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Wants stolen sewing machine, a wedding gift, recovered

Akash Ghai,Tribune News Service,Mohali, December 13

Retired Army personnel are usually known to make rounds of the corridors of power to get their pension or avail of other benefits due to them. But in a rare case, a Mohali-based retired Army man has written a letter to Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking his intervention for the recovery of a 40-year-old sewing machine, a souvenir from his marriage, and more importantly, a reminder of his marital bliss.Vijay Arya, a retired Subedar Major, claimed that the local police did not take his complaint ‘seriously’ as the value of the stolen goods, including the machine in question, was not ‘much’ in their view. “We were emotionally attached to the sewing machine, which was gifted to us by our parents on our wedding day,” said Arya, who claimed to have fought the 1971 war against Pakistan.The theft had taken place at his house in Mohali Phase II on Friday. “The thieves broke open a box lying in the backyard of the house and took along some goods along with the sewing machine,” said Arya.He added that though the cops came after he made a call to them, they did not react properly on learning the monetary value of the stolen goods.“They (the police) were very casual in their approach, saying ‘kuchh nahi hoga’ (nothing would come out of it). So I was forced to write a letter to the Deputy Chief Minister to intervene and get me back my ‘valuable’ machine,” said Arya. Arya also announced to reward the policemen, if they recovered the stolen machine.

AFTER HIS TOES HAD TO BE AMPUTATED, CHAND WAS INVALIDED OUT OF THE ARMY IN 2004 WITH 60% DISABILITY

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) on Thursday issued a notice to the central government over a petition for higher pension by a soldier who lost all his toes to frostbite at the Siachen glacier.

The petitioner, havildar Rattan Chand of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, moved the tribunal saying he had received the injuries during the army’s Operation Meghdoot and that he was eligible for the “war injury element” of the pension.

Havildar Chand, who had joined the army in 1985, had been sent to the world’s highest battlefield in 1987. He told the tribunal that after serving three months in temperature ranging between -18 to -50 degrees Celsius, he suffered from frostbite and all his toes had to be amputated.

Havildar Chand was invalided out of the army in 2004 with 60% disability.

Bhim Sen Sehgal, chairman of the All India Ex-servicemen Welfare Association, the group through which Chand filed the petition, said: “Chand served in Operation Meghdoot at Siachen for about three months. The army commander declared his injury attributable to military service in operational area and was classified as a battle casualty. But the principal controller of defence accounts ruled that Chand’s injury did not fall under the ambit of war injury, which is contrary to law.”

Kharga Corps sets up heritage park in Ambala
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 7
The Kharga Corps has set up Kharga Heritage Park at Ambala Cantonment to showcase the grit and valour of its warriors.
The park highlights the martial traditions of the Indian soldiers, raising of the Kharga Corps in October 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh, the impact the corps made in the defeat of Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh.
The park has statuettes displaying various activities of the Kharga Warriors, models of equipment depicting various arms, a replica of the Chattri Memorial of the First World War, statue of Lord Buddha and a prayer wheel depicting the Buddhist traditions of Ambala as highlighted by Chinese traveller Huen Tsang in his memoirs.

CHANDIGARH: In a historic moment, Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill, Air Officer Commandingin-Chief of Central Air Command, flew a three aircraft close formation sortie on Hawk Mk132 with his son, Flying Officer Shahbeg Gill, also part of the same formation at the Bidar air force station in Karnataka on Saturday.
When Air Marshal Gill was asked as to how he felt flying a sortie with his son, he replied, “I can easily say that Indian Air Force is the elitist service in the world, that’s why I am leaving half of myself with the Air Force.” He said it was a historic moment for the Air Force and a proud and memorable moment for him. He wished to see more brave sons of the great land opting for flying and fighting for the nation.
When the father and son landed after the sortie, Ranjeet Gill, Shahbeg’s mother, was emotional as she said, “The two people dearest to me have flown together in a close formation and I cannot describe the feeling in words. Obviously, I am the proudest wife and mother.”Air Marshal Gill hails from Patiala and is an alumnus of the local Mohindra College. He was commissioned into the flying branch of the Air Force in December 1977. In a career spanning 38 years, he has more than 7,000 hours of incident-free flying experience. While commanding the IAF station at Leh (world’s highest air field), he was instrumental in recommissioning of two airfields. During his command, Air Force Station, Leh, was declared the Pride of Western Air Command.
For his distinguished service and exceptional professionalism, he has received three Presidential awards. In his earlier days, he has been the member of the 7th and 8th Antarctica Expedition, wherein for displaying extraordinary courage he was awarded with Vayusena Medal (gallantry) in 1990, Yudh Seva Medal in 2005 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2010. He had also commanded Air Force Station, Patiala, from 1999 to 2001.Air Marshal Gill is married to Ranjeet Gill, a homemaker. The couple have two daughters and a son. The son, Flying Officer Shahbeg Gill, is undergoing stage-III training in fighter stream. Ranjeet Gill is an alumna of St Fatima School, Patiala, and a graduate from GCG Patiala.
Flying Officer Shahbeg did his matriculation form St Peter’s School, Patiala, and Class 12 from Army Public School, Patiala. Flying Officer Gill says right form childhood he wanted to be like his father and today he has taken a major step towards that.
In 2013, Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, then Chief of the Air Staff, flew with his son, Squadron Leader Omar Browne, in Sukhoi-30 at Lohegaon airbase in Pune. It was the last sortie of Air Chief Marshal Browne.

Tribune News Service
Haridwar, December 3
Armed forces are providing better and lucrative career opportunities, thus attracting a large number of youths.
RM Mittal, director of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) AVSM, VSM, stated this here today at the 17th foundation day of College of Engineering, Roorkee.
In his address, Mittal said the college, in just a decade and half, had become one of the most prestigious educational institutes for engineering in northern India.
Citing India’s strong emergence in the global arena in the recent times, he attributed it to the youth power as in most fields, ranging from science technology, software technology, sports, academics, engineering, medical, armed forces to private sector, the younger generation had shown its skills, class and supremacy.
“Set targets, work hard and don’t forget your roots, upbringing and culture. Innovation is the key to success, so be prepared for it and achieve success,” Mittal said.
As many as 29 teachers from the college were felicitated by the BRO
director for being inspirational teachers, who mentored students in innovative teaching methodology.
President of the college trust JC Jain, Shreyans Jain, Subash Jain, Dr V Gupta, Romesh Sharma, Dr DPS Kulkarni, Gunjan Aggarwal, BS Verma, Pramod Kumar, Anand Singh, Rajendra Saini, Madan Singh, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Pankaj Mehta, Anshish Rawat, Ansushka Goyal, Mitali Bhatt and Kumar Vasisth were present during the function.

Apropos to the ‘debate of the week’ section of November 22, 2015, in which residents had sent their views on ‘one-rank one-pension’ issue. I believe it was arbitrary, deserved more analysis, and had scope for improvement. First, it lacked a holistic approach to the subject and concentrated on promulgating opinions of mainly one segment of the defence services, or civilians, and thus, ignoring the viewpoints of the other two segments, the veterans and the affected. Of total 27 opinions, Army’s share being 14, civilians’ share (having no direct implication or impact whatsoever, except for academic interests) as 11, Air Force’s share being only two and Navy’s share as zero, the entire debate appeared strange. An approach involving wider opinions from all segments would have been more appropriate.
GROUP CAPTAIN SK GOSWAMI (RETD), Panchkula

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 23
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre today presented its latest batch of 146 recruits passing out from the state who joined the Army, taking oath for dedicating their lives to the service of the nation. The fresh batch batch of soldiers completed 42 weeks of strenuous training.
Their passing-out parade, depicting graduation of a recruit and his transformation into a young soldier, was reviewed by Brig Suresh Chavan, Commandant of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre.
It was attended by over 1,000 parents and relatives of young soldiers from the state along with a number of military personnel, an Army spokesman said.
The daunting soldiers of the regiment hailing from all regions and religions of the state took oath in unison to serve the supreme cause of the nation. Their ceremonial ardour and salute to the Tricolour with national anthem inspired patriotic vigour in all those present.
The Commandant of the centre congratulated the young soldiers for their immaculate parade and impressed upon selfless service towards the nation.
As part of the attestation parade, the Commandant of the centre presented the Sher-e-Kashmir Sword of Honour and Triveni Singh Medal to Nuzran Ahmed Dar from Kulgam district for being adjudged the overall best recruit’ from the passing-out batch.
Nuzran distinguised himself as best recruit in firing and received Chewang Rinchen Medal for this. Recruit Firdous Yousuf Malik from Kupwara was the proud recepient of Maqbool Sherwani Medal for being best in physical training.
The parents and relatives told the young soldiers to be ready to join their battalions and tread the immortal path of glory, living up to the expectations and the best traditions of the Army.
As a mark of respect, gratitude and recognition of the contribution made by the parents of these young soldiers, they were presented Gaurav Padaks instituted by the Army.

Jammu, November 14
Short of field firing ranges, the Army is likely to get back the Kalith field firing ranges in Akhnoor subdivision of Jammu district soon.
The Army has run short of field firing ranges in J&K, which shares its borders with China and Pakistan, as re-notification of 10 field firing ranges remained pending with the state government.
“At the civil-military liaison meeting last month, the state government had assured to look into the issue. Consequently, the government has made up its mind to re-notify Kalith firing ranges,” said official sources.
In this direction, the state government has sent a file to the Defence Ministry, which in turn will pave the way for the re-notification of the Kalith firing ranges to the Army, they added.
The state government had asked the Army to vacate land from at least 15 places.
As a result, the Army, in a bid to keep its troops “battle-ready”, has been sending them to field firing ranges in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The 50-year lease period of firing ranges to the Army had ended in November last year.
In the case of the Kalith ranges, the re-notification has been pending since August 14 last year. — TNS