Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes has expressed Govern-ment’s determination to protect the sea-frontiers of India and stressed the need to create more infrastructure for the Coast Goard. He was addressing the Coast Guard Commanders Conference in New Delhi. Mr Fernandes said that unfortunately after independence scant attention was paid to the issue of protecting the coastal frontiers of the country. He said now there is an urgent need to address this issue with greater speed.

Referring to various points raised by Director General, Coast Guard, Vice Admiral OP Bansal in his presentation, the Defence Minister said that he was hopeful to sort out most of these issues during the current financial year itself. Most of these issues were related to the expansion of Coast Guard Stations, disparity in pay-scales of Pradhan Naviks, selection of officers after 10+2 and share for Coast Guard in the distribution of Canteen Stores Department surplus.

The Defence Minister said that work on a new Coast Guard Station at Jakhau is underway. He also underlined the need to set up a full-fledged Coast Guard Station at Bhatkal in the Western Coast at the earliest. Mr Fernandes assured the officers and personnel of the Coast Guard that all the necessary welfare measures and facilities would be provided immediately.

Lauding the work of the Coast Guard, Mr Fernandes said that its anti-piracy operations and recent restoration of pirated ship MV Alondra Rainbow to its original owner earned good repute. Earlier in his brief presentation the DG Coast Guard said that induction of Dornier aircraft has given a boost to the extensive sea-shore air surveillance capability of the organisation. Vice Admiral OP Bansal said that Coast Guard responded to 65 distress calls during the past one year and saved the lives of more than 100 persons.

- PIB (DW)

A civil-military liaison conference was held at the Western Command Headquarters in Chandimandir. Inaugurating the conference, Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala said that the State Government has laid special emphasis on the welfare of the families of martyred soldiers. He said Haryana was among the first states to offer an ex-gratia of 10 lakh rupees to the kin of martyred soldiers and provide free education to their children.

The Chief Minister said all the three major cantonments of Chandimandir, Ambala and Hisar were in the northern parts of the state while the larger number of soldiers belonged to southern region of the state. Therefore, there was a need to develop one major cantonment in southern Haryana to provide facilities to soldiers' families. Mr Chautala suggested the formation of an Army Brigade to manage natural calamities like floods in the state. He also mooted the idea to establish a Defence University and a Defence Park in Haryana.

Earlier, Lt Gen SS Mehta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command said that the conference acquired greater significance in view of the post 9/11 terrorist incidents designed by Pakistan through ISI. These incidents could be prevented through better co-ordination among civil administration, police and intelligence agencies at various levels.

Discounting the reports published in a section of the press that the troops were tired of the prolonged deployment on borders, Lt Gen Mehta said that the level of training and the morale of troops are so high that they are always ready to face any eventuality.

The GOC-in-C requested the Haryana Government to notify the Army firing ranges within the state so that the training programme of the troops was not hampered. Expressing his gratitude for helping the ex-servicemen and the families of martyrs, the GOC-in-C wanted the court cases of Jawans to be disposed of during their leave period as they are not allowed frequent leave. Lt Gen Mehta also urged the Chief Minister to start a pilot project in Panchkula for water harvesting.

The conference reviewed the activities since the last conference and discussed current issues related to emerging security threats, disaster management, natural calamities, law and order situations and welfare measures for ex-servicemen and next of kin of soldiers who sacrificed their lives while in harness to prepare a joint strategy for a better, effective and speedy response at all levels.

- DS Rawat

The cadets at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakvasla, Pune learn anything under the sun. For this purpose, the NDA authorities have formed 37 clubs, both indoor and outdoor. These clubs bring out the innate talents in the cadets and thus help them express themselves in different forms. Every year their artifacts are put up in a public exhibition called Indradhanush at Pune.

This year Indradhanush was inaugurated by Mrs Gauri Trikha, the wife of Air Marshal AK Trikha, Commandant of the Academy. More than 2000 people, most of them students, visited the exhibition. Of the ten stalls put up at the venue, the stall of Camera and Arts Club attracted the maximum attention. The astronomy stall also had its share of visitors.

With the help of models, the cadets gave a brief idea of the solar system. The Computer Club displayed some of the innovative software developed by the cadets.

- VK Abdulla

A medical-cum-veterinary aid camp was organised at Hartaryar in Udhampur as a part of operation Goodwill. The camp was held on the premises of Government High School, Hartaryar. It was coordinated and conducted by the Advance Field Veterinary Hospital on behalf of the Sub Area. The camp provided free medical check-up and medicines to the people of Upper Hartaryar, Kareer, Suri Nala, Mathan, Pali, Sanadi and Kal Dinga villages and veterinary cover to six thousand animals of these villages.

Lt Col SC Tomar and Lt Col LK Kapur of the Army Medical Corps along with Dr GL Dogra of the Primary Health Centre, Sanadi examined and treated the patients. Over 400 patients attended the camp. Medicines worth Rs 6,000 were distributed among the patients free of cost.

Maj Ravinder Singh and Pankaj Jain of the Remount Veterinary Corps along with Dr UK Sharma and Dr Ghafoor of the State Animal Husbandry Department examined and treated the animals. A clinical outlet of the Field Veterinary Laboratory was set up to examine various laboratory samples for correct diagnosis of the diseases. Special attention was given to animals suffering from parasitism and fertility problems.

During the health camp, the sarpanch of the villages were very grateful to the Army authorities for having provided succour to the ailing population. They thanked Lt Col KGR Nair for the timely help rendered to them and their livestock. The organisers distributed study materials like black-board, notebooks and textbooks and also sports items to the local schools.

- Lt Col SPK Singh

A two-day celebration on the 16th Founders' Day of Army Public School in Lucknow Cantonment concluded with a spectacular cultural programme.

The colourful programme consisted of important events of Indian history which were depicted through various dance forms, classical recitations, plays and music.

Lt Gen DS Chauhan, GOC-in-C, Central Command, was the chief guest on the occasion. Mrs Meera Chauhan, President, Central Command Army Wives' Welfare Assocation (CCAWWA), the students and their parents as well as distinguished guests who witnessed the cultural show appreciated the efforts put in by the students and staff of the school.

The Principal, Col Dinesh Sinha (Retd), in his welcome address, also presented the annual school report.

- Maj Dhirendra Ojha

from Lucknow

The Ordnance Factories Staff College, Ambajhar, the premier national institution for providing training and development facilities to officers of the Indian Ordnance Factories Service, celebrated its silver jubilee recently.

Set up in 1978 at Nagpur, the college has systematically developed and expanded its activities to meet the fast changing needs of the organisation. Awarded with IS/ISO-9001 : 1994 for quality system certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the college now plays a dominant role in the field of management training and consultancy amongst national and international management institutions.

The young technical officers, recruited through the UPSC Combined Engineering Service Examination and the administrative officers, recruited through the Combined Civil Service Examination, are trained at the college for a period of two years. The college also conducts a regular series of technical and management development courses.

The College aims to build cadres of professional and forward-looking managers in all fields. At the initiative of Mr DK Datta, Chairman Ordnance Factory Board, the college has been organising a number of technology specific conferences and symposia wherein experts from Ordnance Factories, trade and industry, R&D organisations and defence forces are brought on a common platform to devise ways and means for improving the quality of the military hardware produced in the country. Under the dynamic leadership of its Principal Director, Mr AO Abraham, the college has grown as an apex body of human resource development in the Ordnance Factories Organisation.

- Wg Cdr SN Mukerjee

Lt Gen TJS Gill, Director General Ordnance Service (DGOS) and Senior Colonel Commandant of Army Ordnance Corps inaugurated a cyber cafe on his visit to 19 Field Ammunition Depot. He also planted an Ashoka tree on the occasion. Later he was conducted around by Col NK Mehta, Commandant of the depot. The DG OS lauded the efforts put in by the depot for the planned and time-bound shifting to its new location.

During his visit to the depot, he complimented everyone for their contribution towards timely provision of ordnance goods to troops deployed for operation Parakram. He was impressed with the innovative methods the depot has adopted for optimal utilisation of storage space.

After his visit to the various depots and units, he addressed the personnel of the Ordnance Service during a special sainik sammelan. He exhorted the officers, JCOs and men of AOC to be ever-vigilant for the requirements of the fighting arms and not to leave any stones unturned while meeting their demands of war-like stores. He also lauded the role being played by the civilian staff of the depots. He asked all ranks to be always alive to the problems of the units.

Lt Gen Gill apprised all ranks the various steps being taken for their cadre review and improving the trade structure of jawans.

- Maj Xavier M Thomas

Lt Gen SS Mehta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, has called upon the teachers of Army Schools to motivate students to join Armed Forces. He was addressing the concluding session of the annual conference of the Principals and Staff Officers of Army Schools and Army Public Schools in Chandimandir. The two-day meeting was inaugurated by Maj Gen RS Batra, Major General-in-Charge of Administration, HQ Western Command. During the meeting, a strategy to improve the school administration, financial management and school environment was also worked out.

The key-note address was given by Dr (Mrs) Tehal Kohli, Professor (Education), Punjab University, Chandigarh. Computer aided learning and software on school administration were also demonstrated by experts. More than 50 Principals, Vice Principals and Staff Officers of Western Sector including Principals from other Command Zone Schools participated in the meeting.

- DS Rawat

DN Mourya , a lecturer at DD University, Gorakhpur (UP) and Manish Pant, lecturer at JN Vidyalaya, Nasirabad (Rajasthan) were adjudged best in the Senior and Junior Division NCC Associate Officers' Training Course. They were awarded the Director General’s Baton by Air Marshal PK Desai, the Senior Maintenance Staff Officer, Headquarters Maintenance Command, IAF at an impressive passing-out parade at the NCC Officers’ Training School, Kamptee near Nagpur. Virendra Kadian, a lecturer at CR Polytechnic, Rohtak (Haryana) and Subhra Ghosh, lecturer at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Kolkata (West Bengal) were awarded the Commandant’s Silver Medal in the Senior and Junior Division, respectively.

Seventyeight Senior Division and 142 Junior Division Associate NCC Officer cadets participated in the passing-out parade. Having completed a rigorous training in unarmed combat, drill, field and battle-craft and handling of different types of weapons, these college and school teachers will now function as Associate NCC Officers.

The passing-out parade was commanded by Senior Under Officer DN Mourya while Manish Pant, MV Thippesh, V Badyam, KC Lohumi, Navin Kumar Dikshit and Subhra Ghosh were the platoon commanders. AP Raju was the 2IC of the parade while M Gnana Pandhithan and K Srihari were the two stick orderlies escorting Air Marshal Desai. Addressing the combined passing-out parade, Air Marshal Desai exhorted the Associate NCC Officers to set high standards of honour, integrity, loyalty and discipline for the youth to emulate. Later, Air Marshal Desai along with senior officers and relatives of the passing-out officers took part in the ‘pipping’ ceremony.

Brig AK Asthana, Commandant NCC OTS, Commanding Officers of all Army units at Kamptee and other senior Army, Air Force and NCC officers along with civilian dignitaries were present on the occasion.

- Wg Cdr SN Mukerjee

Brig Rajeshwar Singh, Commander, Pune Sub Area inaugurated the new premises for Sainik Sahakari Bank's Kolhapur Branch.

Speaking on the occasion, Brig Rajeshwar Singh said that honesty, integrity and industriousness are some of the qualities which help Armymen to achieve excellent progress in Sainik Sahakari Bank.

Capt UR Nikam, Chairman of the bank, while welcoming the guests apprised the public of the progress achieved by the bank in the past 17 years and made a special mention of the bank’s record net profit of Rs 1.15 crore achieved for the year ended in March. The total business of the bank exceeds Rs 120 crore and the bank has over 16000 members.

- VK Abdulla

For the unique task of greening of the Thar desert in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, 128 Infantry Battalion, TA (Ecology) was awarded with the prestigious Maharani Marudhar Kanwar Award 2002. The award consisting of a cash award of Rs 11000 ang-vastra, citation and a silver kalash in a glass frame, was given by Brig Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh in an impressive ceremony at the City Palace, Jaipur to Lt Col SK Pareek, Commanding Officer of unit.

Presenting the award, the Maharaja said that this battalion was playing a crucial role in greening of the Thar desert where a few years back there were only shifting sand-dunes. Now this area around Mohangarh has been converted into a green belt wherein almost 14 lakh trees have been planted all along the Indira Gandhi Canal area. The area thus is stabilised with no more sand-fall into the canal which is the life-line for the people of drought-hit Rajasthan.

The battalion has been able to help growing of fodder for the local farmers, providing employment to the local villagers and maintaining the ecological balance of the Thar desert. Since its raising, this TA battalion has created a record in itself by planting one crore twentyone lakh trees in a short span of eight months.

- Maj Xavier M Thomas

The first-ever National Cadet Corps (NCC) delegation to Russia has returned back after taking part in the Youth Exchange Programme. The delegation comprised two officers and ten cadets. The cadets were hosted by the Youth Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education, Government of the Federation of Russia.

During their stay in Russia, the cadets visited various parts of the country. The members of the delegation got the opportunity to interact with the members of the First Cadets Corps of the Rescuers, youth organisations and select dignitaries from the cities of Moscow and Tuia. The cadets also visited places of interest.

On their return, the members of the delegation called on Lt Gen BK Bopanna, Director General NCC who lauded their efforts for further strengthening the relations between the two countries.

input: Lt Col YS Chauhan

The Army Red Team won 51st Interservices Basketball Championship at INS Shivaji, the premier Naval Engineering College at Lonawala.

The championship was played in an indoor wooden basketball court fitted with modern equipment and scoreboard. Four top teams of services Army Red, Army Green, Navy and Indian Air Force-vied for the top honours. Finals were played between Army Red and Indian Navy. Army Red beat Navy by a margin of 98-60. Navy missed capitalising on the fouls committed by the Army Red. The topscorers for the winners were Phool Singh with 32 points, Peter John with 19 points, D Kumar with15 points and Jayarangan with 10 points, while SG Venkatesh scored 19 points and SS Hasbe scored 11 points to reduce the margin for the losers. Cmde Dinesh Prabhakar, Commanding Officer, INS Shivaji, was the chief guest on the occasion.

- Maj CK Singh

Lt Gen JR Bhardwaj has assumed the appointment of Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces). After graduating from the Maulana Azad Medical College in 1965, he was commissioned in Army Medical Corps on June 1, 1965. He did his post-graduation, from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and PhD from PGIMER, Chandigarh.

During his career spanning over 37 years, Lt Gen Bhardwaj has held many prestigious professional and administrative appointments including those of Additional Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, Commandant Armed Forces Medical Stores Depot, Professor and Head of Department of Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and Head of Department of Pathology at Army Hospital (R&R) Delhi.

Air Marshal Ashok Goel presently Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Eastern Air Command has been appointed as Inspector General (Inspection and Safety) at Air HQ.

Air Marshal Goel was commissioned as a transport pilot in in December 1963. The Air Officer has close to 10,000 hours of operational flying experience on different types of aircraft.

The Air Officer, a graduate of National Defence College, has held several prestigious command and staff appointments which include the Command of an IL-76 Squadron and two major Air Bases, Chief Instructor (Air Wing) DSSC and SASO, EAC. For his distinguished services, the Air Officer was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1988 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1994.

Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani has taken over as SASO of an operational command.

Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani was holding the appointment of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel Officers) at Air HQ prior to his promotion to the rank of Air Marshal.

Commissioned as a Fighter Pilot in the Indian Air Force in October 1966, Air Marshal Bhavnani has had a highly distinguished career with wide operational and staff experience. He took active part during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, flying 22 operational missions on MiG-21.

A graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Air Marshal Bhavnani has excelled himself in important operational and command assign-ments which include an instructional flying tenure in the Middle East, leadership of the IAF team to fly the newly acquired Mirage-2000 from France in 1984 and subsequently command of the first Mirage squadron. He was responsible for the induction of this potent weapon system into the IAF.

Commander Abhay Kumar Lambhate took over as Chief Public Relations (Defence) in a simple ceremony at Headquarters Mumbai Sub Area.

Commissioned on January 1, 1978 into Indian Navy, Cdr Lambhate has had various important appointments during this 24 years of meritorious service.

His important appointments include Project Management Officer, INS Angre, Flight Commander INS Rana, Deputy Director Naval Air Staff, Naval Headquarters and Executive Officer of INS Ranvijay. Prior to taking over present appointment, he was looking after Vikrant Cell at Headquarters Maharashtra Naval Area in Mumbai.

Cdr Lambhate is a specialist in anti-submarine warfare and has also undergone Flight Safety and Accident Investigation Course at the Institute of Flight Safety, New Delhi.

Lt Gen Satish Satpute has assumed the charges of the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Southern Command, Pune.

Commissioned in 17 Maratha Light Infantry which he served for 14 years, Lt Gen Satpute raised 12 Maratha in Belgaum in 1982 and later commanded it in Solan. He was also the Second in Command of 2 Maratha (Kali Panchwin) for more than three years. As a Brigadier, he commanded an Infantry Brigade at Tangdhar (Kupwara district) in Kashmir for over two years.

As the Chief of Staff of the 21 Corps, one of the main strike corps of the Indian Army, the General commanded it through Operation Parakram when the Indian Army was mobilised. The General Officer assumed the new appointment after a stint in Rajasthan deserts where he relinquished the command of the main strike corps before moving to Pune.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the General has served as the Deputy Military Secretary in the MS Branch at the Army Headquarters. The General has been an instructor to the Royal Bhutan Army.