The Two Guards (1 Grenadiers) celebrated its raising day somewhere in the Northern sector.

Two Guards was raised as an adhoc Grenadiers battalion on November 22, 1778 in Mumbai. It has to its credit three Victoria Cross before independence. After 1917, the Battalion has earned seven VrCs, one SSC, seven SMs, one VSM and 13 Mention-in-Dispatches in various operations.

Over 130 retired officers, JCOs and ORs participated in the raising day celebrations. Among the guests was Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Daryao Singh who retired in 1970.

The celebration included a Mandir/Gurudwara function, an Officers’ Mess party, badakhana and a pagal gymkhana. The pagal gymkhana was followed by an impressive band display by the unit band.

A sainik sammelan was also organised in which old Commanding Officers and Subedar Majors addressed the Battalion. In addition to sharing their experiences, they exhorted the audience to strive for excellence and keep the regimental flag flying high. Mementos were presented to all the guests and war widows of the unit.

L/Nk Albert Ekka, PVC (posthumous) was awarded the nation’s highest award for gallantry on December 3, 1971 during operation Cactus Lily. L/Nk Albert Ekka belonged to Ranchi where his family presently resides. On the twentyninth death anniversary of L/Nk Albert Ekka, a special function was organised to honour his wife, Mrs Belamdina Khess.

The martyr’s wife was honoured by Mrs Mohini Daljeet Singh, wife of Maj Gen Daljeet Singh, GOC Ranchi Division.

The Seventeen Grenadiers (Motorised) celebrated its 35th raising day in the Western Sector. A number of serving and retired ‘Grinders’ alongwith local government and civil dignitaries were present. The battalion was raised on November 10, 1966 as a Camel Battalion. The unit took part in 1971 Indo-Pak war as a camelised battalion and did a commendable job capturing Ranakdhar, Relnor, Saidau and Kelnor enemy posts. On March 1, 1973 the unit took the honour and privilege of becoming the first motorised battalion of the Indian Army.

With its rich and prolonged experience of operation in deserts, the unit has been able to cut an enviable niche for itself and is, thus, well known as Desert Hawks in the entire Indian Army.

On the occasion of the raising day the Commanding Officer, Col K K Thacker, while addressing a special sainik sammelan, complimented all ranks and their families.

Quality Circles involve a group of workers of the same working area doing similar work and who meet regularly and voluntarily. They analyse, discuss and solve work-related problems. In the Base Repair Depots, all sections have their own Quality Circles. Regular meetings of the members of the Quality Circles are organised to evolve innovative ideas and come out with solution to various work-related problems. An Inter-Base Repair Depot Quality Circle Competiton-2000 of IAF was held at Air Force Station, Ojhar. Ten teams representing various BRDs and repair agencies participated. 11 BRD, AF Ojhar Nasik was adjudged the best Quality Circle. 7 BRD AF, Tughlakabad and 4 BRD AF Kanpur won the second and third position respectively. Air Cmde TT Job, Air Officer Commanding, AF Station, Ojhar gave away the prizes to the winning teams.

The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) has been renamed as Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers.

EME was raised on March 2, 1943 to provide engineering support to all Army equipment during World War-II. Major activities of the Corps centered around engineering support to wheeled vehicles, tracked vehicles, small arms, guns, engineer equipment and radio equipment. Electronics now constitutes a major engineering discipline in all weapon systems.

The 150 General Hospital celebrated its 42nd raising day somewhere in the Northern Sector. The hospital to its credit has 4 VSM, 17 COAS Commendation Cards and 12 Army Commander Commendation Cards.

The Commanding Officer of the hospital, Col KJ Singh on the occasion distributed fruits and sweets to the patients. On this occasion, all ranks of the hospital renewed their dedication to serve the ill, wounded and suffering soldiers and their dependants.

Sixty volunteers of the All India Inter University National Integration and Inter College Youth Camp at Udhampur donated 60 units of blood at the Northern Command Hospital. This blood donation camp was inaugurated by Maj Gen RK Jetley, the Deputy Director Medical Services (DDMS).

Maj Gen Vijay Joshi, Commandant of the hospital appreciated the gesture of the National Service Scheme volunteers and thanked for their efforts. The NSS volunteers interacted with the patients who had recently undergone critical surgery and were convalescing in the wards. The volunteers came from all over the country.

The lamp lighting ceremony of probationer nurses was held at the School of Nursing, Command Hospital Air Force, Bangalore. Brig S Samuel, Principal Matron, Command Hospital administered the oath of Florence Nightingale and allegiance to Military Nursing Service. Air Vice Marshal SK Dham, Commandant addressed the new entrants into Military Nursing Service.

A pulse polio camp was conducted by the troops of the Sikh Regiment at Bhata Durian near Jeran Wali Gali in Mendhar Tehsil of Poonch district. The unit was assisted by the Primary Health Centre to coordinate and arrange the camp. About 600 children were administered the pulse polio in conformity with the National Polio Eradication Programme. A health care awareness campaign was also organised by the unit in which a large number of women and children participated.

The Vocational Training Centre at Huliyal village was inaugurated by Brig RE Williams, Commander 56 Mountain Brigade. The responsibility of running this centre as well as the other two being run at Mashkoh and Muradbagh village has been given to 2 Naga. These centres make the girls of these villages self-reliant and independent. Girls working at these centres are not only being given stipend but also various productivity incentives. Efforts are also being made to improve the educational standard of the trainees.

The Navy Day was celebrated by the Naval Liaison Cell in No 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD), Air Force in Chandigarh.

A photo exhibition on "Indian Navy through the years" was put up on the occasion. It included sections on naval aviation, Indian Navy in action at sea and visits to Indian naval bases by foreign fleets. Models of various ships were also displayed at the exhibition.

The Air Officer Commanding, 3 BRD, Air Cmde Arvinda Agrawal, who was chief guest on the occasion, felicitated the officers and men of the Naval Liaison Cell. He said, 3 BRD was providing repairs and overhaul facilities to some of the aircraft being used by the Navy since the inception of the cell here and would soon be undertaking the overhaul of some more aircraft.

Welcoming the guests, the Officer-in-Charge of the cell, Cdr RPS Josen read out the message of the Naval Chief. Serving and retired officers also participated in the celebrations.

Mr RC Dharamdasani, Principal Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, Udhampur presented badges of WWF Nature India to the members of the New Era Nature Club (NENC) at a convocation ceremony. Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1 has the distinction of having the largest number of students in the entire state.

From a modest beginning of 31 members ab initio, the membership has swollen to one hundred and thirty-five members.

The eco-conscious students have undertaken ecofriendly projects of reclaiming and landscaping wasteland in the school campus.

The officers of the State Bank of India in Chennai Circle have donated their one day salary and allowances for the rehabilitation of the families of jawans who sacrified their lives or got injured during Kargil operations.

The SBI’s Chief General Manager at Local Head Office in Chennai, Mr B Ramachandra Rao met the General Officer Commanding, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa Area, Maj Gen V Jayashankar and handed over a cheque for Rs 34,26,779.17. This amount is the contribution of about 6000 officers towards Army Central Welfare Fund.

Commodore PR Frankline, Naval Officer-in-Charge, Tamil Nadu, hosted a reception at his residence to mark the Navy Day celebrations. Tamil Nadu Governor Justice (Ms) Fathima Beevi was the chief guest at the reception. The Governor also presented a memento to the Naval Officer-in-Charge. Earlier, Cmde Frankline placed a wreath at the war memorial.

The EME Centre, Bhopal lifted the second Army Adventure Cup 2000 which concluded at Raiwala near Haridwar.

The chief guest, Lt Gen PS Joshi, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, gave away the prizes. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen PS Joshi called upon the officers and all ranks to make sure that more people joined adventure activities. In all, 16 teams from the Army, Navy, para-military and Police forces took part in the competition.

The Central Command Headquarters bagged seven out of 23 running challenge cups, shields and trophies at the annual Chrysanthemum and Coleus Show held at NBRI in Lucknow.

The trophies, on behalf of the Central Command were received by Lt Col Shamsher Singh, the Administrative Officer, from Dr CR Bhatia, former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Chairman, Research Council, NBRI.

Master Mayur Jaywardhan Mehta and Miss Tejaswi Shetty won the All Indian Open Sea Swimming Competition in men and women categories respectively. The competition was organised as part of Navy Week celebrations at Naval Sailing Club, Colaba (Mumbai).

The race was held in four categories: men, women, boys under 16 and girls under 16. The race commenced from Prongs Reef Buoy and culminated at the Naval Sailing Club, Colaba covering a distance of 6 kms. Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh, FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command was the chief guest and gave away prizes to the winners.

As many as seventynine soldiers of the Indian Army were presented with awards for gallantry and distinguished services at an impressive investiture ceremony held at the Kharga Auditorium in Ambala Cantonment.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Surjit Singh presented the awards including 5 Yudh Seva Medals, 67 Sena Medals and 7 Vishisht Seva Medals. Two of the VSM awardees received it for the second time. Nine Sena Medals, awarded posthumously, were received by the wives and parents of the martyrs. Most of the soldiers were honoured for their valour during operation Vijay.

Nine Sena Medals, awarded posthumously, were received by Mrs Manjit Kaur, wife of Sub Tarlok Singh, Punjab Regiment, Mrs Adarshpal Kaur, wife of Sub Naunihal Singh, 20 Punjab, Mrs Baljit Kaur, wife of Hav Gurmeet Singh, 20 Punjab, Mrs Kuldeep Kaur, wife of Hav Tarsem Singh, 20 Punjab, Mrs Poonam Devi, wife of Nk Ashwani Kumar, 9 Para (SF), Mr Jagir Singh, father of L/Nk Satwinder Singh, 20 Punjab, Mr Mohd Sharif, father of Nk Mohd Fareed, 12 JAK LI, Mrs Pyar Kaur, mother of Gnr Dilbagh Singh, Artillery and Mrs Trishna Devi, mother of Ptr Gopal Singh, 7 Para.

Sub Naunihal Singh, Hav Tarsem Singh, Hav Gurmeet Singh and L/Nk Satwinder Singh, all from 20 Punjab, made supreme sacrifice while fighting terrorists in Paio forests near Rajauri on March 10, last year. In his address on the occasion, Lt Gen Surjit Singh said it was an important occasion to convey to the families of martyrs that the countrymen lived in peace only because of their sacrifices.

A band concert was presented by 14 Gorkha Training Centre in the evening followed by a dinner party which was attended by all the awardees. The Governor of Punjab, Lt Gen (Retd) JFR Jacob was the chief guest at the function.

- D S Rawat

Sri Vivekananda High School of 17 Assam Rifles celebrated its annual day recently. The celebrations included games, competitions and other co-curricular activities in which a large number of students participated. Prizes were given away to those excelling in various fields.

The school was established in the year 1987 and has grown from strength to strength. The school essentially provides educational facilities for the children of the personnel of the Assam Rifles. It also has a considerable number of local Manipuri students.

Speaking at the annual day, the Patron, Commandant 17 Assam Rifles exhorted the students to strive for excellence in selected fields.

The Western Command Provost Unit celebrated its 39th raising day in Chandimandir Cantonment. Raised in 1962 at Ambala, the Unit moved to its present location in April 1984. Addressing a special sainik sammelan on the occasion, the officiating Commanding Officer of the unit, Lt Col AK Gulaty greeted all ranks, civilians and their families. Lauding the performance and dedication of all provost ranks, he exhorted them to strive for excellence with professional skill.

A badakhana was also organised for all ranks and families. Retired officers, JCOs and other ranks who had served in the unit and are settled in and around Chandimandir also participated in the function.

The Army Commander, Western Command, Lt Gen Surjit Singh and Deputy Provost Marshal, Col HS Chahal, in their messages, greeted the unit personnel.