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An IL-76 aircraft of Indian
Air Force carried relief material to New Orleans,
USA which has been
badly affected by hurricane Katrina.
The IL-76 travelled via Doha,
Cairo, Lisbon
and Boston to reach New
Orleans. This was the first supply mission from India
for the Katrina affected parts of the US.
The relief supplies comprised
50,000 first-aid kits, small tarpaulins, blankets, 5,00,000 packed rations
etc. Gp Capt R Sharma, Commanding Officer, 44 Squadron IAF led the mission.
New AOC-in-C, Eastern Air
Command
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Air Marshal FH Major, took over
as Air Officer AOC-in-C, Eastern Air Command on September 5 last. On his arrival
at the HQ EAC in Upper-Shillong, he was presented a guard of honour by the
personnel of the Headquarters.
Air Marshal Major was
commissioned into Indian Air Force in 1967. He was one of the first pilots
in IAF to fly on twin-turbine helicopters, Mi-8 in 1972. He was awarded the
highest helicopter category ‘A’ and Instrument Rating “Master Green”. As
Wing Commander he commanded the first Mi-17 Squadron of the Indian Air
Force and commenced operations with this helicopter in the world’s highest
battlefield–Siachen Glacier. He also commanded Mi-17 Squadron during IPKF
operations in Sri Lanka.
He was awarded Vayu Sena Medal for his leadership and courage. A
receipient of Shaurya Chakra Air Marshal Major has commanded a
tactical Air Centre alongside a strike corps in the desert sector and has
held important staff appointments. Prior to this appointment, he was the
Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Operations.
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Air Marshal FH Major
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Contributors : Sqn Ldr Mahesh
Upasani, DS Doad,
Wg Cdr TK Singha and Wg Cdr Binoy Changtham
Saviours in the Sky
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The 107 Helicopter Unit (HU),
fondly called Desert Hawks, is not only adept at operating over the
golden sands of the Thar desert, but also over all
types of terrain, as its service profile demonstrates.
Raised on January 1, 1960 at Srinagar
in Jammu and Kashmir by Sqn
Ldr AS Williams, the squadron initially operated the S-62 and
Bell-47 helicopters. This elite squadron was the first unit in the IAF to
convert to Mi-4 helicopters, which it skillfully operated for almost
two decades. Thereafter, the unit was equipped with Mi-8 choppers, before
moving on to Mi-17 helicopters. At present, the unit, under the
command of Wg Cdr SK Mishra, guards the western skies.
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Desert Hawks on a flood relief mission
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The 107 HU saw action in all the
three major wars fought by the country. In the 60s, during the India-China
and Indo-Pak wars, the unit was deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and flew
extensively, carrying out casualty evacuations, reconnaissance and
communication flights, besides participating in counter-insurgency
operations. After moving to Jodhpur,
within a short span of time, the unit found itself once again in the
thick of action during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The unit carried out
extensive communication, ground and maritime reconnaissance and casualty
evacuation sorties. In July 1987, the unit proceeded to Jaffna
for operations against the LTTE during operation Pawan. It played an
important part in rescue and relief operations during peace-time too, be it
earthquake relief in Nepal
in 1965, the Bhopal gas tragedy
in 1984, or the recent floods in Gujarat.
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Relief material being supplied to the flood victims
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During Gujarat
floods, the Desert Hawks operated round-the-clock with five helicopters
from Vadodara and Ahmedabad. The high degree of training and professional
competence enabled them to save flood victims through winching operations.
The unit has the distinction of
operating in almost all the types of choppers in the inventory of the IAF and
all types of tasks that a helicopter can perform. The unit takes pride in its
blemishless safety record with around 30000 hours of accident free-flying to
its credit.
-Lt Col
RK Palta
Retrieving the Relics
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Indian Army launched an expedition to locate the AN-12 aircraft that
crashed into South Dhaka Glacier of Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal
Pradesh on February 8, 1968
in which 102 personnel of Indian Army were killed. The expedition was
launched to retrieve the wreckage of the aircraft and the mortal remains of
Army personnel onboard the aircraft.
The expedition, christened, operation Punar Uthan-II was
conducted by Golden Arrow Division. It was flagged off by Maj Gen B
Sivasankar, GOC in Ferozepur on June this year. After completing their mission,
the expedition members returned to Ferozepur.
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GOC, Golden Arrow Division and the team leader interacting with the
media
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Speaking on the occasion, Maj Gen B
Sivasankar said that the expedition team has lived upto the reputation of
Indian Army of caring for their comrades. Without caring for their personal
safety, the team members worked round-the-clock in such inaccessible areas to
retrieve the aircraft wreckage and personal belongings of the soldiers who
lost their lives in the air crash.
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Giving details of the expedition,
the team leader, Maj Neeraj Sood said that prior to launch of expedition
the team had undergone extensive training in rock-craft, ice-craft,
crossing of streams and enhancing their fitness standards. The team also
received some guidance from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE)
and Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (DMAS), Manali. The
team encountered 25 to 30 ft of snow on the glacier which is situated at an
altitude of 18,000 ft. Owing to unprecedented snowfall this year no traces
of the aircraft were visible initially. It was only after continued search
for five days that they were able to retrieve not only the wreckage of the
aircraft but also the mortal remains of a soldier and some uniforms.
Despite lack of oxygen and inclement weather the team went ahead with
courage and lived up to its motto of “We Care and Dare.” Lt Gen
Mandhata Singh, GOC, 11 Corps patted the team on the occasion.
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Relics of the crashed aircraft
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-Naresh V Vig
Air Chief Visits Frontline
Airbases
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Chief of the Air
Staff, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi visited the frontline airbases at Bhuj, Naliya
and Jamnagar in the Kutch
and Saurashtra regions of Gujarat under the
South-western Air Command. Mrs Vandana Tyagi, President (AFWWA),
accompanied the Air Chief.
Air Cmde Devinder Singh, AOC, Jamnagar
and Mrs Parminder Kaur, President, AFWWA (Local) received the Air Chief and
President, AFWWA on their arrival at Jamnagar.
Stating that the visit was a
homecoming of sorts, the Air Chief interacted with the personnel of the
airbase. It may be mentioned that the Air Chief was AOC of the Jamnagar
air base from December 31, 1990
to June 20, 1993. He
also visited various squadrons and units in the airbase. All pilots come to
the Jamnagar air base for their
basic air to ground firing and later for advanced gunnery during their
stint as operational fighter pilots.
Mrs Vandana Tyagi met the
families of the ‘air warriors’ and enquired about their welfare. The AFWWA
members presented a cultural programme to mark the occasion. The Air Chief
also interacted with the media during his visit to the station.
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The Air Chief being briefed by the personnel of Air Force base
Mrs Vandana Tyagi (centre) with AFWWA members
The Air Chief sharing a moment with the Air Warriors
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-Wg Cdr TK Singh
Valour for Victory
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The seeds of aviation at Jodhpur
were sown by Lt Gen Air Vice Marshal Maharaja Umaid Singh. In the very
first year of his accession to the throne of Marwar, he established the
first landing ground at Jodhpur
in 1924. The Maharaja, a keen aviator, was in fact the first Indian prince
to earn an ‘A’ Level flying licence. In 1931, he established the Jodhpur
Flying Club (JFC) with his two Tiger Moths. By 1938, the JFC was at the
forefront of civil aviation in India,
with three international airlines operating air services to Jodhpur.
The Maharaja was also a stakeholder in the first aviation company in India.
With the rumblings of World War-II, and as the Battle of Britain raged in Europe
in 1940, the Maharaja - a true soldier complained to the then viceroy, “I
have no use for the Honorary rank”. His position did not allow him to
personally engage in dogfights in Spitfires and Hurricanes,
so he had to be content with the command of his base at Jodhpur.
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SWAC pilots ready for mission
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As the focus of the war shifted to Burma
and the far East, Jodhpur became
a hub of the air operations, and in 1941, Jodhpur Air base was transformed
into the No 2 Elementary Flying and Training School. Lt Gen Air Vice Marshal
HH Umaid Singh died in an air crash in June 1947, in his early 40s. It is
futile to speculate to what further heights aviation in Jodhpur
would have scaled with him in the cockpit, but it cannot be disputed that in
mere 23 years, he took his desert state from the camel tracks to the runway
of the future.
The dawn of Independence
saw the formation of the Air Force Flying College (AFFC) at Jodhpur
in 1950. Post 1965 operations resulted in the establishment of 32 Wing, Air
Force at Jodhpur on January 1, 1971 and the shifting of
the EFTS to Dundigul, Hyderabad.
The real baptism by fire for 32 Wing, Air Force came during the 1971 War. As
the clouds of war gathered, an ad hoc group under AOC Rajasthan, comprising
32 Wing, AF, Jaisalmer and Uttarlai air bases was made responsible for all
Air Force operations in this sector. The legendary Hunter aircraft
torched the oil refineries at Karachi,
making a major dent in Pakistan’s
war manoeuvres. The finest hour of the hunter was the annihilation of
the Pakistani armour at Laungewala, which is aptly called the Tank
graveyard. Another feather in the cap of Jodhpur
air base, was the shooting down of the F-104 aircraft by MiG-21.
September 1972 saw the birth of ‘No
1 Operational Group’ at Jodhpur,
which in 1980, was re-designated as South-Western Air Command (SWAC). The
command has the responsibility of providing air defence cover to the vast
south-western region of the country, in addition to airfields and vital
installations of national importance. The motto of SWAC is ‘Victory to the
Brave’. On May1, 1998, the headquarters of SWAC formally shifted from Jodhpur
to Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The SWAC has carved out a
niche for itself in the annals of the IAF with the shooting down of the
Pakistani Atlantique aircraft which swayed into Indian
territory in the Kutch region on August 10, 1999, and the active
participation in operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil conflict. From its
humble beginning as the No 1 Operation Group to the present, SWAC has grown
from strength to strength and today it is a potent force to reckon with.
-RK Palta
Chronicle of Calibre
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Heritage Museum
at Air Force Station, Jodhpur
is one of the prestigious museums established by the Indian Air Force. Its
objective is to preserve the rich professional and cultural heritage of the
service and give exposure to the public at large, about this elite force.
Through its chronologically well laid-out six sections- 'Bygone Era',
'Present Era', 'Aviation Era', '1971 Era', 'Gandhinagar Era' and 'Umaid
Singh Era', the museum takes the visitor through a time machine, as it
traces the remarkable history of aviation at Jodhpur, from its inception in
1924 to the present day. The museum has an impressive display of a wide
variety of live models as well as photographs and exhibits of aircraft,
missiles, armaments and aircraft-related equipment.
On entering the museum gate, a Sukhoi, Marut, MIG-27 and SAM-II
which is a Russian missile system, displayed on the lawns of the museum
complex, greet the visitors and remind them that though now retired,
once upon a time, they too roared into skies to strike terror into the
heart of the enemy. A collage formed wth various parts of an aircraft is
worth-watching at the museum.
The 'Bygone Era' traces the journey of aviation in Jodhpur
from 1931 following the establishment of the Jodhpur Flying Club by
Maharaja Umaid Singh. This section also depicts evolution of Air Force
uniforms and contains photographs of visits of dignitaries to AF Station. Jodhpur.
The 'Present Era' traces the history of important units and formations
operating from Jodhpur. A large
number of missiles and armaments are on display. The 'Aviation Era' traces
the voyage from Tiger Moth to SU-30 MKI, laying special
emphasis on Jodhpur's role in
aviation. It has a photographic montage of all the types of fighters,
transport aircraft and helicopters helf in the inventory of Indian Air
Force.
The '1971 Era' showcases some of the finest moments of IAF during the
1971 war including the famous 'Battle of Laungewala'. Especiall, eye
catching is the photograph of the maze of tank tracks made by the panicking
enemy tanks, prior to their decimation by the Hunter aircraft of the
IAF. The 'Gandhinager Era' unfolds the events during the last one decade
including the induction of the Sukhoi 30MKI. the photographs and
exhibits displayed at 'Umaid Singh Era' section highlights the contribution
of Maharaja Umaid Singh to the growth of aviation at Jodhpur.
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Vignettes of aviation during the period of Lt Gen Air Vice Marshal Umaid
Singh
A view of the 'Bygone Era'
IAF uniforms
SAM II, a Russian missile system displayed on the front lawns of the
museum
A Sukhoi 7 and Marut (HF 24) aircraft on display
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-Lt Col
RK Palta
Complementary Courage
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“Every Territorial is twice a citizen, once when he does his ordinary job
and the second time when he dons his uniform and plays his part in
defence”, said Field Marshal Viscount Slim. These words sum up the role of
Territorial Army in the defence of the nation. A profile of this
organisation on the occasion of its 56th Anniversary on October 9.
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After attaining Independence
in 1947, a need was felt to have a sizeable reserve force of trained
citizens to support the regular army in times of need. The Territorial Army
Act 1948 was passed by the Indian Parliament resulting in the constitution
of the present Territorial Army (TA).
The aim of TA is to nurture a voluntary force
which is interested to serve the nation should the need arise. The citizens
who join TA are imparted part-time military training which enable them to
complement to the efforts of regular troops whenever called upon. The
force, thus, enables reduction in manpower costs during peace time, as its
personnel are required to come for annual training for only two months
every year as compared to regular army units, which are at full strength
throughout the year. At the same time, TA ensures availability of trained
manpower for emergencies.
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Shri C Rajagopalachari, Governor General of India inspecting the Guard
of Honour by 113 Infantry Bn (TA) Bihar
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Since its raising on October 9, 1949 by Shri C Rajgopalachari, the
then Governor General Of India, TA has come a long way. It has earned a
place for itself in the hearts of the people by selfless devotion to duty,
whether in maintaining essential services and rendering assistance in time
of natural calamities or when the security of the country is threatened.
TA provides an excellent opportunity to
citizens to serve the nation while still pursuing their vocations in civil
life. Within the Territorial Army, there is a unit to suit everyone’s
interests. This unique organisation is perhaps the only one with varied
types of units like Infantry, General
Hospital, Ecological, ONGC,
IOCL, Telecommunication and Railway Engineers. Though some of these units
are not directly involved in the defence of the country, but still make an
important dent on society at large. The commonality of ethos, training,
equipment and work culture makes it most suitable for rapid integration
with the Army.
TA units played an important role during
1962, 1965 and 1971 wars and Kargil conflict. Three battalions of TA formed
part of the IPKF in Sri Lanka.
The force has also been employed to support the regular Army in combating
militancy in Punjab, Jammu and
Kashmir and the North-east. The role played by TA
during natural calamities like cyclones and earthquakes and also during
situations like industrial unrest, strikes etc in support of the state
government and civil administration has been widely appreciated. For their
gallantry and distinguished services, TA officers and men have been
honoured with two Ati Vishist Seva Medals, 22 Vishist Seva
Medals, five Vir Chakra, 23 Sena Medals and a number of other
awards.
Currently, this multi-faceted
organisation, is headed by Maj Gen P Rajagopal in the rank of Additional Director
General. Altogether, TA has a strong force of 64 units in its ambit.
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Keeping a vigil in an insurgency affected area
TA personnel undergoing training
TA contigent participating in Republic Day Parade
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-Lt Col
P Chandra
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“We need and value the commitment of the many thousands of individuals
who volunteer to defend the country from internal and external threat in
addition to pursuing careers and interests in civilian life. Ours is the
only country in the world which has the departmental units of ecological
task forces, ONGC, JOCL, Railway and Medical in the ambit of its armed
forces as part of Territorial Army. These units have rendered yeomen
service to the nation in time of need”.
-Gen JJ Singh
Chief of the Army Staff
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Sappers’ Service
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Madras Sappers are celebrating their 225th
anniversary at Madras Engineer Group and Centre, Bangalore
from October 6 to 8. To mark the occasion, Sainik Samachar goes down
the memory lane and recalls their immense contribution to the security of
the nation.
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Madras Sappers trace their roots in the first
two companies of the Madras Pioneers which were raised in September 1780.
Initially, they were used to develop tracks for movement of gun carriages,
for digging trenches and saps and clearing hedges. Over the next few years
their number rose to eight companies.
When the British annexed Sind,
the highlight of the campaign was the Battle of Meanee, where 50 Madras
Sappers, though equipped only with fusils and bayonets, spontaneously
joined the charge of the Cheshire Regiment. Acknowledging their courage and
comradeship, the Cheshires exchanged their caps Shako, a cylindrical peaked
cap with a plume with sappers. Called Doopta, remains in its modified form,
the trademark head-dress of Madras Sappers even today.
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Lt Rajwade, the first Indian Sapper to receive Military Cross
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When the Japanese attacked the
36th Division during World War-II on February
1, 1945, the Sappers swung into action and proved their mettle.
For display of exemplary courage and commitment, Lt Rajwade received Military
Cross. He was the first Indian sapper officer to receive this coveted
award. After Independence, the
sappers were given a challenging task during 1948 operations. They were
asked to build a road between Baltal and Zojilla in Jammu
and Kashmir within a month. Undeterred by
frequent snowfall and using upto 25 tons of explosive per mile, the Madras
Sappers, working under direct mortar fire, completed the task. Gen Thimayya
commended the sappers on achieving the impossible and called it a 'record
in any operation'. 'Zojila' is the first battle honour earned by Madras
Sappers after Independence.
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Sappers in action in Zajili sector
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During 1962 and 1971 wars, the sappers
were again there at the forefront providing engineering support to armed
forces. In 1962 Nk Raghavan displayed exemplary courage and determination in
the rescue of an infantry post across the Pangong
Lake in Ladakh using engineer
storm boats despite continuous enemy fire. He was awarded Vir Chakra
for this act of courage. During the Battle of Basantar in 1971, Maj VR
Chowdhary was Officer-in-Charge of minefield clearance of Chakra across River
Basantar, which had been captured and was under imminent threat of an
armoured counter attack by the enemy. While supervising the breaching
operation, he was hit by enemy artillery fire and made the supreme sacrifice.
For his gallant act, he was awarded Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous).
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The Madras Sappers' association
with the world's highest battlefield started in 1984, when 8 Engineer
Regiment provided engineering support to 3 Infantry Division. They
constructed the world's highest helipad and operated the over snow vehicle
for the first time. Seventeen Engineer Regiment gave close support to
capture Bana Post at a height of 21,000 ft. The sappers improvised the Dexion
Bridge, laid 67-km-long
kerosene pipelines upward from the base camp and constructed a 400-ft
bailey suspension bridge (the longest possible in bailey bridges) in the
glacier.
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Bailey bridge on the Brahmanbaria
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During operation Vijay, the enemy
had placed mines on the approaches leading to their positions on hilltops.
The sappers were required to remove these mines before the infantry could
advance. While carrying out this risky task in Batalik Sector, Capt Rupesh
Pradhan of 2 Engineer Regiment was severely injured. He was awarded Vir
Chakra. Ln Nk Jayavelu was awarded Sena Medal (Posthumous) for
destroying enemy bunkers in Kaksar Sector. Two Engineer Regiment was
decorated with one Vir Chakra, three Sena Medals and five Chief of
Army Staff commendation cards and GOC-in-C, Northern Command unit citation
during Kargil conflict.
By virtue of their innovative
skills, the Madras Sappers have, time and again, been employed in times of
natural calamities. Floods, earthquakes, and the most recent Tsunami saw them
provide succour to the affected civilians not just in India
but also in Sri Lanka
and Maldives.
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The 12 and 13 Engineer Regiments
of Madras Sappers were rushed to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation
operations in the wake of the earthquake that hit Gujarat
on January 26, 2001.
Along with the relief operations, the Madras Sappers undertook for the
first time, demolition of unsafe buildings.
The Madras Engineer Group &
Centre Task Force constructed a 125-mtr-long Kruppman floating bridge in 26
hours in December 1994 across River Vennar connecting Thanjavur, for the
Eighth World Tamil Conference. Abuot 15-20 lakh Tamils from all over the
world were attended the conference and the existing roads could not cater
to the traffic.
The sappers have also contributed
significantly to UN Missions. In 1954, Maj R Lokarajan was the first sapper
selected for peacekeeping mission. Thereafter, the Sappers joined UN
missions in Congo,
Cambodia, Mozambique,
Somalia, Rwanda,
Angola, Lebanon,
Sierra Leone
and Ethiopia.
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Pangong Lake
crossing
Demolition of unsafe buildings in Bhuj
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A Trekker’s Paradise
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Ever since the Valley of Flower
was accidentally discovered by a British mountaineer, Frank Smythe in 1931,
it has remained a trekker’s paradise. World famous for its beautiful
landscape, flora and fauna, the Valley of Flowers National Park is located
between main valleys of rivers—the Alaknanda and the Laxman Ganga in the
Garhwal Himalayas of Uttranchal.
The Second Provost & Security Unit located in New
Delhi is not only the oldest but also the most
elite provost unit of the Indian Air Force. Recently, the unit conducted a
trek to the Valley of Flowers
and it was held under the aegis of Directorate of Air Force Adventure at
Air Headquarters.
The expedition had eleven air warriors of 2 P & S Unit comprising
one officer and ten airmen. It was led by Wg Cdr KR Thaakar, Asst Provost
Marshal and Commanding Officer of 2 P & S Unit.
The expedition to the Valley
of Flowers and Hemkund was the
first-ever trek organised for any P & S Unit. It was a maiden visit to
the Himalayas for most of the members. The team
displayed excellent physical endurance, determination, discipline and
enthusiasm. It provided Air Force Policemen an opportunity to explore the Himalayas
and helped them develop a sense of adventure.
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On way to the Valley of Flowers
Reaching the valley
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-Wg Cdr KR Thaakar
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Air Waves for Armed Forces
Tune to Sainiko Ke Liye on Delhi
‘B’, All India Radio between 1815 hrs and 1855 hrs every day on the
frequencies: MW 450.5 Metre Band (666 KHz) and SW 61.73 Metre Band (107.1
MHz).
In Store
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• Oct 05 :
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A report on flagging off ceremony of Mt Kala Naag
mountaineering expedition.
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• Oct 07 :
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Air Chief’s message on the eve of Air Force Day.
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• Oct 08 :
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ADG, TA’s message on the eve of Territorial Army Day.
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• Oct 14 :
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DG, EME’s message and a variety entertainment
programme on the eve of EME Corps Day.
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• Oct 17 :
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Provost Marshal’s message and a variety entertainment
programme on the eve of CMP Day.
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• Oct 19 :
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Interview with DG NCC, Lt Gen MC Bhandari by Pratima
Virendra Singh, Broadcasting Officer.
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Adventure Award
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The Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports has announced the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award to
Wg Cdr Jayashankar of Indian Air Force for excellence in aero sports. Wg Cdr
Jayashankar was given the award by President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at a
special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Wg Cdr Jayashankar has been
selected for this award for his outstanding performance in aero sports. The
award also comes as a recognition for inspiring the Indian youth and
fostering the spirit of adventure among them.
Wg Cdr Jayashankar is the team
leader of the Air Force skydiving team Air Devils. Through
demonstrations he has generated awareness amongst millions of youth and
children all along the country. His name finds a mention in the Limca Book
of Records also.
Wg Cdr Jayashankar led the first
Indian Skydiving delegation to the World Freefall Convention in USA
in August 2004. He trained the Chief of the Air Staff in capacity as
a personal coach in parachuting in September last year.
The air warrior demonstrated the
first ever skydiving jump in India
with water landing in Kerala’s backwaters during Nehru Boat Race at
Alleppey in August this year.
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Wg Cdr Jayashankar carrying out a free fall
Wg Cdr Jayashankar showing his award to Chief of the Air Staff, Air
Chief Marshal SP Tyagi
Wg Cdr Jayashankar seen hanging on an inverted biplane at 8000 feet
|
-PIB (DW)
From the File
October 7 & 14, 1956
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• The life of the troops who are guarding the borders in Jammu & Kashmir
theatre is usually one of hardship and self denial. They are stationed
there, away from their families, and normal amenities available in other
parts of the country are lacking. It has been the constant endeavour of the
military authorities to find out more ways of providing additional
amenities to the troops in this area keeping this in view a number of
mobile cinema units have been raised and are now operating in these areas.
Run by the Army Ordnance corps, these cinemas on wheels help considerably
in reducing the monotony of the Jawans in the forward areas. The
equipment of the mobile cinema unit consists of 3-ton lorry fitted with a
generation, portable 35-mm projector and a portable screen. A programme of
the film show is drawn up and issued to the units concerned well in
advance. At about 6.30 in the evening on the fixed day, the Mobile Cinema
unit arrives in the unit lines and less than an hour, starts showing the
film to the troops. The selection of films is made very carefully and
provision is made to cater to the popular tastes.
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President, Dr Rajendra Prasad visited the JCO’s Mess of 39 Gorkha
Training Centre at Dehra Dun
recently. A retired Gorkha JCO is here being presented to the President
during his visit to the Mess
|
• General SM Shrinagesh, who was in
Poona recently, presided over a
sand-model exercise organised by the Southern Command in which officers from
all commands took part. Addressing the officers at the end of the Exercise,
he stressed the importance of comradeship and discipline. In the afternoon
General Shrinagesh witnessed a colourful beating of the retreat by massed
bands at the Rajendrasinghji Institute.
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“Dead bodies of the terrorists will not be exhibited like wild animals.
Once a terrorist is eliminated, his mortal remains need to be handled like
those of any other human being”, said chief of the Army Staff, Gen JJ Singh.
This manifested our Chief’s rational thinking and humane face. It also
highlighted the rich ethos of Indian Army.
|
|
May I please offer a humble
suggestion, related to the above subject through Sainik Samachar!
There are points for killings/capture/surrender of militants. But there are no
points for constructive/goods deeds which fall under the preview of
Sadbhavana projects. There are also no points for noble deeds like saving of
lives during natural calamities, voluntary blood donations, medical aids etc.
If it is a people’s army, with a
humane face, then we got to give points to units taking up welfare measures
for people. This will also balance the focus of the units and commanders
between the CI Ops and development projects.
-Col
RD Singh
Commandant, 213 Transit Camp, Jammu
(J&K)
•
The write-up “One Soldier, One
Tree Drive” in Sainik Samachar August
16-31, 05 is really praise worthy. The drive has to be carried out in every
unit of the Armed Forces. Let everyone of us do pledge to comply with our
said constitutional mandate. I personally and proudly feel that Army has high
traditions in all walks of life.
-Nb Sub DR Nirwan (Retd)
Bhandara (MS)
•
I have been reading Sainik
Samachar for the last three years. I go through the magazine from cover
to cover, this publication is praiseworthy. I have seen it improving in each
issue. In fact the magazine gives a lot of information for the benefit of
serving personnel and also for those who have retired. We come to know about
some of the government schemes through this magazine. Sainik Samachar
keeps us posted on latest appointments which help us to know the latest
changes. I wish every success to the magazine.
-Ex Nk Kishori Lal Awasthi
Khilru, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
Armed Forces
Panorama
Seminar on Maritime
Perspectives
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The Chair for Maritime Studies and Research instituted by the Indian
Navy at the Calicut University in September last year organised a one-day
national seminar on ‘India 2020 : Maritime Perspectives’, at Calicut. The
seminar and panel discussion was aimed at generating awareness on issues
related to maritime strategy, maritime and national security.
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Admiral Arun Prakash, Chief of Naval Staff delivering the Special
Address
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A host of retired diplomats,
service officers, renowned academicians working on maritime and strategic
subjects, young naval officers undergoing specialisation training at Kochi
and students of the University participated in this event. Eight
thought-provoking papers were presented at the seminar.
Mt Vijay Nambiar, IFS (Retd) deputy
National Security Advisor inaugurated the seminar. Admiral Arun Prakash,
Chief of Naval Staff delivered the special address and also released three
publications on the occasion. Vice Admiral SCS Bangara, FOC-in-C, Southern
Naval Command delivered the valedictory address.
-Cdr M Nambiar
from Kochi
‘Jai Jawan’ Housing Scheme
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The Indian Army hosted the civil military liaison conference. It was
attended by Mr BL Joshi Lt Governor, Delhi,
Mr S Reghunathan, Chief Secretary and Dr KK Paul, Commissioner of Police.
The Army delegation included Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman, GOC-in-C, Western
Command (and Vice Chief designate), Maj Gen PC Bhardwaj, GOC, Delhi Area
and other senior officers.
The conference addressed many security matters of mutual concern,
discussed methods related to improving mutual coordination between Army and
civil security agencies and deliberated upon various administrative matters
with reference to the Delhi Cantonment.
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Mr BL Joshi Lt Governor Delhi and Vice Chief designate Lt Gen S
Pattabhiraman before the civil-military conference held in New
Delhi on September 8, 2005
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During the conference, issues
relating to traffic control, sewerage and employment of ex servicemen in
Group C and D came up for discussion. The issue of allocation of land for Jai
Jawan housing scheme, a project specifically for personnel below the
officer rank was also taken up.
PIB (DW)
Attestation Parade at AMC
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Altogether, 153 recruits, on completion of their
training, were inducted as fullfledged soldiers of the Army Medical Corps
(AMC) at an attestation parade organised at AMC Centre and School in
Lucknow Cantonment.
Lt Gen HK Maini, Commandant, AMC Centre and School, reviewed the parade.
The parade was commanded by Maj JPN Jha of No 1 Technical Training
Battalion.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen HK Maini congratulated the newly
attested soldiers and advised them to remain loyal and faithful to the
country. Highlighting the role of AMC, he called upon them to uphold the
high traditions and motto “Sarve Santu Niramaya” of AMC.
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Recruits taking oath of allegiance at the attestation parade
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-K Ramesh
from Lucknow
Deliberations on
Sub-Conventional Warfare
Deliberations on Holistic Approach
to Sub Conventional Operations were held at Army
War College,
Mhow as a part of the Tactics and Doctrine Conference.
During the conference, Gen JJ
Singh, Chief of the Army Staff emphasised the importance of training and
preparation for sub conventional warfare, which is an ongoing type of war
being faced by most of the countries. While the world has begun to grapple
with the reality of ‘Terrorism’ only post 9/11, for India,
sub conventional operations were nothing new. For five decades India
has been a victim of ‘proxy war’, ‘insurgency and terrorism’. These are the
formidable challenges that the country faces today.
The COAS further stated that these
threats need to be countered in a multi-faceted manner; by strengthening India’s
internal security, identifying and defusing the threats before they reach our
borders and by using every instrument of national power.
-PIB (DW)
Border Personnel Meetings
Border Personnel Meetings (BPMs)
are held four times a year, between the Indian and Chinese military
delegations in order to build confidence between troops at local level and
also to ensure peace and tranquility as per Peace and Tranquility Agreement
of 1993. The Indian delegation visits China
in February and June every year and in the same way Chinese delegation comes
to the Indian side in August and October.
In line with these joint interactions
between the two Armies, a BPM was organised at Indian BMP Hut in Eastern
Ladakh on August 15 last to celebrate 59th Indian Independence
Day.
The Chinese delegation led by
Senior Colonel Awang Dauji was received by the Indian delegation leader Brig Manvendra
Singh. After the reception, the Indian National Flag was hoisted and both
delegations saluted the tricolour. A formal meting was held in a atmosphere
of mutual trust and camaraderie.
Later the Chinese delegation
witnessed a cultural programme presented by the troops of Chushul Garrison.
As the curtain came down on the celebrations, the visitors saluted the
tricolour and were escorted back to Line of Actual Control by Brig Manvendra
Singh.
-Lt Col
VK Batra
from Srinagar
Workshop on HIV/AIDS
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A Workshop on HIV/AIDS for peer leaders was organised at Command
Hospital, Northern Command. It
was inaugurated by Maj Gen BK Mohanti, Deputy Director Medical Services,
Northern Command.
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Maj Gen BK Mohanti inaugurating the workshop
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Maj Gen AB Chattopadhyay,
Commandant, Command Hospital
while delivering his welcome address informed that the hospital is engaged in
providing comprehensive health care to the troops in Northern Command adding
that it has all facilities to diagnose and treat the HIV/AIDS patients. He
said the aim of continuing education and workshop was to educate the peer
leaders who could then further educate the troops on HIV/AIDS prevention.
The proceedings of workshop were
released by Brig AC Soneja, Commander, 71 Sub Area.
-Col
RK Sen
from Udhampur
AWWA Mela at Jodhpur
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An AWWA Mela was organised at Battle Axe Stadium in Jodhpur Military
station. The Mela was inaugurated by Mrs Aruna Gangadharan, President
Regional AWWA, and showcased the items made by families of Jawans of Desert
Corps in various AWWA vocational training ventures. The major attraction of
the mela were the large number of stalls set up including bandhani
and gota patti sarees, glass bangles, durries and Rajasthani
handicraft. In addition a number of joyrides and horse and camel safari
were organised for the younger members of the Army fraternity.
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A view of AWWA mela
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input: Lt
Col JS Dhodi
DSSC Visited
Vice Admiral AK Singh, Director General,
Indian Coast Guard visited the Defence Staff Services College (DSSC), Wellington
in Nilgiri District of Tamil Nadu. The Admiral delivered a lecture on Role
and Future of Coast Guard in which the Student Officers, Staff and faculty
members evinced keen interest. The Admiral also spoke on the role of Coast
Guard during war and peace.
-C Muthuvelu
from Chennai
Micro Hydel Project Inaugurated
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Gugaldar Battalion, of the Madras
regiment has set up a micro-hydel project in village Jumagund, Kiran
Sector, Jammu and Kashmir.
The project was inaugurated by Mr Mir Alam Mir, the oldest man of the
village. Under this project, 50 houses have been provided electricity for
the first time, benefitting over 250 persons. On this occassion various
cultural events and a medical camp was also organised for the local people.
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Children waving national flags during the inauguration of the Hydel
project
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-Col
SK Sakhuja
Cancer Detection Camp
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A cancer detection camp was conducted by 309 Field Ambulance under the
aegis of Pine AWWA and ADMS, 9 Infantry Division. Altogether, 213 families
were examined.
The camp was inaugurated by Mrs Harinder Grewal, President, Pine AWWA.
It was followed by an introductory lecture on the subject by Col SC Gupta;
ADMS, 9 Infantry Division. An exhibition on prevention of cancer was also
put up. The camp received overwhelming response from the local public.
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Mrs Harinder Grewal inaugurating the medical camp
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input: Lt
Col Shobhana
Das
‘Help Line Service’
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Lt Gen HK Maini Commandant, AMC Centre and School and Officer incharge
AMC Records, Lucknow, dedicated
the helpline service to the personnel of Army Medical Corps. The
information about promotions, courses, transfers, salary statements,
pension, terminal benefits, documentation and welfare of AMC troops will
now be available on Help Line which can be accessed from anywhere in
the country including the far flung areas.
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Lt Gen Maini and other officers at the inauguration of the 'Help line
Service'
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AMC Records deals with career
management of about 50 thousand serving personnel below officer rank and
about one lakh and twenty two thousand ex-servicemen of AMC.
-K Ramesh
from Lucknow
Plantation
Week
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The 213 Transit Camp, the largest camp of the Indian army, organised a
tree plantation week to promote arboriculture. Over 3000 saplings were
planted by all the ranks during the week. 25 children of JCOs and OR also
planted various saplings. Col RD Singh, Commandant of the camp said, that
arboriculture will be a special focus to keep the camp neat and clear so
that the transients can feel at home.
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Children planting saplings in 213 transit camp during tree plantation
week
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-Lt Col
RK Chhibber
from Jammu
NCC Bhavan at Akkulam
The foundation stone for the
Thiruvananthapuram-based No 1 (Kerala) Naval Unit, NCC Bhavan was laid at Akkulam
Boat House Premises by Maj Gen Rakesh Dass, Additional Director General, NCC
Directorate New Delhi.
The Rs 25 lakh project is coming up
on a 2.38 acre plot allotted by the state government to the NCC Kerala Unit
in 1968. When completed, the complex will house the Naval NCC Unit, now
functioning in a rented building at Kowdiar. A camp site for 600 cadets at a
time, two barracks, a cook house, accommodation for boys and girls, and staff
quarters would be the other facilities at the new complex.
-PN Krishna Pillai
from Thiruvananthapuram
Inter Command Handball
Championship
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Southern Command has won the Army Inter Command Handball Championship
Trophy. The finals were held at the MEG & Centre in Bangalore
in which they defeated Central Command team by 39-27 goals. Services player
Onkar Singh and Inter Services player Vishal scored 11 and 9 goals
respectively for the Southern Command while Preet scored 9 goals for the
Central Command team.
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Southern Command team with Brig Om Prakash
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Brig Om Prakash, Commandant, 515
Army Base Workshop, Bangalore was
the chief guest and presented the trophies and medals to the winners. Five
teams namely, Southern Command, Northern Command, Eastern Command, Western
Command and Central Command participated in this championship. Western
Command got the third position while Eastern Command got the fourth position.
-MN Shankar
from Bangalore
Hockey Championship
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1 Training Regiment won the Inter Regiment Hockey Championship-2005-06
at Artillery Centre, Hyderabad
successively for the third year and retained the championship trophy.
Altogether, 18 teams participated in the championship. Brig Rohit Kalia,
Commandant, Artillery Centre, Hyderabad
gave away the trophy to the winners.
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Winners of Inter Regiment Hockey Championship
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input: Lt
Col (Dr) AK
Janardhanan
from Hyderabad
Cross Country Championship
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Eastern Naval Command Cross-Country Championship-2005-06 was conducted
at Naval Shipwright
School, Visakhapatnam.
Six team consisting of 12 participants each from various ships, submarines
and shore establishments took part in the competition.
Eastern Fleet ‘B’ emerged as winners and INS Rajali/Kattaboman
team emerged as runners-up in the championship. A tough competition was
seen between the various teams during the race. Capt WA Kumar, Executive
Officer, INS Circars who was the chief guest for the event, gave away trophies
and prizes to the winners.
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Capt WA
Kumar presenting the ENC Cross Country trophy to the Eastern Fleet 'B' team
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-Capt LN Prasad
from Visakhapatnam
Basketball Championship
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Army Inter Command Basketball Championship was held at 1 Army HQ Signal
Regiment Indoor Basketball Stadium, New Delhi.
Teams from five Commands participated in the championship.
The final match of the championship was played between Southern Command
and Eastern Command. Southern Command team won the championship trophy.
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Winners with their championship trophy
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Lt Gen Bhopinder Singh, Director
General Military Training, was the chief guest and distributed the medals and
trophies to the winners. The overall championship was clinched by Southern
Command.
input: Lt
Col Prateek
Sahai
‘Sea to Rann’ Expedition
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Maj Gen SN Handa, GOC, Golden Katar Division flagged off the Army
expedition team heading from the ‘Sea to Rann’ at Sainik School, Balachadi.
The four-day expedition moved through the Gulf of Kutch
touching Navlakhi Port
and then entered the ‘Little Rann of Kutch’ (LRK) through Surajbari on
boats. The team after crossing the LRK in flat-bottomed boats to Ghantila
terminated the expedition at Kuda village near Dhrangadhra.
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Expedition team with Maj Gen SN Handa
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The expedition team led by Lt Col
JS Goraya included five officers and 11 jawans of the GK Artillery Brigade
along with two Coast Guard personnel and a scientist from Agriculture
University, Junagadh. The team
members interacted with local public enroute and studied the diverse
ecosystem.
-Wg Cdr TK Singha
from Ahmedabad
Appointment
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Lt Gen PR Gangadharan GOC, Desert Corps, has assumed the charge
of Colonel of the Jammu and Kashmir
Light Infantry Regiment. He takes over from Lt Gen Hari Prasad who has since
retired.
Lt Gen Gangadharan, an alumnus of National
Defence Academy,
was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry from
the Indian Military
Academy, Dehradun on December 21, 1968. He is a
graduate of the Defence Service
Staff College,
Wellington.
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Lt Gen PR Gangadharan
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The General Officer has over 36 years
of service with wide and varied experience on various command, staff and
instructional appointments, including the command of a Sector in the elite
Rashtriya Rifles.
•
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Col Virender Singh took over as Commandant, Institute of Military
Law (IML), Kamptee. Col Singh is a first class law graduate and was
commissioned in the Army in 1975. During his long and distinguished
service, he held several key posts in legal departments at Command
Headquarters and Corps Headquarters. Prior to assuming the present
appointment, he was deputy judge Advocate General of Unified Command at
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Col Virender Singh
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input: Lt
Col RK Palta
and
Wg Cdr Anil Ingley
Photocall
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Rescue and Love : The Petroling team of Indian Army
rescued leopard cubs from Gussai in Poonch district. Mrs Ruby Sharma, wife
of Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma, GOC, 16 Corps, took the responsibility of these
cubs. She bottle fed the cubs and provided veterinary assistance. Once they
stabilised, she handed them over to Manda Wild Life Sanctuary, Jammu.
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Testing Endurance : Airmen Selection Centre Tambaram in
Chennai conducted the Selection Test for Group X Trades (Technical). More
than 800 candidates appeared for the test. The candidates underwent many
field events during the selection test.
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Providing Skills : Mrs Lakshmi Raman, President, Army
Wives Welfare Association, Western Command talking to the AWWA ladies on
the occasion of inauguration of Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO)
Skills Training Centre by Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman, GOC-in-C, Western Command
at Chandimandir.
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Bridging Through Bikes : A team of 11 Cadets from 7
Karnataka Battalion NCC successfully completed an all India
Motorcycle Expedition from Bangalore
to Kargil via New Delhi.
The team covered a distance of 5468 kms in 26 days.
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