artillery and lack of surveillance posed severe challenges for the Indian Army.

The Indian Army declared victory on July 26, 1999, after successfully capturing strategic peaks like Tiger Hill and Tololing.

It would not be wrong to say that the War is never good. This causes a major loss on both sides, thousands of soldiers get martyred. India is a peace-loving country that does not believe in war. Indian army always safeguards the nation from alien forces, sacrifice for the Motherland, and make us proud

Let us salute to all our soldiers who are brave and protect us all throughout the day and night. Let us remember their fights and toil on this day.

For your tomorrow, We gave our today

"TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST, TOUGH MEN DO"

January 26 (Republic Day of India)

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 06:19:00 +0000

REPUBLIC INDIA

The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governin document of india on 26 january 1950.

The 26th January was chosen to honor the memory of the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national national holiday in india.Although India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947, it did not yet have a permanent constitution instead, its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935, and the country was a Dominion, with George VI as head of state and Earl Mountbatten as Governor General. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with B R Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force its constitution.This was the day when our rights and duties were brought to a concrete form. It holds a lot of value in every Indian’s heart and mind.

The patriotic fervor of the people on this day brings the whole country together even in her essential diversity. Every part of the country is represented in occasion, which makes the Republic Day the most popular of all the national holidays of India. To mark the importance of the occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), along the Rajpath, past India Gate . Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defence of sovereignty of their country . Thereafter he reaches the main dais at Rajpath to join other dignitaries, subsequently the President arrives along with the chief guest of the occasion. First he unfurls the National flag, as the National Anthem is played, and a 21-gun salute is given. Next, important awards like the Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra are given away by the President, before the regiments of Armed Forces start their marchpast. The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. The parade and the ensuing pageantry is telecast by the National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in every corner of the country.

CELEBRATIONS

Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. So, the 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since.

The Republic Day Parade

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi. The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute.

Celebrations, though on a much smaller scale, are also held in state capitals, where the governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governer of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.

The parade showcasing India's military might and cultural diversity covers an eight-km route, starting from the Rashtrapathi Bhavan through the picturesque Rajpath down to India Gate before winding up at the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi.

The events of the day begin with the Prime Minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti (at India Gate).He meets the dignitaries present and unfurls the National Flag.Following the unfurling the National Anthem is played to a 21-gun salute.

After this a brief investiture ceremony takes place during which the President awards India's top gallantry awards - Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra and Maha Veer Chakra. In army these are known as the most prestigious awards for bravery for saving their motherland from the enemy of our country.

Origin of India's name

The official name India is derived from Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus and is the most internationally recognisable of the country. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat as the other official name of equal status. Bharat comes from the name of an ancient Hindu king and means seeker of knowledge. The third name is Hindustan, meaning land of the Hindus (where Hindu refers to those who dwell to the right of the Indus/Sindhu river) used from the Mughal times onwards.

India,a sub-continent with 5000 year old History. A civilization united by its diversity,richness of culture,the glory of past,the turbulences and triumphs. The landmarks of each era,the achievements of a change,the legacy of a regime. As we walk through the history,India is an amazing discovery and its history is a unique tale of the past.

With the arrival of the Portuguese, French and English traders, advantage was taken of the fractured, debilitate kingdoms to colonise India. In 1857, an insurrection amongst the army sepoys ensued in the popular Revolt of 1857 against the powerful British East India Company; this mobilised resistance, though short-lasting, was caused by the widespread resentment against discriminatory policies of the British. After the revolt, the Indian independence movements started demanding complete independence. On August 15th, 1947, India was finally granted independence from British rule and became a secular republic.

Indian Constitution

When India gained freedom from the British on August 15, 1947 there was the need to regulate the meaning of freedom.Therefore, to have a set of rules and regulations that would guide the nation, the Constituent Assembly met on December 9,1946.The Constituent Assembly was convened and appointed a committee with Dr. B.R.Ambedkar as Chairman to draft the Constitution.Borrowing from the Constitutions of other countries, for example, the parliamentary form of government from Britain, supremacy of judiciary from the United States, federal system with a strong centre from Canada, directive principles of state policy from Ireland, the idea of concurrent powers and co-operative federalism from Australia, the system of procedure established by law from Japan, the Indian Constitution is an amalgam of all these.The Indian Constitution, the longest in the world, consist 397 articles and 12 schedules which provides for a single citizenship for the whole of India.The constitution of India was originally written in English It gives the right to vote to all citizens of 18 years and above, unless they are disqualified. Fundamental rights are guaranteed to the citizens, equality of religion and so on.

National motto

Satyameva Jayate (In sanskrit it means Always Truth Alone Triumphs)

The Great Indian Flag

This is an ancient Indian symbol associated with the powers and changes of nature.

Officially, the Orange color stands for Courage and sacrifice.
The White color signifies Peace and truth.
While Green symbolises Faith and Chivalry.

It is the duty of every Citizen to realise the significance of our flag and pay the honour and respect its commands.

Rashtriya Rifles (RR)

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 06:10:00 +0000

Rashtriya Rifles (RR), the largest counterinsurgency force in the world. To reduce the commitment of Army on internal security duties, the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) has been at the forefront in counter-insurgency (CI) operations. They are anti-terrorist force made up of soldiers deputed from other parts of the Indian Army, who receive special incentives while serving in the Rashtriya Rifles. One half of the RR come from the Indian Army's infantry, and one half from the rest of the Indian Army. The force is deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Regiment has a distinct dress code, akin to a rifle regiment. Its badge depicts two crossed AK-47 rifles with fixed bayonets atop which is the coveted Ashoka Chakra. Beneath, in a banner, is emblazoned the motto of this force - dridhta aur virta. Incidentally, the AK-47 is the main personal weapon of this force.

All individuals, prior to joining their respective units, have to undergo a four-week rigorous pre-induction training at a Corps Battle School. This is followed by two weeks of 'on-the-job' training and a periodic refresher training cadre under sector arrangements.

The reputation of Rashtriya Rifles as a specialised anti-terrorist force has a tremendous impact on the militant's psyche who avoid any kind of direct confrontation with RR troops. Secondly, due to the proactive nature of operations conducted by well-trained and well-equipped troops, militants lost a number of their cadres, arms and equipment which was a grave setback to them. Such pressures against the militants have been continuously maintained by RR troops in a relentless manner. The motivation of all ranks to perform better has it roots in various factors such as a sense of pride to get selected in a special force with a separate identity, dress and organisation. Each individual is given here the opportunity to prove his mettle in operational field.

History

In 1990, the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was established with six battalions and two sector headquarters. The Rashtriya Rifles was raised by former chief of Army staff General B C Joshi in 1990 for the exclusive role of fighting insurgency in Kashmir.

In 1993, the Indian army expanded its role in the Kashmir Valley when it deployed the Rashtriya Rifles. The 36-battalion formation, a light elite counterinsurgency force, was formed specifically to compensate for weak and untrustworthy local police and increasingly well-armed insurgents in Kashmir.

The force was further expanded in 1994-95. By 1996, as guerrilla problems grew,thousands of regular army units joined the Rashtriya Rifles in the valley, further supplemented by a police counterinsurgency special task force composed principally of non-Muslim personnel not from the local area.

For the creation of this legendary force, many sacrifices have been made by various organisations and individuals. To begin with, Headquarters Counter Insurgency Force, a formation headquarter equivalent to a corps headquarters, was sanctioned by the Government in 1994 for the overall command and control of Rashtriya Rifles. This headquarter was trifurcated later to form two operative force headquarters in J&K and a Rashtriya Rifles Directorate at Army HQ, Delhi.

In April 2001 the Center exclusively earmarked more than Rs 600 crore in order to raise 30 battalions of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) for combating militancy in Kashmir. These new battalions, comprising men and officers from within the Army, will help the present 30 Rashtriya Rifles battalions perform internal security and anti-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and some other parts of the country. Each battalion having 1,150 men and officers will be controlled by the Army. These battalions will help the Army to withdraw its regular troops from J&K and re-train them to guard borders and fight. The objective is to gradually withdraw regular Army formations from internal security (IS) duties in J&K.

Six Army battalions raised especially for Jammu and Kashmir counter insurgency operations underwent special training, and started deployment in the state by 01 September 2001. With the entire state barring Ladakh under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Army began deploying additional forces to tighten the security net, with 7,200 soldiers of six newly-raised battalions. The battalions are assigned to the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), but parent Regiments raised them at their respective regimental centres. One of the six battalions was raised in New Delhi (Rajputana Rifles). The Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) RR battalion was raised at Belgaum, the Madras Regiment at Tiruchi, the Assam Regiment RR battalion at Shillong, the Punjab RR at Ramgarh, Grenadiers at Jabalpur and the Dogra Regiment RR battalion at Faizabad. The newly-raised battalions underwent special training at the Army's counter insurgency warfare school near Jammu. The Army had six months to raise and train the soldiers for the highly specialised operations. After that there was a four-week-long capsule course in laying ambushes in hills and mountains, detecting and disarming IEDs, carrying out cordon and search operations and carrying out operations to neutralise terrorists in heavily populated neighbourhoods.

The 59th Rashtriya Rifles Battalion (Assam) was formally raised at Assam Regimental Centre, Shillong in May 2004. This is the third RR battalion of Assam Regiment. Brig WJB Sturgeon, Commandant, 58 Gorkha Training Centre, unfurled the RR flag at a glittering ceremony held at Happy Valley, Shillong. Lt Col Suchindra Kumar has been deputed as the Commanding Officer of the battalion. The newly raised battalion comprises 24 officers, 38 JCOs and 1,141 other ranks posted from various battalions of the Assam Regiment.

The security environment in the state of J&K is dynamic and is reviewed constantly based on threat perceptions.

To reduce the commitment of Army on internal security duties, the Government had given in principle approval in 2000, to raise 30 more Rashtriya Rifles battalions, to bring up the total strength of Rashtriya Rifles troops to five Force Headquarters, 17 Sector Headquarters and 66 Rashtriya Rifles Battalions by the year 2005.

By 2004 Rashtriya Rifles battalions (1 to 57) had been raised and inducted in the Northern Sector. Rashtriya Rifles Battalions (58 to 63) were under raising.

Structure

The Rashtriya Rifles comprises 65 battalions.

The efficacy of an RR battalion arises from the fact that unlike conventional Army battalions, it has six rifle companies instead of four they possess and has kept its heavy weapons useless in their sphere of activities back at their bases.

Originally comprising a total of four Counterinsurgency Forces, each responsible for an area of the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, the RR raised a fifth force 'Uniform' in 2003–04

Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) R / Romeo Force – Rajouri and Poonch

Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) D / Delta Force – Doda

Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) V / Victor Force – Anantnag, Pulwama and Badgam

Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) K / Kilo Force – Kupwara, Baramulla and Srinagar

Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) U / Uniform Force – Udhampur and Banihal

Recruitment

The RR was raised as a para-military force and it was envisaged that its personnel, like the Assam Rifles, would consist of regular Army volunteers on deputation, ex-servicemen and lateral inductees from various para-military forces and central police organisations. However, this never happened and the force has consisted only of regular Army officers and Jawans, especially from the various Infantry regiments, like the Rajputana Rifles, Gorkha Regiment, Garhwal Rifles, Maratha Light Infantry, Sikh Light Infantry, and Sikh Regiment. Both officers and soldiers are sent to the RR on deputation for a period of 2–3 years. RR personnel receive 25% more salary than regular Army personnel and additional benefits, thus often making it a coveted deputation.

50 years of 1965 War "A Great Victory"

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 08:34:00 +0000

The second war began in April 1965, when fighting broke out in the Rann of Kachchh,a sparsely inhabited region along the West Pakistan–India border. This war started following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against rule by India. India retaliated by launching a full-scale military attack on West Pakistan. The seventeen-day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides and also witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II. In August fighting spread to Kashmir and to the Punjab, and in September Pakistani and Indian troops crossed the partition line between the two countries and launched air assaults on each other's cities.

To be fair though, India had the upper hand during the war. It captured nearly four times more territory than Pakistan did, most of it high-value territory in Punjab and Kashmir. According to the US Library of Congress Country Studies, “a continuation of the fighting would only have led to further losses and ultimate defeat for Pakistan”.

After threats of intervention by China had been successfully opposed by the United States and Britain, Pakistan and India agreed to a UN-sponsored cease-fire and withdrew to the pre-August lines. Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri of India and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan met in Tashkent, USSR (now in Uzbekistan), in Jan., 1966,and signed an agreement pledging continued negotiations and respect for the cease-fire conditions. After the Tashkent Declaration another period of relative peace ensued.

68 Years of Independence

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 14:01:00 +0000

India is a nation with a very rich historic background. The Independence Day, India (Swatantrata Divas) is celebrated on the 15th August to commemorate its independence from the 150 years British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation on that day in 1947. It is one of the 3 national holidays in the country. Flag hoisting and distribution of sweets is done all over the country. This is a proud day for the Indians. The prime minister raises the national flag at the Red Fort in New Delhi, and delivers a nationally televised speech from its ramparts, which is viewed by millions of nationals. He highlights achievements of the government, important issues and gives a call for further development through his speech.

On the eve of 15th August 1947, India tricolor (saffron, green and white) flag was first hoisted by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, at the Red Fort of Delhi.

The Independence Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm in all over the India. On this day tributes are paid to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives to gain the freedom for India. The main event takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister hoists the National Flag at the Red Fort accompanied with the gun shots, parade, amazing live performances and music. On this day many political leaders appear at the public events and talk about the nation's heritage, laws, history, people, about recent events and future projects.

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."

Jawaharlal Nehru (Speech on Indian Independence Day, 15th August 1947)

On third June, Lord Mountbatten announced the partitioning of the British Empire into an India and Pakistan under the Independence Day, India act 1947. At the stroke of midnight 1947, India became an independent nation, which was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's spine chiller speech titled Tryst with destiny. It went as follows:

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

In the capital New Delhi most of the Government Offices are lit up. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs take place in all the state capitals. In the cities around the country the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is done by politicians belonging to that constituency. Schools and colleges around the country organise flag hoisting ceremony and various cultural activities within their respective premises. In various private organisations the Flag Hoisting Ceremony is carried out by a Senior officer of that organisation Families and friends get together for lunch or dinner, or for an outing. Housing colonies, cultural centres, clubs and societies hold entertainment programmes and competitions, usually based on the freedom theme. Most of all is that the people flu colourful kites in the sky. It is a long traditional thing,and the skies look very beautiful and colourful.Hence, Independence day in india is a very important and cheerful occasion.

Independence Day 2015: Gallantry Awards

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 07:05:00 +0000

On the eve of India's 69th Independence Day celebrations, the President of India, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has approved Gallantry Awards to armed forces personnel and members of paramilitary forces.

This year two Kirti Chakras, 10 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 49 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and three Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) have been announced.

In addition to these Gallantry Awards, the President has also awarded 20 Mention-in-Despatches to Army and Para Military personnel for their significant contributions in different military operations. These include three for Operation Meghdoot, 12 for Operation Rakshak, one for Operation Orchid, one for Operation Hifazat and three for Operation Rhino.

Kirti Chakra

Lieutenant Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam, 21 Para Regiment (Special Forces), Army
NB Sub Rajesh Kumar, Mahar, 30 RR, (Posthumous), Army

Shaurya Chakra

Col Munindra Nath Rai, Gorkha Eif, 42 RR (Posthumous), Army
Maj Tanuj Grover, Armd, 22 RR, Army
Capt Varun Kumar Singh, Rajput, 44 RR, Army
Hav Man Bahadur Chhetri, 44 Assam Rifles (Posthumous), Army
Hav Tanka Kumar Limbu, 21st Para (Special Forces), Army
Cdr Milind Mohan Mokashi, Navy
Wing Commander Sandeep Singh, Flying (Pilot), IAF
Mohd Shafi Sheikh, Head Constable, J&K Police, Handwara Dist (Posthumous), MHA
Reyaz Ahmad Lone, Constable, J&K Police, Handwara Dist (Posthumous), MHA
Hira Kumar Jha, Second-in-Command, 7 BN, CRPF (Posthumous), MHA

Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry)

Maj Rakesh Radhakrishnan, Madras, 26 Assam Rifles

Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Army

Jasmer Singh Malik, Dy Comdt, 27 Assam Rifles
Maj Bharat Arun, Mahar, 1 RR
Maj Manish Dahiya, 2 Rajput
Maj Maneesh Mishra, Gorkha Rif, 1 Assam Rifles
Maj Ravindra Shantaram Kokane, ASC, 44 RR
Maj Pratul David Singh, Arty, 31 FD Regt
Maj Siddharth Rao, 3 Para (SF)
Maj Ranvijay Singh Pathania, Armd, 22 RR
Maj Vineet Sharma, Punjab, 22 RR
Maj Gajdeep Pal, Arty, 43 Assam Rifles
Maj Rakesh Kumar, Maratha LI, 38 Assam Rifles
Maj Vikas Gurung, 2 Dogra
Maj Arvind Kumar Shivrain, Mech Inf, 13 Assam Rifles
Maj Jashandeep Singh Sohal, 14 Garh Rif
Major Prashant Yadav, 21st Battalion, Para Regt, (SF)
Capt Deepak Kumar Bhagwani, Int, 14 Garh Rif
Capt Suveer Rathore, 1 Para (SF)
Capt Naveen Kumar, Arty, 159 FD Regt
Lieutenant Krishan Kant, 21st Battalion, Para Regiment (SF)
Sub Lila Kanta Kakati, 8 Assam
Nb Sub Gurpreet Singh, Arty, 31 Fd Regt
Nb Sub Remesh Babu P, 12 Madras
Nb Sub Lal Singh, 14 Garh Rif, Army
Hav Mallappa Channalli, 11 Madras (Posthumous)
Hav Chanar singh, 21 Para (SF)
Hav Laldinpuia, Assam Regt, 42 RR
Hav Raj Bahadur Tamang, 21st battalion, Para Regiment (SF)
Hav Durna Kanta Doley, 44 Assam Rifles (Posthumous)
Naik Manoj Kumar, 21st battalion,Para Regiment (SF)
Nk Kalyan Singh, 4 Para (SF)
Nk Jaswinder Singh, JAK Rif, 52 RR
Nk Bhupinder Singh, 21st battalion, Para Regiment (SF)
Nk Narendra Singh Gour, 7 Raj Rif
L/Nk Jai Raj, Rajput, 44 RR
L/Nk Sansar Chand, 9 Dogra
L/Nk Tuallawat Zonuntluanga, Assam Regt, Siachen Battle School
L/Nk Tersem Lal, 157 Inf Bn (Ta) (H&H) Sikh
L/Nk Jagga Singh, 107 Engr Regt (Posthumous)
L/Nk J Hari Krishna, Sigs, 42 RR
Ald Toyaj Mishra, 81 Armd Regt
Sep Abu Bakkar Barbhuiya, Inf Bn (TA)(H&H) Assam, 7 Jat
Rfn Kamal Purja Pun, Gorkha Rif, Siachen Battle School
Rfn Roman Singh Ale, 5/5 Gr (FF)
Rfn Maqbul Ansar, 5 Ladakh Scout
Rfn Dinesh Kumar, Raj Rif, 18 RR
Rfn Madane Amol Baban Rao, 43 Assam Rifles
Gnr Gursahib Singh, Arty, 30 RR (Posthumous)
Ptr Keshor Basumatary, 3 Para (SF)
Sigmn Sahab Singh, Sigs, C Composite Sig Regt (Posthumous)

Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Navy

Captain Rajesh Dhankhar
Captain Pradeep Singh

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Air Force

Squadron Leader S Selvakumar, Flying (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Gandikota Jagan Mohan, Flying (Pilot)
Sgt Mukesh Kumar Tiwari, Flight Gunner

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry), Indian Coast Guard

Commandant Chandra Shekhar Joshi

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry), Indian Coast Guard

Commandant Sandeep Safaya
Commandant Abhaymarutiambetkar
Commandant Kanwaljit Singh
Commandant Satishbisht
Ami Chand, Uttamadhikari (RP)
Bikashbagchi, Aadhikari (ME)
Madanlal, Pradhan Navik (STD)

Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), Indian Coast Guard

DIG Raj Mani Sharma

Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service), Indian Coast Guard

DIG Kandambakkamramani Suresh
DIG Manojvasantbaadkar

APJ Abdul Kalam "Missile Man of India"

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 07:40:00 +0000

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J."Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.Already a highly accomplished and much respected individual when elected to be the president, Kalam had spent four decades as a scientist and science administrator at several prestigious organizations like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Born into a family of humble means in Tamil Nadu, Kalam went on to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology. His initial dream was to become a fighter pilot but he failed to qualify for the Indian Air Force. He then started working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist and was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Eventually he was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and in this position he played a key role in the Pokharan II nuclear tests. He became the President of India in 2002 and was known as the People's President. He left the office after serving one term and became professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University and a visiting professor at several other institutions.

Early life and Education

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He came from a family whose financial conditions weren’t sound enough. As a means to support his family’s meagre income, Kalam took up odd jobs in his childhood but never gave up on his education.

He graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli in 1954 but not satisfied with his degree, he left for Madras later next year to study aerospace engineering. He enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career

After graduating from MIT, Kalam took up the position of chief scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). However, the profile didn’t appeal Kalam much who shifted to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle.His years at the ISRO were the most crucial ones, as they left a lasting impact on him. Kalam lead many projects and turned out to be successful each time.

A milestone was achieved when locally built Rohini-1 was launched into space, using the SLV rocket. Upon watching the raving success of Kalam, the government agreed for initiation of an advanced missile program under his directorship. He played a pivotal role in developing missiles under the missions Agni and Prithvi.

Kalam was the Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P) which researched in simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one by one.

From 1992 until 1999, Kalam was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation. It was during this time that Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator for Pokhran II nuclear tests, after which he was fondly called the “Missile Man of India”.

Kalam succeeded K. R. Narayan to serve as the 11th President of India from 2002 until 2007. It was a highly one-sided contest. With his appointment, Kalam became the first scientist and first ever bachelor to occupy the Rastrapati Bhawan. During his tenure as a President, Kalam was both appreciated and criticised. The latter was mostly due to his inaction in deciding the fate of 20 mercy petitioners.

In addition to all the profiles that Dr Kalam held, he authored numerous influential and inspirational books. Amongst all his books, “India 2020” was the widely read and appreciated one. It forecast an action plan which advocated India turning into a knowledge superpower and as one of the developed nations of the world by the year 2020. His other books include, “Ignited Minds”, “Mission India”, “Inspiring Thoughts” and “The Luminous Sparks”.

In 2011, he launched his mission for the youth of the nation called the “What Can I Give Movement” with the main aim to defeat corruption in India.After completing his term as President, Dr Kalam served as visiting professor in various esteemed institutes and universities of India, such as Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indore. He also served as Chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram, Aerospace Engineering at Anna University (Chennai), JSS University (Mysore).

In the 1970s, Kalam directed two projects, namely, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.

As an Author

Abdul Kalam was also a noted author who had penned books like ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium’ (1998), ‘Wings of Fire: An Autobiography’ (1999), ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India’ (2002), and ‘A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020’ (2014).

Awards and Honors

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has been honored with several prestigious awards from the Government of India including the Padma Bhushan in 1981, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990, and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. He was also the recipient of the Von Braun Award (2013) from the National Space Society "to recognize excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project". Following his death, the Tamil Nadu state government announced that his birthday, 15 October, would be observed across the state as "Youth Renaissance Day".

Personal Life

Kalam was a life-long bachelor. He had four elder siblings—one sister and three brothers with whom he had close relations. He was a very simple person with just a few personal possessions.

Death

He remained active until the last day of his life. He was scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong on 27 July 2015. Only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed and was rushed to the Bethany Hospital where he was confirmed dead of a sudden cardiac arrest. His last rites were performed in his hometown, Rameswaram.

January 26 (Republic Day of India)

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 07:19:00 +0000

The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governin document of india on 26 january 1950.

The 26th January was chosen to honor the memory of the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national holiday in india.Although India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947, it did not yet have a permanent constitution instead, its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935, and the country was a Dominion, with George VI as head of state and Earl Mountbatten as Governor General. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with B R Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force its constitution.This was the day when our rights and duties were brought to a concrete form. It holds a lot of value in every Indian’s heart and mind.

The patriotic fervor of the people on this day brings the whole country together even in her essential diversity. Every part of the country is represented in occasion, which makes the Republic Day the most popular of all the national holidays of India. To mark the importance of the occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), along the Rajpath, past India Gate . Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defence of sovereignty of their country . Thereafter he reaches the main dais at Rajpath to join other dignitaries, subsequently the President arrives along with the chief guest of the occasion. First he unfurls the National flag, as the National Anthem is played, and a 21-gun salute is given. Next, important awards like the Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra are given away by the President, before the regiments of Armed Forces start their marchpast. The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. The parade and the ensuing pageantry is telecast by the National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in every corner of the country.

Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. So, the 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since.

Celebrations

The Republic Day Parade

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi. The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute.

Celebrations, though on a much smaller scale, are also held in state capitals, where the governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governer of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.

The parade showcasing India's military might and cultural diversity covers an eight-km route, starting from the Rashtrapathi Bhavan through the picturesque Rajpath down to India Gate before winding up at the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi.

The events of the day begin with the Prime Minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti (at India Gate).He meets the dignitaries present and unfurls the National Flag.Following the unfurling the National Anthem is played to a 21-gun salute.After this a brief investiture ceremony takes place during which the President awards India's top gallantry awards - Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra and Maha Veer Chakra. In army these are known as the most prestigious awards for bravery for saving their motherland from the enemy of our country.

The Legend Of Kargil War "The 'Sher Shah' of Indian Army"

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:46:00 +0000

Captain Vikram Batra:The Brave son of India, who laid his life in the line of duty.

Vikram Batra was born on 9 September 1974 in Ghuggar village near Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, to G.L. Batra and Jai Kamal Batra. He got his primary education from his mother, who herself is a teacher. He received his education up to Middle Standard at the D.A.V. Public School in Palampur and up to senior secondary stage in Central School, Palampur. After passing his 10+2 in 1992 from Central School Palampur, he got admitted in D.A.V. College, Chandigarh in B.Sc where he was adjudged the best N.C.C. Cadet (Air Wing) in two zones. Later, he was selected to join the Indian Military Academy inDehradun in 1996 in Jessore company of Manekshaw Battalion, and was commissioned in the Indian Army as a Lieutenant of the 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles at Sopore, in Jammu and Kashmir. He rose to the rank of Captain.

Kargil War

On 19 June 1999, under the leadership of Captain Vikarm Batra, Indian army had snatched point 5140, a strategic peak, from right under the enemy's nose.

After this successful operation of Point 5140, Captain Batra volunteered himself for the next mission to recapture point 4875.Though it was an uphill task considering it the point was 17,000 feet above the sea level, 80 degree steep centigrade along with razor sharp edges from both the sides.However, recapturing point 4875 was crucial from India's perspective, as heavily armed infiltrators sitting at top could have dominated the road to Leh, accessed Mushkoh Valley and launched hefty attack on Indian troops.The army was marching ahead under the leadership of Lieutenant Naveen (aide of Batra). On July 7, after a 36 hour long battle, Captain Naveen got badly injured after a deadly hand grenade attack from the enemy.

Soon after, Captain Batra rescued Captain Naveen and he himself took the charge saying "tu baal bache wala hai, piche hat".As he took the charge, enemy started playing the physiological game and demoralized Captain Batra saying, "Sher Shah naam rakhne se koi sher nhi ban jaate"They even taunted Captain Batra saying, "If India handovers Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit to them, they will leave the place forever". Captain Batra gave a fitting reply "Madhuri ji to busy hain, me aa jata hun".

Amid deadly firing from the enemy, Captain Batra continually charged ahead holding gun in his hand, as he kept firing at the infiltrators. Until a bullet hit on his chest; with the words ‘Jai Mata Di’ on his lips, he fell down and as he lay there another bullet hit him in the waist by an artillery splinter.

Before giving away to his grievous injuries, this brave son of India killed another five enemy soldiers. The point 4875 was now under the control of Indian contingent, the national flag was waving there, but alas Captain was no more alive to celebrate the victory.

Commanding Officer, Colonel Y.K. Joshi, 13 JAK Rifles showered all credits on the young Captain Batra for capturing this vital peak.For his gallant act, unmatched bravery, contribution and excellence, the government of India honored him with highest military honor, The Param Vir Chakra and renamed the Point 4875 as Captain Vikram Batra Top.

Before going to war, Captain Batra had said "I'll either come back after raising the Indian flag in victory or return wrapped in it, but I will come for sure."

This great soldier will always remain alive in our hearts.

Indian Army Day

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:41:00 +0000

"An army is a nation within a nation,
It is one of the voices of courage."

Army Day in India is celebrated with great enthusiasm every year on 15th of January. It has been started celebrating to respect the Lieutenant General of India, K. M. Cariappa (Kodandera Madappa Cariappa) taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15 January 1949. It is celebrated every year at all the Army Command headquarters and national capital by organizing army parades including many other military shows.

Indian army plays a great and big role during the disaster situations in the country as they are dedicated to the country to become the War Winning Team. The day was decided to be celebrated as the army day in India to start paying tribute to the sacrificed Indian army soldiers at the “Amar Jawan Jyoti” at India Gate in New Delhi.After paying homage, an excellent parades including military shows takes place to indicate the new technologies and accomplishments in the Indian Army. Bravery awards including Unit credentials and Sena Medals are distributed at this great occasion.

Independence Day: 68 significant events in the last 67 years

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 15:44:00 +0000

Here's a list of some of the most important events, which shaped the destiny of India in the last 67 years.

1. India gets Independence from Great Britain on August 15, 1947. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru becomes its first Prime Minister

2. Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948

3. Jammu & Kashmir joins the Union of India on October 27, 1947 after India stops an attack by Pakistani troops and tribals.

4. The state of Hyderabad ruled by the Nizam joined Union of India on Septembeer 13, 1948

5. India gets its Constitution on January 26, 1950 and becomes a Democratic Republic

6. 'Iron Man of India' and Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel dies on December 15, 1950

7. The first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was born at Kharagpur in West Bengal in 1950

8. First General Elections were held in 1952

9. India wins its first cricket Test match against England at Madras (now Chennai) in 1952

10. India's national carrier Air India was nationalized in 1953

11. National Film Awards established in 1954

12. The chief architect of the Constitution Dr. B R Ambedkar dies on December 6, 1956

13. Re-organisation of states based on language/linguistics takes place in 1956.

14. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama escapes to India on March

31, 1959

15. Two Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) were born in 1961. IIM Calcutta and IIM Ahmedabad were established by the Centre.

16. India conquers Goa. Portuguese leave Goa.

17. China attacks India in 1962. India loses the war. China withdraws.

18. Pondicherry merges with India in 1963. French return home.

19. The first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru dies on May 27, 1964. Lal Bahadur Shastri succeeds him as the PM

20. First war with Pakistan in 1965. India defeats Pakistan

21. The second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri dies in Tashkent. Indira Gandhi succeeds him as PM

22. Green Revolution makes India a self sufficient country in food grains in the 1960s

23. The Indian National Congress (INC) splits at Bangalore in 1969

24. India defeats Pakistan in the 1971 war. Independent Bangladesh comes into existence in 1971

25. Smiling Buddha (MEA designation: Pokhran-I) is an assigned codename of India's first nuclear weapon explosion, which took place on May 18, 1974

26. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposes Emergency, suspends Constitution and fundamental rights

27. India wins Hockey World Cup in 1975. Sikkim

28. Emergency lifted and Lok Sabha elections were held in 1977. India Gandhi-led Congress loses power. Morarjee Desai led Janata Party comes to power

29. Mother Teresa gets Nobel Peace Prize in 1979

30. Janata Party loses power. India Gandhi returns as the Prime Minister in 1980

31. India hosts Asiad Games in 1982 in Delhi.

32. Kapil Dev led India wins World Cup Cricket in 1983. Surprises and shocks the World.

33. Maruti Suzuki cars hit the market in 1983.

34. Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984. Militancy in Punjab.

35. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi assassinated by her own body guards in 1984. Her son Rajiv Gandhi takes charge as the PM.

36. Rajiv Gandhi starts telecom and computer revolution in 1985.

37. Shah Bano case and enactment of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. The most controversial provision of the Act was that it gave a Muslim woman the right to maintenance for the period of iddat (about three months) after the divorce, and shifted the onus of maintaining her to her relatives or the Wakf Board. The Act was seen as discriminatory as it denied divorced Muslim women the right to basic maintenance which women of other faiths had recourse to under secular law.

38. Rajiv Gandhi orders unlocking of disputed Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

39. Bofors scam rocks India in 1987.

40. Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress loses power at the Centre. VP Singh heads a Janata Dal-led government. 11 months later, Chandrashekhar succeeds him as PM.

41. LK Advani takes out a Rath Yathra to build Ram Mandir at Ayodhya

42. Former PM Rajiv Gandhi assassinated near Madras by the LTTE suicide bombers in 1991.

43. The Congress returns to power at the Centre. PV Narasimha Rao becomes the PM. He appoints Dr. Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister. Together, they start economic reforms.

44. Ram Janmabhumi movements peaks. Babri Masjid demolished on December 6, 1992.

45. The first mobile cellular phone was launched in India in 1995.

46. The private airlines were given licenses by the PV Narasimha Rao government.

47. India's Information Technology boom begins in mid 1990s.

48. The PM PVN Rao loses election. The first ever BJP led government comes to power under the Prime Ministership of AB Vajpayee. He resigns within 13 days. HD Deve Gowda succeeds him as the new Prime Minister.

49. The Prime Minister AB Vajpayee led NDA government comes to power in 1998.

50. India conducts the second Nuclear test at Pokhran in 1998.

51. Sonia Gandhi enters politics. Removes Sitaram Kesri as the AICC president.

52. Kargil war breaks out with Pakistan in 1999.

53. AB Vajpayee-led NDA returns to power in October 1999.

54. Infosys Technologies became the first Indian company to be listed on the US NASDAQ in March 1999.

55. Several dozen TV news channels start operation across India. Three new states - Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand - are created.

56. Pakistan backed terrorists attack Parliament building in 2001.

57. K Chandrashekhararao starts Telangana movement in 2001.

58. NDA loses power in 2004. The Congress returns to power. Dr. Manmohan Singh becomes the PM.

59. Devastating Tsunami hits India's southern coast, killing thousands in 2004.

60. India witnesses a boom of low cost airlines in 2005.

61. Abhinav Bindra wins India's first individual Olympics gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Games. India sends a mission to the Moon. Mission 'Chandrayaan' was a big success.

62. The Congress-led UPA retains power at the Centre in 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

63. India hosts Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

64. CWG and 2G scams hit India.

65. Anna Hazare starts anti-corruption campaign in 2011.

66. Narendra Modi declared BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013.

67. India launches Mars Mission. Sends a probe vehicle to the Mars in 2013.

68. Narendra Modi led BJP/NDA sweeps Lok Sabha polls in 2014. Congress suffers worst ever defeat since Independence. First time a non-Congress party gets absolute majority on its own in the Lok Sabha.

67 Years of Independence

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:07:00 +0000

On the eve of 15th August 1947, India tricolor (saffron, green and white) flag was first hoisted by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, at the Red Fort of Delhi.

Jawaharlal Nehru (Speech on Indian Independence Day, 15th August 1947)

History of the Independence Day

Celebrations

The Flying Sikh "MILKHA SINGH"

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 10:08:00 +0000

Early Life

Milkha Singh was born on 17 October 1935 at Govindpura,a village 10 kilometres from Muzaffargarh city in Punjab Province,British India (now Muzaffargarh District, Pakistan) in a Sikh Rathore Rajput family.He was one of 15 siblings, eight of whom died before the Partition of India. He was orphaned during the Partition, when his parents, a brother and two sisters were killed in the violence that ensued. He witnessed these killings.Escaping the troubles in Punjab, where killings of Hindus and Sikhs were continuing,by moving to Delhi, India, in 1947, Singh lived for a short time with a married sister and was briefly imprisoned at Tihar jail for travelling on a train without a ticket. His sister, Ishvar, sold some jewellery to obtain his release.He spent some time at a refugee camp in Purana Quila and at a resettlement colony in Shahdara, both in Delhi.

Introduction to Athletics

Singh tried to get into the Army 3 times, but was rejected. Finally, his brother Malkhan Singh helped him get into the Electrical Mechanical Engineering branch of the Army in 1952, and it was there that he participated at the first sports meet in his life.

Making of a Champion

Under the guidance of his mentor Havaldar Gurdev Singh, Milkha began training hard and harder at the Army to become an accomplished Athlete. He showed his prowess for the first time at the Services Athletic Meet 1955, wherein he finished 2nd in the 200m and 400m race events. After delivering a much better performance and winning both the events at the National Games 1956 held at Patiala, Milkha went on to break the 200m and 400m records in the National Games 1958, held at Cuttack. He clocked 46.1m in 400m at National Games 1960 that was considered to be a World class performance of that time. But, his best had still to arrive.

International Career

Milkha represented the nation in the Melbourne Olympic Games 1956, his first Olympic event. Although he couldn’t fare quite well at the event being less experienced at the time, he learnt a lot from the competition to prepare himself well for the future meets. The most important occasion in Milkha’s career arrived in the form of Rome Olympic Games 1960. In the first heat of 400m race at the Rome Olympic Games, he covered the race at 47.6 seconds and finished at 2nd position. In the second heat he further improved his timing and grabbed 2nd position again with a timing of 46.5 seconds. Karl Kaufman of Germany had outclassed him this time. In the Semi Final heat he still finished at 2nd place, although this time he further improved the timing with 45.9, beaten by only Ottis Davis of USA. In the final round of the coveted race, Milkha went off like an arrow and left all other competitors behind till the distance of 250m. It was when he miscalculated his own speed and committed the blunder of his lifetime and perhaps the history of Indian Athletics, by slowing down a bit. Although he tried the hardest of his lifetime to recover the distance, the other opponents had lagged him behind enough for him to catch them again. The competition was so tough that Ottis Davis and Karl Kaufman clocked 44.8 seconds, while Malcolm Spence of South Africa covered the race in 45.5 seconds. Milkha, who was initially leading the race, finished just 0.1 seconds later by Spence, clocking 45.6 seconds. The difference was so minute that the announcement was initially held up and further declared after a photo-finish. Thus Milkha, who was a favorite for the Gold, lost a Bronze by a whisker, probably the closest an Indian Athlete could get to an Olympic Medal till now.

The Golden Period

Probably the best period during Milkha’s career as an Athlete arrived between the year 1958 and 1960. He won Gold Medals in both 200m and 400m events at the Tokyo Asian Games 1958, clocking 21.6 seconds and 47 seconds respectively. At the Cardiff Commonwealth Games held the same year, he improved his 400m timing to 46.16 seconds, and grabbed a Gold Medal again.

Milkha Singh got name “ Flying Sikh”

During the 1950s, Singh's biggest rival was Abdul Khaliq, a runner from Pakistan.In 1960, Pakistan invited him to compete in Pakistan but, scarred by the trauma of Partition, Singh refused. It was only after then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru convinced him to go that Singh went to Pakistan. One of the spectators who turned up to see Khaliq and Singh compete was General Ayub Khan. Singh won the race, and when Khan was giving away the medals, he told Singh, "You didn't run today, you flew." The Flying Singh nickname caught on from then.Milkha Singh defeated the Fastest Pakistani runner Abdul Khaliq who had won a 100m Gold Medal at Tokyo Asian Games 1958 in the year 1962, and the Pakistani President Ayub Khan named him ‘The Flying Sikh'

Milkha Singh and Arjuna Award

Milkha Singh, probably the most celebrated Indian athlete of all times, refused to accept the Arjuna Award for lifetime contribution, saying: “I have been clubbed with sportspersons who are nowhere near the level that I had achieved”.Milkha Singh said that Arjuna Awards, instituted in 1961, were being given to those who did not deserve them. “I am against this award itself and the way it is awarded”. He said he was of the view that the national sports awards like the Arjuna should be decided by specialists who had a deep understanding of the subject.It is of no use giving such awards to such persons who might produce one freak performance during their lifetime. He also alleged that athletes took to drugs to perform better at home, but once they go abroad they are totally exposed since abroad all athletes are tested for drugs. Milkha Singh wrote in the letter. The prestige of the award has gone down. I will get a bad name if I accept it, Milkha Singh said adding it is surprising that organizers of Asian and other games have also been honored with national awards, especially after the 1982 Delhi Asian Games.’’Milkha Singh said that “after the Padma Shri in 1958, the Arjuna Award in 2001 looks as if the government is trying to give me a matric certificate after an MA degree. The Arjuna Award, least to say, could have been given to me in 1961 when it was first instituted.

Awards & Honors

Honoring the incredible and hitherto the best performance by any Indian Athlete that Milkha Singh delivered throughout his sports career, he was bestowed upon the Padma Shri award (1958) and the Arjuna Award by the Government of India.Milkha Singh ran 80 races all over the world winning 77, He was awarded the Helms World Trophy in 1959 by the USA by virtue of being the best 400-metre runner in the world and broke the Olympic record in the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Awards

1)Gold Medal - 1958 Commonwealth Games - 400 m

2)Gold Medal - 1958 Asian Games - 200 m and 400 m

3)Gold Medal - 1962 Asian Games

4)Padma Shri – 1958

5)Helms World Trophy – 1959

82-Year-old Milkha Singh told to PTI

My last desire before I leave this world is that I want an Indian boy or a girl wins an Olympic gold medal for the country and for my sake. I failed to win it in Rome Olympics in 1960.After 2-3 years, I may be no more. Whether I will live for next few years more, it is up to God. I want to see an Indian win an Olympic gold in athletics.Since India gained Independence, only five reached the finals in athletics event and all failed to win a medal.

1)Milkha Singh

2)Gurbachan Singh Randhawa (1964)

3)Shri Ram Singh (1976)

4)PT Usha (1984)

5) Anju George.

Success Of 1965 & 1971

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:55:00 +0000

Indo-Pak War of 1965

The second war began in Apr., 1965, when fighting broke out in the Rann of Kachchh,a sparsely inhabited region along the West Pakistan–India border.In August fighting spread to Kashmir and to the Punjab, and in September Pakistani and Indian troops crossed the partition line between the two countries and launched air assaults on each other's cities. After threats of intervention by China had been successfully opposed by the United States and Britain, Pakistan and India agreed to a UN-sponsored cease-fire and withdrew to the pre-August lines. Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri of India andPresident Ayub Khan of Pakistan met in Tashkent, USSR (now in Uzbekistan), in Jan., 1966,and signed an agreement pledging continued negotiations and respect for the cease-fire conditions. After the Tashkent Declaration another period of relative peace ensued.

Indo-Pak War of 1971

Indo-Pakistani relations deteriorated when civil war erupted in Pakistan, pitting the West Pakistan army against East Pakistanis demanding greater autonomy. The fighting forced 10 million East Pakistani Bengalis to flee to India. When Pakistan attacked Indian airfields in Kashmir, India attacked both East and West Pakistan. It occupied the eastern half, which declared its independence as Bangladesh, on Dec. 6, 1971. Under great-power pressure, a UN cease-fire was arranged in mid-December, after Pakistan's defeat. Pakistan lost its eastern half, an army of 100,000 soldiers, and was thrown into political turmoil. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto emerged as leader of Pakistan, and Mujibur Rahman as prime minister of Bangladesh. Tensions were alleviated by the Shimla accord of 1972, and by Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh in 1974, but tensions have periodically recurred.

BSF “Duty Unto Death”

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Border Security Force

Introduction

The Border Security Force (BSF) is a Border Guarding Force of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India's land border during peace time and preventing transnational crime. It is a Union Government Agency under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs.It is one of many law enforcement agency of India.It currently stands as the world's largest border guarding force.

The BSF, in its 41 years of existence, has emerged as an elite force of the country having excelled with distinction in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Its ethos is “Any task, any time, any where” and the BSF has given blood and sweat to execute its motto “Duty Unto Death”.

Formation

Till 1965 India’s borders with Pakistan were manned by the State Armed Police Battalion. Pakistan attacked Sardar Post, Chhar Bet and Beria Bet on 9 April, 1965 in Kutch. This exposed the inadequacy of the State Armed Police to cope with armed aggression due to which the Government of India felt the need for a specialized centrally controlled Border Security Force, which would be armed and trained to man the International Border with Pakistan. As a result of the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries, the Border Security Force came into existence on 01 Dec 1965, and Shri K F Rustamji was the first chief and founding father.

Organisation

The Border Security Force has its Head Quarters at New Delhi and is known as Force Head Quarter (FHQ) headed by a Director General. Various Directorates like Operations, Communications & IT, Training, Engineering, General, Law, Provisioning, Administration, Personnel, Medical, Finance etc. function under the DG. Each Directorate is headed by an IG. The Eastern Theater is looked after by Spl DG HQ at Kolkata and the Western Theater is looked after by Spl DG HQ at Chandigarh.Field Formations in BSF are headed by an IG and are known as Frontiers Head Quarters (FtrHQ). There are 10 such Frontier under which Sector Head Quarters (SHQ) function headed by a DIG each. There are 31 such Sectors. Each SHQ has under its command 4–5 Duty Battalions. Presently 186 Battalions are sanctioned to BSF. Five major training institutions and 10 Subsidiary Training Centres (STCs) are imparting ab-initio as well as in-service training to its ranks and other CPOs/SPOs including IPS Probationers.

BSF is the only Indian paramilitary force to have its own Air Wing, Marine Wing and artillery regiments, which support the General Duty Battalions in their operations.

The BSF also has a national level school for breeding and training of dogs. Dogs from other CPOs and State Police are sent to National Training Centre for Dogs (NTCD) to be trained in infantry patrol, detection of explosives and tracking.

The BSF maintains a Tear Smoke Unit (TSU), which is unique in India. The TSU is responsible for producing tear gas munitions required for the Anti-Riot Forces. It also exports a substantial quantity to other countries.

Two battalions of the BSF, located at Kolkata and Guwahati, are designated as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Each battalion maintains 18 self-contained specialist search and rescue teams of 45 personnel each, including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical/paramedics. The establishment of each battalion is 1,158 personnel. The NDRF is a multi-disciplinary, multi-skilled, high-tech force for all types of disasters and can deploy to disasters by air, sea and land. The battalions are equipped and trained for all natural disasters including combating nuclear disaster, biological and chemical disasters.

ROLE OF THE BSF

SECURITY OF BORDER OF India and matters connected therewith.

TASKS OF THE BSF

The tasks of the BSF are divided as follows:

1. Peace time

Promote a sense of security among the people living in the border areas.
Prevent trans border crimes, unauthorized entry into or exit from the territory of India.
Prevent smuggling and any other illegal activity.

In the last few years the BSF has, in addition to their duties, been deployed for counter insurgency and internal security duties

2. War Time

Holding ground in less threatened sectors.
Protection of vital installations.
Assistance in control of refugees.
Anti-infiltration duties in specified areas.

Some Important Facts

The BSF contributes every year a number of personnel for services for UN Mission.

During the Kargil conflict in May-July 1999, the BSF remained on the heights of the mountains and defended the integrity of the country with all the might at its command in unison with the Army.

BSF personnel have been performing Internal Security Duty in Manipur for the last two years and have been successfully fighting insurgency in those areas.

During the earthquake in Gujarat on 26th January 2001, the BSF was the first to reach out to help the distressed people.

During the communal disturbances in Gujarat recently, BSF personnel went all out to restore amity and brotherhood among the people.

The BSF took over the erection of the border fencing in Jammu & Kashmir and it was successful in its task despite all attempts of Pakistan to scuttle our efforts.

The BSF has been defending the borders along with the army and checking infiltration on the borders during the current standoff with Pakistan.

15 AUGUST “THE INDEPENDENCE DAY” 65 YEARS OF SUCCESS

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:46:00 +0000

On the eve of 15th August 1947, India tricolor (saffron, green and white) flag was first hoisted by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, at the Red Fort of Delhi.

Jawaharlal Nehru (Speech on Indian Independence Day, 15th August 1947)

History of the Independence Day, India:

Celebrations

Hence, Independence day in india is a very important and cheerful occasion.

WAR HEROES "THE REAL HEROES"

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:32:00 +0000

My Great Web page

"THEY GAVE THEIR TODAY FOR OUR TOMORROW"

They'd promised their families they'd come back soon. They more than kept their word. Went as mere men. Came back as heroes. In coffins.

2nd LT ARUN KHETRAPAL PVC

2^nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, son of Brigadier M.L. Khetarpal, was born on 14 October 1950, in Pune, Maharashtra . Arun came from a family with a long tradition of service in the Army. In Sanawar he distinguished himself both in academics and sports.

In 1967 he joined the National Defense Academy (NDA) and then went on to Indian MilitaryAcademy . He was commissioned in the 17 Poona Horse on 13 June 1971. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the 47 Inf. Bde., with the 17 Poona Horse under command, was ordered to establish a bridge-head across the Basantar river in Shakargarh sector. The 47 Inf. Bde. Completed the task by 2100 hours on December 15th.

It was now for the engineers to breach the enemy minefields and make a safe lane for the induction of the 17 Poona Horse in support of the bridgehead. While the engineers were half way through their task, the Indian troops at the bridgehead reported alarming activity of the enemy armour.They requested immediate tank support. But the minefield had been cleared only partially by that time. At this critical juncture, the 17 Poona Horse decided to push through the minefield come what may. By first light on December 16th, the regiment established a link-up between the armour and the infantry at the bridgehead. At 0800 hours, the enemy made a counter-attack with an armour regiment, under the cover of a smoke screen. The target was the regimental pivot at Jarpal. As the Indians troops were heavily outnumbered, the Commander of 'B' Squadron requested reinforcement. At that time, 2nd Lt. Khetarpal was positioned close to the squadron with his troops in two tanks. He answered the call and moved out to face the enemy attack.On the way, his troops came under fire from enemy strong points and recoilless gun nests, in the bridgehead zone. 2nd Lt. Khetarpal fiercely attacked these strong points; over-ran enemy defences and captured many enemy soldiers and recoilless guns at gunpoint.

During one of these attacks, the commander of his second tank was killed on the spot leaving him alone. But he continued attack on the enemy strongholds single-handed, until all the enemy positions were overwhelmed. He then raced to the 'B' Squadron position. By the time he reached there, the enemy tanks were on the retreat. He pursued and destroyed one of these tanks. The 'B' Squadron Commander could persuade him to fall back in line after great difficulty. The enemy soon reformed for a second attack. This time they chose the sector held by 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal and two other Officers, for the main attack. The enemy employed a complete armoured squadron against these three tanks in order to achieve a breakthrough.A fierce tank battle followed. As many as ten enemy tanks were destroyed and of these 2nd Lieutenant Khetarpal alone destroyed four. In the thick of the battle, two of the three Indian tanks became casualties - one was hit and another suffered mechanical failure. The third tank, which was 2nd Lt. Khetarpal's tank, also received a shot and burst into flames.

The Commander of the tank troops ordered 2nd Lt. Khetarpal to abandon the burning tank. But realising the useful role of his tank in preventing a breakthrough he communicated the following message to his Commander, "No Sir, I will not abandon my tank. My gun is still working and I will get these bastards." Then he set about destroying the remaining enemy tanks. The last enemy tank, which he shot, was barely 100 metres from his position. At this stage his tank received a second hit. The brave Officer met his death denying the enemy the intended breakthrough. For his conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy, 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal was honoured with the highest wartime gallantry medal, the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

CAPT GURBACHAN SINGH SALARIA PVC

Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, was born on 29 November 1935, in Gurdaspur, Punjab . He was commissioned in the 1 Gorkha Rifles on 9 June 1957. After the Belgians quit Congo , a civil war situation developed in that country. When the United Nations decided upon military intervention to retreive the situation, India contributed a brigade of around 3000 men to the U.N. Force.

In November 1961, the U.N. Security Council had decided to put a stop to the hostileactivities of the Katangese troops in Congo .This greatly angered Tshombe , Katanga 's secessionist leader, and he intensified his 'hate the UN' campaign. The result was more violence against UN personnel. On 5 December 1961, a 3/1 GR Company supported by 3-inch mortar attacked a road-block, established by the Katangese troops, between HQ Katanga command and the Elizabethville airfield at a strategic round about. The enemy roadblock was destroyed and the Gorkhas established a UN roadblock there.

When Captain Salaria in platoon strength tried to link up with the Gorkha Company to reinforce the roadblock, he met strong opposition in the old airfield area. The enemy brought down heavy automatic and small arms fire on his force from a dug-in position on the right flank. The enemy held the area strongly with two armoured cars and 90 men. Captain Salaria was not deterred by the superior enemy strength and firepower. He decided to take the enemy, head-on, to achieve the objective. The Gorkhas then charged the enemy with bayonets, khukris and hand-grenades. A rocket launcher supported them in the attack. In this sharp encounter, Captain Salaria and his men killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out two enemy cars. His bold action completely demoralised the enemy who fled despite numerical superiority and well-fortified positions. However, in the engagement, Captain Salaria was wounded in the neck by a burst of enemy automatic fire, but he ignored the injury and continued to fight till he collapsed due to excessive bleeding.Subsequently, he died of his grave wounds. Captain Salaria prevented the enemy from going to the roundabout thereby saving the UN Headquarters in Elizabethville from encirclement.

His leadership, courage, unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for his personal safety were in the best traditions of the Indian Army. For his extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was awarded the highest wartime medal, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

CAP VIKRAM BATRA, PVC

Captain Vikram Batra, 13 JAK Rifles, and his Delta Company was given the task of recapturing Point 5140. Nicknamed Sher Shah for his unstinting courage, he decided to lead the attack from the rear as an element of surprise would help stupefy the enemy. He & his men ascended the sheer rock-cliff and as the group neared the top, the enemy opened machine gun fire on them, pinning them on to the face of the bare rocky cliff.

Captain Batra along with five of his men climbed on regardless and after reaching the top, hurled two grenades at the machine gun post. He single handedly engaged three enemy soldiers in close combat and killed them. He was seriously injured during this combat, but insisted on regrouping his men to continue with the given task at hand. Inspired by the extraordinary courage displayed by Captain Batra, the soldiers of 13 JAK Rifles charged the enemy position and captured Point 5140 at 3:30 a.m. on 20 June 1999. His company is credited with killing at least 8 Pakistani soldiers and recovering a heavy machine gun.

The capture of Point 5140 set in motion a string of successes like Point 5100, Point 4700, Junction Peak and Three Pimples. Captain Batra led his men to even more glorious victories with the recapture of Point 4750 and Point 4875. He was tragically killed, when he tried to rescue an injured officer during an enemy counterattack against Point 4875 in the early morning hours of 07 July 1999. His last words were, "Jai Mata Di."

For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Captain Vikram Batra was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest medal for gallantry, posthumously. His father, Mr. G.L. Batra, received the award from the President of India, on behalf of his brave son.

LT MANOJ KUMAR PANDEY, PVC

Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, forced back the intruders from the Batalik sector on 11 June 1999. He led his men to recapture the Jaubar Top, a feature of great operational importance. But his finest hour was in the capture of Khalubar in the early morning hours of 3 July 1999.

On the night of 2/3 July 1999 the battalion's progress on to its final objective, was halted by a determined enemy firmly entrenched on commanding heights. Clearing it was critical as the battalion faced the prospect of being day lighted in a vulnerable area. Lieutenant Pandey stepped forward to take on the mission. Quickly sizing up the situation, the young officer led his platoon along a narrow, treacherous ridge that led to the enemy position. While still short of the objective, the enemy fired upon the Indian soldiers effectively stalling the Indian attack. Displaying great courage, he surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full-throated battle cry through a hail of bullets.

Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with grim determination, till he closed in on the first bunker. Then in ferocious hand-to-hand combat, he killed two of the enemy and cleared the first bunker. It was the turning point. Inspired by their leader's spontaneous valour, the troops charged at the enemy and fell upon them. Unmindful of his grievous wounds, he rushed from bunker to bunker urging his men. On critically bleeding, he collapsed at the final bunker and finally succumbed to his injuries, but not before the last of the enemy had been annihilated. His last words were, "Na Chodnu" (Don't Leave Them).

For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy, Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest medal for gallantry, posthumously. His father, Mr. Gopichand Pandey, received the award from the President of India, on behalf of his brave son.

LT Sushil Khajuria, Kirti Chakra

Lieutenant Sushil Khajuria was born on August 28, 1985 at Samba in Jammu and Kashmir.After completing his studies in Jammu, he got commissioned into the Indian Army after passing out from Officer's Training Academy in Chennai in 2010.

He was attached with 18 Grenadiers and as ghatak platoon commander he conducted several counter-terrorist operations in Kupwara, J&K.

On September 2011 Lt Sushil Khajuria while leading his team in a search operation in the main area in district Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir came face to face with two terrorists. Displaying exceptional presence of mind he opened fire on them allowing his team to take cover. In the prolonged fire fight, the officer advanced from cover to cover and with unflinching resoluteness and raw courage, closed in and eliminated the terrorist from close range. The other terrorist brought down intense fire on the team. Sensing danger, the officer exhibiting conspicuous bravery of highest order immediately engaged and forced the terrorist to retreat. He pursued the terrorist, using the difficult folds in the ground, approached from an unexpected direction and personally eliminated the second terrorist.The officer, displaying exceptional sense of responsibility and camaraderie as a true leader unmindful of his personal safety immediately crawled forward to evacuate one of his injured colleague upholding the highest traditions of the Indian Army.

For his act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional leadership and camaraderie in the highest traditions of Army, and For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy Lt Sushil Khajuria was awarded the ‘Kirti Chakra.

Major Sandeep Unnikrishan, Ashok Chakra

Major Sandeep Unnikrishan was born in Cheruvannur – Kozhikode district, Kerala on March 15, 1977 from where his family migrated to Banglore and was settled there. Major Sandeep was the only son of retired ISRO officer Mr.K Unnikrishna and Mrs. Dhanalakshmi, or should I say, India’s only son. He completed his schooling from the Frank Anthony Public School, and was a charm among his fellow mates and had a dream since childhood of joining the Army. He is also remembered as an outstanding student. He was known for a young and energetic personality along with a soft core heart.Sandeep joined the NDA Pune, Maharashtra in 1995. He was a cadet, part of the Oscar Squadron (No. 4 Battalion) and a graduate of the 94th Course of NDA. He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts (Social science stream).He was commissioned as Lieutenant to the 7th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment (Infantry) on 12 July 1999. After serving the Indian Army in different locations in Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan to counter insurgencies for two terms, he was selected to join the National Security Guards.

On completion of training, he was assigned to the Special Action Group (SAG) of NSG on January 2007 and participated in various operations of the NSG. He was a popular officer who was loved and adored by his seniors and juniors alike. During the 'Ghatak course' (at the Commando Wing (Infantry School), Belgaum), the most difficult course of the Army, Major Unnikrishnan topped the course, earning an "Instructor Grading" and commendation from seniors. Perhaps this was the reason or his passion for bravery that he opted for the NSG commando service which he joined on deputation in 2006.

On the night of 26 Nov 2008, several iconic buildings in South Mumbai were attacked by terrorists. One of the buildings where the terrorists held people hostage was the 100-year old Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Major Unnikrishnan was the team commander of 51 SAG deployed in the operation at the Taj Mahal Hotel to rid the building of terrorists and rescue the hostages. He entered the hotel in a group of 10 commandos and reached the sixth floor through the staircase. As the team descended the stairs, they sensed the terrorists on the third floor. The terrorists had held a few women as hostages in a room and locked it from the inside. After breaking open the door, the round of fire by the terrorists hit Commando Sunil Yadav, who was Major Unnikrishnan's partner.

Major Unnikrishan led his team from the front and engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight. He arranged for Commando Sunil Yadav's evacuation and regardless of personal safety, chased the terrorists who, meanwhile, escaped to another floor of the hotel, and while doing so Major Sandeep continuously engaged them. In the encounter that followed, he was shot from the back, seriously injured and succumbed to injuries).

For his sustained display of the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the highest order in the face of the enemy Major Unnikrishan was awarded the Ashok Chakra.

January 26 (Republic Day of India)

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:17:00 +0000

Republic-India

The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governin document of india on 26 january 1950.

The 26th January was chosen to honor the memory of the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national national holiday in india.Although India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947, it did not yet have a permanent constitution instead, its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935, and the country was a Dominion, with George VI as head of state and Earl Mountbatten as Governor General. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with B R Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force its constitution.This was the day when our rights and duties were brought to a concrete form. It holds a lot of value in every Indian’s heart and mind.

The patriotic fervor of the people on this day brings the whole country together even in her essential diversity. Every part of the country is represented in occasion, which makes the Republic Day the most popular of all the national holidays of India. To mark the importance of the occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi, from the Raisina Hill near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Palace), along the Rajpath, past India Gate . Prior to its commencement, the Prime Minister lays a floral wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defence of sovereignty of their country . Thereafter he reaches the main dais at Rajpath to join other dignitaries, subsequently the President arrives along with the chief guest of the occasion. First he unfurls the National flag, as the National Anthem is played, and a 21-gun salute is given. Next, important awards like the Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra are given away by the President, before the regiments of Armed Forces start their marchpast. The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. The parade and the ensuing pageantry is telecast by the National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in every corner of the country.

Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. So, the 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since.

Celebrations

The Republic Day Parade

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi. The different regiments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force march past in all their finery and official decorations. The President of India who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, takes the salute.

Celebrations, though on a much smaller scale, are also held in state capitals, where the governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governer of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief Minister of the state assumes the honor of unfurling the National Flag of India.

The parade showcasing India's military might and cultural diversity covers an eight-km route, starting from the Rashtrapathi Bhavan through the picturesque Rajpath down to India Gate before winding up at the historic Red Fort in Old Delh

The events of the day begin with the Prime Minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti (at India Gate).He meets the dignitaries present and unfurls the National Flag.Following the unfurling the National Anthem is played to a 21-gun salute.

After this a brief investiture ceremony takes place during which the President awards India's top gallantry awards - Param Veer Chakra, Veer Chakra and Maha Veer Chakra. In army these are known as the most prestigious awards for bravery for saving their motherland from the enemy of our country.

Origin of India's name

The official name India is derived from Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus and is the most internationally recognisable of the country. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat as the other official name of equal status. Bharat comes from the name of an ancient Hindu king and means seeker of knowledge. The third name is Hindustan, meaning land of the Hindus (where Hindu refers to those who dwell to the right of the Indus/Sindhu river) used from the Mughal times onwards.

India,a sub-continent with 5000 year old History. A civilization united by its diversity,richness of culture,the glory of past,the turbulences and triumphs. The landmarks of each era,the achievements of a change,the legacy of a regime. As we walk through the history,India is an amazing discovery and its history is a unique tale of the past.

With the arrival of the Portuguese, French and English traders, advantage was taken of the fractured, debilitate kingdoms to colonise India. In 1857, an insurrection amongst the army sepoys ensued in the popular Revolt of 1857 against the powerful British East India Company; this mobilised resistance, though short-lasting, was caused by the widespread resentment against discriminatory policies of the British. After the revolt, the Indian independence movements started demanding complete independence. On August 15th, 1947, India was finally granted independence from British rule and became a secular republic.

Indian Constitution

When India gained freedom from the British on August 15, 1947 there was the need to regulate the meaning of freedom.Therefore, to have a set of rules and regulations that would guide the nation, the Constituent Assembly met on December 9,1946.The Constituent Assembly was convened and appointed a committee with Dr. B.R.Ambedkar as Chairman to draft the Constitution.

Borrowing from the Constitutions of other countries, for example, the parliamentary form of government from Britain, supremacy of judiciary from the United States, federal system with a strong centre from Canada, directive principles of state policy from Ireland, the idea of concurrent powers and co-operative federalism from Australia, the system of procedure established by law from Japan, the Indian Constitution is an amalgam of all these.

The Indian Constitution, the longest in the world, consist 397 articles and 12 schedules which provides for a single citizenship for the whole of India.The constitution of India was originally written in English It gives the right to vote to all citizens of 18 years and above, unless they are disqualified. Fundamental rights are guaranteed to the citizens, equality of religion and so on.

National motto

Satyameva Jayate (In sanskrit it means Always Truth Alone Triumphs)

The Great Indian Flag

This is an ancient Indian symbol associated with the powers and changes of nature.

Officially, the Orange color stands for Courage and sacrifice.

The White color signifies Peace and truth.

While Green symbolises Faith and Chivalry.

It is the duty of every Citizen to realise the significance of our flag and pay the honour and respect its commands.

A TRIBUTE TO NETAJI SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE ON HIS 115th BITH ANNIVERSARY

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Subhash Chandra Bose (1897 –1945)

Subhash Chandra Bose was one of India’s most prominent nationalist leaders who advocated armed struggle as the only way to free India. Born in Bengal, Bose was educated at the universities of Calcutta and Cambridge. He gave up a civil service career in the early 1920s to join the nationalist movement. A popular leader who was imprisoned several times by the British, Bose became President of the INC in 1938. However, political differences with Gandhi led him to resign the following year.

"It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood. The freedom that we shall win through our sacrifice and exertions, we shall be able to preserve with our own strength"

Escape to Germany

In 1940, Bose was imprisoned by the British for his anti-colonial activities. While in prison, Bose went on a hunger strike. The British put him under house arrest. He subsequently escaped to Germany through Afghanistan by pretending to be a deaf-mute Pathan. Bose reached Berlin on 2 April 1941, where he began advocating India’s Independence through radio broadcasts

Arrival in Tokyo

By early 1943, Bose had turned his attention to Southeast Asia. With its large overseas Indian population, Bose recognised that the region was fertile ground for establishing an anti-colonial force to fight the British. In January 1943, the Japanese invited Bose to lead the Indian nationalist movement in East Asia. He accepted and left Germany on 8 February. After a three-month journey by submarine, and a short stop in Singapore, he reached Tokyo on 11 May 1943. In Tokyo, he made a number of radio broadcasts to the Indian communities and exhorted them to join in the fight for India’s Independence.

Military parade of the INA at the Padang on 5 July 1943.

New leadership

Between December 1942 and February 1943, Rash Behari Bose tried but failed to keep the IIL and INA going. Thousands of INA soldiers returned to the status of POWs again and most of the IIL leaders resigned. To save the situation, the Japanese held meetings with the INA leaders and were told only Subhas Chandra Bose could lead the IIL and INA. On 2 July 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose reached Singapore. Two days later, he assumed leadership of the IIL and INA in a ceremony at Cathay Building. With his fiery speeches and charisma, Bose quickly revived the demoralised IIL and INA. The INA, which previously comprised mainly POWs, doubled in strength as local civilians joined. Many Indians who joined – ranging from barristers to plantation workers – had no military experience.

To ensure a well-trained army, Bose established an Officers’ Training School for INA officers and the Azad School for the civilian volunteers. Some 45 youths were also sent to Japan’s Imperial Military Academy for advanced training. The IIL was reorganised to unite the efforts of all its branches in Southeast Asia.

Declaring its Formation

On 21 October 1943, Bose announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind (Free India), with himself as the Head of State, Prime Minister and Minister of War.

The Provisional Government not only enabled Bose to negotiate with the Japanese on an equal footing but also facilitated the mobilisation of Indians in East Asia to join and support the INA. Soon after the announcement, the Provisional Government received recognition from various countries.

Bose announcing the Proclamation of the formation of the Provisional Government of

Azad Hind at Cathay Building, 21 October 1943.

Members of the Cabinet:
Lt Col A C Chatterjee	Minister of Finance
Dr (Capt) Lakshmi Sahgal	Minister of Women’s Organisation
Shri A M Sahay	Secretary with Ministerial Rank
Shri S A Ayer	Minister of Publicity and Propaganda
Lt Col J K Bhonsle	Representative of INA
Lt Col Loganathan	Representative of INA
Lt Col Ehsan Qadir	Representative of INA
Lt Col N S Bhagat	Representative of INA
Lt Col M Z Kiani	Representative of INA
Lt Col Aziz Ahmed	Representative of INA
Lt Col Shah Nawaz Khan	Representative of INA
Lt Col Gulzara Singh	Representative of INA
Rash Behari Bose	Supreme Advisor
Karim Giani	Advisor from Burma
Debnath Das	Advisor from Thailand
Sardar Ishar Singh	Advisor from Thailand
D M Khan	Advisor from Hong Kong
A Yellappa	Advisor from Singapore
A N Sarkar	Advisor from Singapore

Total Mobilisation

“Time has come for three million Indians living in East Asia to mobilise all their available resources including money and manpower. Half-hearted measures will not do. …Out of this total mobilisation I expect at least three hundred thousand soldiers and three crores that is thirty million dollars.”

Subhash Chandra Bose speaking at the Padang on 9 July 1943.

With the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, mobilisation of the Indian communities for armed struggle was stepped up. Many Indian civilians from Malaya, Thailand and Burma responded enthusiastically. Others contributed money and gold generously to the INA Fund. The gold came mostly from women who readily gave up their jewellery while wealthy Indian families donated large sums of money after attending Bose’s rallies and meetings. Other forms of contributions included clothing, foodstuffs and other supplies that the INA could use.

By April 1944, the Azad Hind Bank was established in Rangoon to manage the overwhelming donations from the Indian communities.

Subhash Chandra Bose in his uniform as Chief of the INA

INDIAN ARMY

noreply@blogger.com (vikas chib) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:06:00 +0000

The Indian Army is one of the largest in the world, with a history going back several hundred years. It was during the British era, that a Military Department very similar to the present Ministry of Defense was set up but, with most of the senior positions occupied by the British. It was after Independence, on 14th January 1949, the Army had its first Indian Commander-in-Chief, General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa. The army headquarters is located in Sena Bhavan and portions of the south block of the Red fort in Delhi.

Armed Forces offer excellent career opportunities to the adventurous young candidates. It is a career that offers immense facilities, a privileged lifestyle and of course, honors in serving the country. The Armed Forces characterize the ideals of service, sacrifice, patriotism and our country's composite culture. The basic responsibility of the Army is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the nation against external aggression. In addition, the Army is often required to assist the civil administration during internal security disturbances and in the maintenance of law and order, in organizing relief operations during natural calamities like floods, earthquakes and cyclones and in the maintenance of essential services.

The two main lines of work in the armed forces are categorized under the Fighting Forces and the Support Services. The fighting forces comprise the armored corps, artillery, signals, engineering and the infantry (and similar divisions in the navy and air force), while the Support Services include electronic and mechanical engineering, ordinance corps, medical corps, intelligence and education.

The Indian Army functions under the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), formerly designated as Commander-in-Chief. COAS is assisted by Vice - Chief of the army staff and seven other Principal Staff Officers (PSO's), namely, the two Deputy Chiefs of the Army Staff, Adjutant General, Quarter Master General, Master General of Ordnance, Military Secretary and Engineer- in- Chief.

The Army is divided into six operational commands (Field armies) and one training command, each command under a General Officer Commanding in chief who has an equal status to the Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), and working under the control of Army HQ in New Delhi. The major field formations are Corps, Division and Brigade which are commanded by a Lieutenant General, Major General and Brigadier respectively.

The Indian Army is organized into five regional commands

HQ Central Command Lucknow.

HQ Eastern Command Calcutta.

HQ Northern Command Udhampur.

HQ Western Command Chandimandir .

HQ Southern Command Pune.

JOIN INDIAN ARMY

Remembering APJ Abdul Kalam on his 5th Death Anniversary.

APJ Abdul Kalam "Missile Man of India"

Early life and Education

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He came from a family whose financial conditions weren’t sound enough. As a means to support his family’s meagre income, Kalam took up odd jobs in his childhood but never gave up on his education.

He graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli in 1954 but not satisfied with his degree, he left for Madras later next year to study aerospace engineering. He enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career

Kalam was the Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P) which researched in simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one by one.

In the 1970s, Kalam directed two projects, namely, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.

As an Author

Abdul Kalam was also a noted author who had penned books like ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium’ (1998), ‘Wings of Fire: An Autobiography’ (1999), ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India’ (2002), and ‘A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020’ (2014).

Awards and Honors

Personal Life

Kalam was a life-long bachelor. He had four elder siblings—one sister and three brothers with whom he had close relations. He was a very simple person with just a few personal possessions.

Death

Kargil Vijay Diwas

July 26 is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas every year to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil conflict.

This is the day to pay homage to the Kargil martyrs and to remember the supreme sacrifice made by our brave soldiers, to uphold and safeguard the integrity of the nation.

On July 26, every year since 1999, events are held across the country - from Assam to Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari - in honour of the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. A total of 527 Indian soldiers lost their lives during the war.

The Indian Army declared victory on July 26, 1999, after successfully capturing strategic peaks like Tiger Hill and Tololing.

Let us salute to all our soldiers who are brave and protect us all throughout the day and night. Let us remember their fights and toil on this day.

For your tomorrow, We gave our today

"TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST, TOUGH MEN DO"

January 26 (Republic Day of India)

REPUBLIC INDIA

CELEBRATIONS

The Republic Day Parade

Origin of India's name

Indian Constitution

National motto

Satyameva Jayate (In sanskrit it means Always Truth Alone Triumphs)

The Great Indian Flag

This is an ancient Indian symbol associated with the powers and changes of nature.

Officially, the Orange color stands for Courage and sacrifice. The White color signifies Peace and truth. While Green symbolises Faith and Chivalry.

It is the duty of every Citizen to realise the significance of our flag and pay the honour and respect its commands.

Rashtriya Rifles (RR)

50 years of 1965 War "A Great Victory"

68 Years of Independence

Independence Day 2015: Gallantry Awards

On the eve of India's 69th Independence Day celebrations, the President of India, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has approved Gallantry Awards to armed forces personnel and members of paramilitary forces.

This year two Kirti Chakras, 10 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 49 Sena Medals (Gallantry), two Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and three Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry) have been announced.

Kirti Chakra

Lieutenant Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam, 21 Para Regiment (Special Forces), Army NB Sub Rajesh Kumar, Mahar, 30 RR, (Posthumous), Army

Shaurya Chakra

Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry)

Maj Rakesh Radhakrishnan, Madras, 26 Assam Rifles

Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Army

Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Navy

Captain Rajesh DhankharCaptain Pradeep Singh

Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), Indian Air Force

Squadron Leader S Selvakumar, Flying (Pilot)Flight Lieutenant Gandikota Jagan Mohan, Flying (Pilot)Sgt Mukesh Kumar Tiwari, Flight Gunner

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry), Indian Coast Guard

Commandant Chandra Shekhar Joshi

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry), Indian Coast Guard

Commandant Sandeep SafayaCommandant AbhaymarutiambetkarCommandant Kanwaljit SinghCommandant SatishbishtAmi Chand, Uttamadhikari (RP)Bikashbagchi, Aadhikari (ME)Madanlal, Pradhan Navik (STD)

Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), Indian Coast Guard

DIG Raj Mani Sharma

Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service), Indian Coast Guard

DIG Kandambakkamramani SureshDIG Manojvasantbaadkar

APJ Abdul Kalam "Missile Man of India"

Early life and Education

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born to Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma on October 15, 1931. He came from a family whose financial conditions weren’t sound enough. As a means to support his family’s meagre income, Kalam took up odd jobs in his childhood but never gave up on his education.

He graduated from Saint Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli in 1954 but not satisfied with his degree, he left for Madras later next year to study aerospace engineering. He enrolled at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT).

Career

Kalam was the Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P) which researched in simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one by one.

In the 1970s, Kalam directed two projects, namely, Project Devil and Project Valiant, which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.

As an Author

Abdul Kalam was also a noted author who had penned books like ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium’ (1998), ‘Wings of Fire: An Autobiography’ (1999), ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India’ (2002), and ‘A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020’ (2014).

Awards and Honors

Personal Life

Kalam was a life-long bachelor. He had four elder siblings—one sister and three brothers with whom he had close relations. He was a very simple person with just a few personal possessions.

Death

January 26 (Republic Day of India)

The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governin document of india on 26 january 1950.

Celebrations

The Republic Day Parade

The Legend Of Kargil War "The 'Sher Shah' of Indian Army"

Captain Vikram Batra:The Brave son of India, who laid his life in the line of duty.

Kargil War

Indian Army Day

Officially, the Orange color stands for Courage and sacrifice.
The White color signifies Peace and truth.
While Green symbolises Faith and Chivalry.

Lieutenant Colonel Nectar Sanjenbam, 21 Para Regiment (Special Forces), Army
NB Sub Rajesh Kumar, Mahar, 30 RR, (Posthumous), Army

Captain Rajesh Dhankhar
Captain Pradeep Singh

Squadron Leader S Selvakumar, Flying (Pilot)
Flight Lieutenant Gandikota Jagan Mohan, Flying (Pilot)
Sgt Mukesh Kumar Tiwari, Flight Gunner

Commandant Sandeep Safaya
Commandant Abhaymarutiambetkar
Commandant Kanwaljit Singh
Commandant Satishbisht
Ami Chand, Uttamadhikari (RP)
Bikashbagchi, Aadhikari (ME)
Madanlal, Pradhan Navik (STD)

DIG Kandambakkamramani Suresh
DIG Manojvasantbaadkar

"An army is a nation within a nation,
It is one of the voices of courage."