The mortal remains of martyr Maj Anshoo Saxena was cremated with full military honours at Bainsakund on the banks of the river Gomti.

Born and brought up in Lucknow and commissioned into the 8th battalion of the Sikh Regiment, Maj Anshoo Saxena was posted with a battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles in Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir. He gave the supreme sacrifice while fighting against militants. His coffin was earlier brought to Lucknow by an IAC flight.

The pyre of late Maj Anshoo was lit by his father, Prof R C Saxena. To pay last respects, arms were reversed, a two-minute silence was observed and the Last Post was sounded.

- Dhirendra Ojha

from Lucknow

Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, Vice Chief of the Army Staff felicitated sixteen outstanding Army sportsmen at a function held at South Block, New Delhi.

Out of these sixteen sportsmen, eleven belonged to Engineers while four were from Sikh Regiment and one from Corps of Signals. Sub Maj Gurtej Singh of Bengal Engineers Centre, Kirkee led these sportsmen. He excelled in rowing winning 13 gold, 1 silver and 5 bronze medals. Sub K Gajendran of Madras Sappers bagged 3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals in rowing. Other sportsmen were Sappers Sunil Kakade (rowing), Ashish Singh (rowing), Satish Shirsat (rowing), Jasbir Singh (rowing), Suresh L (rowing), G Nagraj (rowing) Nb Sub P Anil Kumar (athletics), Lavi L (boxing) and G S Shiva Kumar (boxing). Nb Sub P Anil Kumar participated in Olympics 2000 and won gold in 100 metre (new record) and 4 X 100 metre in addition to a silver in 100 metre at Asian Track and Field Championship 2000.

Other eminent sportspersons felicitated were Sep Taranjit Singh (boxing), Sep Gurmail Singh (boxing), Sep Hardeep Singh (boxing) and Hav Khima Nand Belwal (boxing).

Addressing these sportsmen,
Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi complimented them for their achievements. He said that the Army would provide better coaching facilities in future.

- Col Shruti Kant

The Seventh Regular Course which passed out from the Indian Military Academy, IMA in June 1951, had a three-day reunion at Dehra Dun. Out of 147 Gentlemen Cadets who passed out of this course, 51 officers alongwith 34 ladies were present at the reunion.

Col Ranjit Singh (Retd), the winner of sword of honour of this course, laid a wreath at IMA War Memorial. Lt Gen Yuvraj Mehta, Commandant, IMA welcomed the officers and their families at the Chetwode Hall.

The officers, all of them in their seventies, revived the nostalgic moments. They stayed in the rooms where they had stayed during their training period. It was a reunion with a difference. The officers visited IMA Museum, Down Memory Lane and the campus.

- Maj B S Rathore

A comprehensive project for modernisation of the Military Hospital, Pangode was launched recently. The scheme being implemented with the voluntary aid from local units, formations, NCC and Ex-servicemen Welfare Board envisages to provide facilities for all types of clinical investigations.

As part of the project, the NCC Group Headquarters, Kollam has donated a flame photometer to the hospital. The equipment was handed over to Col BLT Joseph, Commanding Officer, Military Hospital by Col Sreenivasan, Group Commander, NCC, Group Headquarters, Kollam. Ex-servicemen Welfare Board presented micro pipettes and a mini autoclave to the hospital. The hospital laboratory can now carry out all investigations.

- P Rajendran

A tree plantation drive was conducted by NCC cadets in the Land Management Institute Campus at PTP Nagar, Trivandrum. The drive was inaugurated by Mr K M Mani, Minister for Revenue by planting a sapling . Mr V S Siva Kumar, MP, presided over the function.

Under the green belt project, jointly sponsored by the NCC Directorate, Land Management Institute and Social Forestry, thousand saplings of ten varieties of fruit bearing, ornamental, timber value and shade tree are being planted in 7 acres of the Land Management Institute.

Brig K Mahadevan, Deputy Director General NCC, Kerala and Lakshadweep informed that all the six hundred NCC cadets planted one sapling each.

Mr C Chandran, Commissioner, Land Revenue and Mr J Sudhakaran, Director of Land Management Institute addressed the cadets.

- P Rajendran

from Thiruvananthapuram

The Military Hospital, Shillong became the only medical establishment in the state to have incorporated and installed a modern HAAT incinerator (heat air and treatment) to effectively manage the bio-medical waste. Maj Gen IJS Bora, GOC, 101 Area inaugurated the modern facility built by Commander Works Engineer under the Chief Engineer, Shillong Zone at a cost of rupees 25 lakh. The ‘oil fired incinerator’ installed at the 279-bed Military Hospital was the result of the initiatives taken by local Army Commanders and hospital authorities. The exhaust gases of the incinerated medical waste which includes human anatomical waste, animal, microbiological and biotechnological waste, discarded medicines and cytotoxic wastes would be dissipated away through the 30-metre high chimney without having any detrimental effect on environment. The Armed Forces Medical Services has been promoting better treatment facilities for the Armed Forces personnel. The Base Hospital in Guwahati was the first to have installed oil fired incinerators with a project outlay of rupees 30 lakh.

- Sqn Ldr TK Singha

The 58th anniversary of INS Venduruthy was celebrated at the Naval Base, Kochi. Cmde Brahma Swarup, Commanding Officer of INS Venduruthy inaugurated the celebrations at the naval auditorium ‘Sagarika’ by lighting the lamp. The Service and civilian staff along with their families presented a cultural programme.

The origin of this naval establishment dates back to the year 1939 when a small naval setup was established with about 20 officers and 50 ratings primarily for local naval defence and running a Port Wireless Signal Station (PWSS). In June 1943, this setup at Kochi was commissioned as His Majesty Indian Ship Venduruthy and subsequently renamed as INS Venduruthy after independence. With the growing demand for training in the Navy and expansion of training facilities at Kochi, this establishment assumed the duty of training officers and sailors of the seamen branch of the Indian Navy.

INS Venduruthy is the Flagship of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. It provides complete and comprehensive logistics and administrative support to all the training schools and other units at Kochi.

- Cdr M Nambiar

from Kochi

The two-day bi-annual conference of the Commanders Works Engineers (CWE), under the Chief Engineer, Shillong Zone was held at HQ Chief Engineer, Shillong Zone. The conference was inaugurated by Brig Praveen Kapur, Chief Engineer, Shillong Zone. It was attended by the CWEs, Shillong, Dinjan, Tezpur, Dimapur, GEs/AGEs and staff Officers of the Headquarters.

Addressing the delegates, Brig Kapur lauded the commendable work carried out in the garrisons. He also released the bi-annual newsletter during the conference.

The conference reviewed the progress of work and also projected plans for the current year.

- Sqn Ldr T K Singha

The Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi, a premier industrial establishment of the Indian Navy undertaking major repair and overhaul of various aircraft, engines, hydraulics and state-of-the-art avionics achieved cent per cent computer literacy recently.

The yard embarked on a Computer Awareness Programme in November last year. The computer literacy drive was spearheaded by the Information Technology (IT) Centre of the Yard, headed by Cdr VM Dass. An external training agency ‘Hi-Tech Homes’, Ernakulam, was engaged to supplement the training. In June this year, the yard attained hundred per cent computer literacy with its six hundred employees, both service and civilian being declared computer literate.

To commemorate the occasion, a function was held at the Naval Base. Rear Admiral K Mohanan, Flag Officer Naval Aviation was the chief guest. Presenting the certificates to the employees, the Rear Admiral congratulated the yard on attaining the coveted status. Cmde P Koshy Varughese, the Superintendent of the yard welcomed the guests and Commander B Suresh, the Deputy Superintendent proposed the vote of thanks.

- Cdr M Nambiar

from Kochi

The Indian Naval Tactical Committee Meeting (TACOM XX) was held at Kochi recently. TACOM is a forum to discuss the current and future tactical issues that impinge on the operational performance of aircraft, submarines and ships at sea. TACOM XX commenced with working level discussions under the Chairmanship of ACNS IW OPS Rear Admiral SCS Bangara followed by the INTC meeting under the Chairmanship of DCNS Vice Admiral Raman Puri. Vice Admiral Harinder Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command delivered the keynote address. A total of 50 delegates from Naval Headquarters and the three commands participated in the deliberations.

- Cdr M Nambiar

from Kochi

The annual training camp of 125 Infantry Battalion (TA), the Guards Tirumalagiri, was conducted recently. The Training Company Commander, Maj Ashok Baswa (CCMB) conducted the refresher training besides counter insurgency operations and internal security programmes at the Shamirpet and Tirumalagiri camp area.

Col G Thomas, Commanding Officer said that the 23 young recruits were attested on completion of their basic training. Guardsman P Narayana Murthy of Vizaya Nagaram district was adjudged the overall best young soldier. The Commanding Officer addressed the troops and gave away the prizes to meritorious soldiers during the sainik sammelan.

- K Asaiah

The Madras Engineer Group (MEG) won the Army Sports Championship 2000-2001 for the fourth time consecutively. Since inception of the trophy in 1996, the MEG has won the trophy every year. The trophy was presented to the MEG by Gen S Padmanabhan, Chief of the Army Staff.

Thirty two teams took part in the Army Sports Championship 2000-2001. The events included football, kabaddi, volleyball, handball, swimming, boxing, basketball hockey, wrestling, marathon, best physique and athletics. Points from best six positions of a team were taken into account to decide the overall position.

The MEG teams participated in ten events. They stood first in volleyball, hockey, aquatics, boxing and best physique, second in basketball and football, third in handball and fourth in athletics and gymnastics. The MEG scored 92 points and earned the first position.

The Regiment of Artillery secured the second position whereas the Bengal Engineer Group and Centre Roorkee secured the third position.

- Col Shruti Kant

The Army Athletics Championship 2001-2002 was held under the aegis of the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad. Brig Rajan Anand, Commandant of the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad welcomed the athletes. The chief guest, Brig P Rajagopal, Commander Andhra Sub Area declared the championship open. 18 teams comprising a number of national and international level athletes from various Army regiments, corps and units participated in the championship.

- K Asaiah

The 54th anniversary of the Army Educational Corps was celebrated at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehra Dun by the officers of the Corps posted at Dehra Dun Military Station.

Lt Gen Yuvraj Mehta, Commandant, IMA, in his message, congratulated all AEC officers and appreciated their dedication and hard work for achieving professional excellence.

A get together was organised by the serving and retired AEC officers. The youngest officer of the Corps cut the cake to mark the raising of the Corps in 1947.

A variety entertainment programme was presented at Hawa Mahal of Nizam Pavilion. An accoutrement ceremony for the Gentlemen Cadets commissioned into AEC was also held. The new members of the Corps were accoutred by Brig P S Bhatnagar, the senior most serving AEC officer in the station.

- Maj B S Rathore

from Dehra Dun

Air Marshal Vinod Kumar Verma Aoc-in-C, Central Air Command, inaugurated the first touch screen based computer system at Command Accounts Office of HQs Central Air Command, Bamrauli.

Air Marshal Verma was received by Gp Capt G Sengupta, Command Accounts Officer of Central Air Command. He also briefed about the salient aspects of the touch screen computer system.

The touch screen facility provides on line updated information related to pay and allowances, provident fund, income tax and leave encashment. This system also provides information on non-effective benefits. The information would be available instantly. Through this system, just by feeding the service number, an individual can obtain the desired personal information. The system also guides the user automatically through the queries. In other words the information would henceforth be on the finger tips of the user.

- Sqn Ldr R K Singh

The Punjab Regimental Centre’s Galley Institute of Information Technology (GIIT) has been granted accreditation to run ‘O’ level computer courses by the DOEACC Society (an autonomous body of Ministry of Information Technology).

This is a pioneer achievement for the Punjab Regimental Centre and will go a long way in ensuring modernisation and advancement of IT in the Army. The accreditation will not only improve the professionalism of the Recruit Clerks undergoing training, but will also spread computer-literacy amongst all ranks and families of the Ramgarh station.

- Lt Col S S Soin

An on-the-spot open painting competition for children of the Army personnel was held at AMC Centre and School in Lucknow Cantonment.

About 63 children participated in the competition which was organised by the Central Command Army Wives’ Welfare Association (CCAWWA).

Mrs Nandita Sinha, wife of Lt Gen R K Sinha, Commandant, AMC Centre and School was the chief guest on the occasion. She also distributed prizes.

- Dhirendra Ojha

from Lucknow

An open badminton competition for ladies and wards of serving and retired defence services officers was conducted at the Surya Badminton Court in Lucknow cantonment.

The six-day event had been organised by the Headquarters Central Command. The tournament was conducted on best of three basis. Mrs Sharda Chadha, Vice President Army Wives’ Welfare Association Central Command, the chief guest on the occasion, gave away prizes to the winners.

- Dhirendra Ojha

from Lucknow

A Phillipino merchant ship Ocean King carrying out cable laying operations 50 nautical miles off Kochi, reported one of her crew members seriously injured when a wire rope snapped. Based on a request received from the ship to evacuate the injured, INS Mahe, an inshore minesweeper under the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, commanded by Lt Cdr SK Goel, sailed out with a medical team and naval divers. Braving the rough seas, the ship successfully completed the patient transfer from the merchant ship. During the passage, the medical officer, Surg Lt Cdr Chaudhary attended the patient. On arrival, the patient,
Mr Darius Alego was taken to a civil hospital.

- Cdr M Nambiar