Armed Forces
Panorama

A bi-annual Chief Engineers and Commandants Conference of the Corps of Engineers was held at the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune recently.

Lt Gen S Pattabhiraman, Vice Chief of Army Staff and Col Commandant, Bombay Sappers, Lt Gen BS Dhaliwal, Engineer-in-Chief, Lt Gen RR Goswami, Commandant, CME and other senior officers of the Corps deliberated upon the major issues affecting the Corps, covering combat engineering support to the Army as well as works services for the Defence Services.

Participants of conference

The Minister of State for Defence, Mr MM Pallam Raju visited various Public Sector Undertakings like BEML, BEL and CAIR during his recent visit to Bangalore. He was shown around the manufacturing facilities of the companies. The Minister also reviewed the status of various projects taken up by BEML. The Minister showed keen interest in the infrastructural facilities developed by BEML to roll out state-of-the-art products for construction and mining industry.

Minister of State for Defence, Mr MM Pallam Raju at BEML

Naval ships have a long and illustrious history of playing the role of diplomats-in-uniform. In one such goodwill mission, Indian Naval warship, Savitri, commanded by Cdr Ravi Ahluwalia, visited the Great Coco Island in Myanmar. The ship also visited Yangon.

The ship was accorded a warm welcome by the Myanmar Navy (MN) Fleet Commander, Capt Tin Aung San. The hosts also organised a friendly volleyball match.

The volleyball teams of Myanmar Navy and Indian Navy after a friendly match at Great Coco Island

Military Hospital (Cardio-Thoracic Centre), Pune had the honour of playing host to Maj Gen Alan Hawley, Director General, Royal Army Medical Services (UK).

Maj Gen Hawley was impressed with the quality and standard of work being carried out by all the departments. He took particular interest in the cardiac surgery performed at this hospital on small children with complex congenital heart defects and their management in the paediatric surgical intensive care unit.

Maj Gen Alan Hawley watching a surgery

The 64th annual General Body meeting of Indian Air Force Benevolent Association (IAFBA) was held at Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park. Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, Chief of Air Staff chaired the meeting. Prominent among the members who attended the meeting were Mrs Bilkees Latif, Mrs Vandana Tyagi and a large number of serving and retired officers, Airmen and non-combatant enrolled.

The IAFBA is a self-administered body registered under Society’s Registration Act. It has been engaged in the welfare services for the serving, retired and bereaved families of IAF personnel. The Managing Council decided on a number of steps to enhance the welfare schemes.

A view of the meeting

European Union (EU) Troika Mission headed by Mr Asko Numminen, Ambassador of Finland, accompanied by Mr Francisco da Camara Gomes, Ambassador, European Commission and three other members visited HQ Northern Command to assess the ground situation prevailing in the state of J&K.

Lt Gen Deepak Kapoor with a delegation member

Air Marshal AD Joshi, Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces visited Air Force Station, Sonegaon, Nagpur. On arrival, he was received by Air Cmde AK Malhotra, Air Officer Commanding, 44 Wing, Air Force and Mrs Reeta Malhotra, President, Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Local).

Air Marshal AD Joshi with Air Cmde AK Malhotra at Sonegaon

A ceremonial parade was held at Officers Training School (OTS) of AMC Centre and School for 65 successful officers at the conclusion of Medical Officers Basic Course-171 (MOBC-171) in Lucknow Cantt. The impressive parade was marked by military precision and customary elegance and the salute was taken by Maj Gen M Srivastava, officiating Commandant, AMC Centre & School, Lucknow. The parade was commanded by Surg Lt Cdr SMS Chaudhri.

Maj Gen M Srivastava presenting the General Bilimoria Trophy to Capt Sankalp Singh

A seminar on stress management was organised at Jalandhar by Vajra AWWA. It was inaugurated by Mrs Jasjeet Sandhu, a member of AWWA by lighting the traditional lamp. The seminar was attended by senior Army officers, junior commissioned officers and Jawans of Vajra Corps.

Brig Charanjit Singh, an eminent cardiologist and Director of Medical Services in Vajra Corps, in his opening address, informed that a little of stress is an integral part of life but if it is prolonged, it becomes harmful.

A view of seminar at Jalandhar

Goa Shipyard bagged the prestigious Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Award for excellent performance in implementing the official language in its day-to-day office work. The award was given by the Union Home Minister Mr Shivraj Patil at a function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The award was received by the Chairman of Goa Shipyard, Rear Admiral Anil Kumar Handa.

Rear Admiral Anil Kumar Handa receiving Rajbhasha Award from Mr Shivraj Patil

The inter-battalion “Best Physique” Championship 2006 of AMC Centre and School was held at the AMC Centre and School Auditorium in Lucknow Cantt. As many as five teams participated in six categories of the championship. The chief guest, Maj Gen M Srivastava, officiating Commandant, AMC Centre and School gave away prizes to the winners and runners-up. Recruit Dalveer Singh was declared “Mr AMC”.

Recruit Dalveer Singh

Crossed Swords Division organised a talent hunt for potential air pistol firers in the age group of 13-16 years in the schools of Akhnoor Tehsil.

A total of 718 students were screened out of whom 35 children (21 boys and 14 girls) were shortlisted to participate in the final competition at Northern Command Shooting Node located at Akhnoor, Jammu. Maj Gen Bikram Singh, GOC, Crossed Swords Division, gave away prizes to the best three firers.

Maj Gen Bikram Singh giving away the prize

Army Red won the 56th Inter Services Athletics Championship 2006-07 held at GMC Balayogi Stadium at Gachibowli, Hyderabad. Army Green was the runner-up while Indian Navy and Air Force got third and fourth position respectively. Hav Alex Thomas of Army Green was declared the best athlete of the meet. Brig P Raina, Commandant, Artillery Centre, Hyderabad presented the trophy and medals to the winners.

Brig P Raina with winning team

The Army Red team has won the 21st Services Handball Championship which was held at the Choudhary Indoor Stadium of the Madras Engineering Group and Centre in Bangalore.

The chief guest, Gen IS Chaturvedi, Commandent, Selection Centre, South gave away prizes to the winners.

Maj Gen IS Chaturvedi presenting the Services Handball Championship Trophy to Army Red team

Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah took over as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Personnel & Systems).

Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah, an alumnus of St Joseph’s College, Nainital, was commissioned on June 9, 1968 into 185 Light Regiment (Camel Pack). He participated in 1971 operations at Longewala (Jaisalmer Sector). He has also participated in counter-insurgency operations. The General Officer has been an instructor at OTA, Chennai, Brigade Major of a Mountain Brigade and Additional Military Secretary in MS Branch, Army HQ. He has also served as Defence Attache in Saudi Arabia.

Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah

Lt Gen PR Gangadharan took over as the Military Secretary at the Army Headquarters.

He was commissioned into 4th Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry on December 21, 1968.

Lt Gen Gangadharan has attended several courses including Defence Services Staff College, Senior Command Course, Long Defence Management Course and National Defence College. He is a Master in Military Science and Management Studies. During his distinguished career spanning four decades, the General Officer has held varied important appointments.

Lt Gen PR Gangadharan

Lt Gen KS Venugopal has taken over as the Commandant, Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME), Secunderabad.

Lt Gen KS Venugopal was commissioned in the Indian Army on August 22, 1971. He has undergone many prestigious courses like Army Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the Long Defence Management Course at the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad. He has held a variety of coveted regimental, command, instructional and staff appointments, within and outside the Corps.

Lt Gen KS Venugopal, taking over as Commandant, MCEME

Maj Gen NC Marwah, an Infantry officer from the Kumaon Regiment, has assumed the command of the Dah Division. He has held important staff and instructional appointments in various military institutions, besides having served in all the states of the North-East.

Prior to his promotion, the General Officer served in Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters.

Maj Gen NC Marwah

Gp Capt R Bhattacharjee has assumed the command of Electronic Engineering and Installation Unit, Air Force.

Commissioned in India Air Force in the Engineering (Electronic) Branch in 1984, Gp Capt Bhattacharjee has held various command and staff appointments during his illustrious career. A pioneer in the field of communications, Gp Capt Bhattacharjee has commanded many Communication Units.

Gp Capt R Bhattacharjee

Wg Cdr DS Rajput assumed the command of 73 Radio Maintenance Unit. He was commissioned in IAF in the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) Branch in February 1986.

Wg Cdr Ds Rajput specialised in Automatic Data Handling System at Air Defence Ground Environment System Training Institute (ADGESTI) and was associated with the operation and maintenance of Air Defence Surveillance Radars.

Wg Cdr DS Rajput