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The school in Dhamupur, part of the PM Schools for Rising India scheme, was reportedly set to be renamed PM SHRI Composite Vidyalaya Dhamupur by authorities.

New Delhi: Days after the education department in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur reportedly removed the name of 1965 war hero Abdul Hamid from a government school’s title, the move sparked backlash from his family and Opposition leaders.

The school falls under the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, and authorities had planned to rename it PM SHRI Composite Vidyalaya Dhamupur, according to local reports.

However, Ghazipur’s Basic Education Officer, Hemant Rao, told ThePrint that the school was merely being repainted and that there were no plans to change its name. He claimed the controversy arose during this process.

Hamid’s grandson had reportedly criticized the removal of his grandfather’s name. Following the backlash, the Ghazipur administration reached out to the family and assured them that the school’s name would remain unchanged, Rao said.

He, however, added that there was, in fact, no official record of the school being named after Hamid. The school has been carrying his name since 2012 in honour of the war hero who was from Dhamupur, he said.

Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid of 4 Grenadiers of Indian Army’s infantry regime was commander of a recoilless gun detachment during the 1965 war with Pakistan. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Several Congress leaders in the state, such as Members of Parliament Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan and Imran Pratapgarhi, and president of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ajay Rai, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for excluding Muslims who have fought for the country.

Pratapgarhi Monday posted a video of the new name being painted on the school building and wrote, “After the news that the name of Param Vir Chakra awardee Veer Abdul Hamid School in Ghazipur was being changed, the education department was forced by the voices raised on social media to name the school again after Veer Abdul Hamid.”

In July last year, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat had visited Dhamupur to release two books—Mere Papa Paramvir, about Abdul Hamid, and Bharat Ka Musalman.

The Indian Army showcased an advanced kamikaze drone at the Science and Technology Expo held at IIT-Jammu on February 17, 2025. This drone emphasizes both surveillance and attack capabilities, marking a significant advancement in India’s military technology.

Key Specifications

Payload Capacity: The drone can carry between 150 to 300 grams, specifically designed to transport explosives such as RDX.

Flight Duration: Without Mini Drone: Up to 30 minutes.

With Mini Drone: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes, allowing for kamikaze attacks where the mini drone is deployed to strike a target.

Operational Features: Equipped with a small camera, it can operate effectively in both day and night conditions, featuring a zoom capability for enhanced surveillance.

Operational Mechanism: Defence personnel explained that once a target is identified at a distance, the main drone will deploy the mini drone carrying the payload, which will then crash into the target. This method is referred to as a “suicide drone” due to its self-destructive nature upon impact.

This demonstration comes amidst criticism from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi regarding India’s drone policy, where he compared domestic capabilities unfavourably with Chinese technology. However, industry experts defended India’s advancements, highlighting the growing domestic drone industry with over 400 companies contributing to technological innovations.

Smit Shah, the President of the Drone Federation of India (DFI), expressed his discomfort and that of the drone community regarding comments suggesting a lack of understanding of drone technology in India]. This statement was made in response to a video shared by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, where Gandhi criticised the government’s drone policy and showcased what appeared to be a Chinese-made drone.

Shah emphasised that there are over 400 companies in India, along with approximately 40 to 50 drone component companies, that are diligently working to advance the drone industry. He felt compelled to speak out against Gandhi’s remarks, which he viewed as belittling the entire industry, especially when someone with significant public influence uses a Chinese drone to suggest that India lacks understanding and domestic production capabilities.

Shah highlighted the progress in the drone industry, noting that since 2021, the government has focused on regulation, technology, and adoption to establish India as a global drone hub. He also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s decision to display a DJI drone, which has been banned in India since 2022, and raised concerns about whether Gandhi had the necessary drone pilot license and clearances for operating the drone in a restricted zone.

The introduction of this Kamikaze drone reflects India’s strategic focus on enhancing its military capabilities through advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aligning with global trends in modern warfare.

ANI

Tuesday, 18 February 2025 | Biswajeet Banerjee | Ghazipur

The name of Param Vir Chakra awardee Shaheed Veer Abdul Hamid was removed from the main entrance of a primary school in Dhamupur village, sparking protests from his family and locals. Following their objections, the martyr’s name was restored-but only on an external wall, not the main gate, leading to further controversy.

The school, previously known as ‘Shaheed Abdul Hamid Vidyalaya,’ was renamed ‘PM Shri Composite School’ after a recent repainting, according to officials. Jameel Ahmed, Hamid’s grandson, stated that the name was erased during the repainting work four days ago. When the family raised objections, headmaster Ajay Kushwaha directed them to approach Basic Education Officer (BSA) Hemant Rao.

Rao later assured the family that Abdul Hamid’s name had been inscribed on one of the school’s external walls, but the entrance continued to bear only the new name. Dissatisfied with the response, the family lodged another complaint on Saturday, demanding that the martyr’s name be reinstated at the entrance. Despite assurances from officials that the matter would be addressed immediately, as of Monday, the name remained missing from the main gate, leaving the family “deeply hurt.”

Abdul Hamid is revered for his bravery during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, where he single-handedly destroyed three Pakistani Patton tanks, forcing the enemy to retreat. His valor earned him India’s highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, awarded posthumously to his wife, Rasoolan Bibi.

In response to growing criticism, BSA Hemant Rao said: “Shaheed Abdul Hamid’s name will soon be reinstated at the school’s entrance, and it has already been inscribed on an external wall.”

However, locals and the martyr’s family remain dissatisfied, insisting that his name be prominently displayed on the main gate as well. “If the government truly respects our war heroes, they should ensure that their legacy is honored properly,” said a local resident.

The issue has now taken a political turn, with the Congress party strongly opposing the name change. Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai condemned the move in a Facebook post, calling it an “insult to the country’s heroes” and vowing to fight against it. “The Yogi government has changed the name of a school that was dedicated to one of India’s greatest warriors. This is unacceptable, and we will not remain silent,” he said.

The party has announced a protest at Sarju Pandey Park, Kachheri, on February 17 at 1 PM. Congress leaders, including State Secretary Fashat Hussain, will participate in the demonstration, and a memorandum addressed to the Governor will be submitted to the District Magistrate.

The school was repainted four days ago with ‘PM Shri Composite School’ being painted at the entrance, replacing ‘Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya’, Hamid’s grandson said

After massive uproar erupted over the removal of 1965 war hero Abdul Hamid’s name from the main gate of a primary school in Dhamupur village under Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh where he once studied, the administration decided to reinstate the name on Monday (February 17, 2025).

Amid growing concerns over skirmishes on the Line of Control (LoC), J&K Manoj Sinha says ‘the Indian Army was giving a befitting response’

Growing incidents of skirmishes on the Line of Control (LoC), including sniper attacks and infiltration bids this year, is posing a fresh challenge to security agencies in J&K. J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said “the Indian Army was giving a befitting response”. 

At least six skirmishes were reported on the LoC in the Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts in the past two months. Two soldiers, including a Captain, were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED), and at least two other soldiers were hit by snipers. It remains “inconclusive if the Pakistani Army or the militants” were involved in these attacks. Two infiltrators were also killed in this period in Poonch.

The four-day Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commenced on February 17. BSF Chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary welcomed BGB Chief Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui at the IGI Airport on…

The four-day Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commenced on February 17. BSF Chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary welcomed BGB Chief Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui at the IGI Airport on Monday. The talks are aimed at addressing border-related issues and improving coordination between the two border guarding forces.

This is the first meeting between the two DGs after the political crisis erupted in Bangladesh.

New Delhi, Feb 16: The change of guard ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be held in a new format, featuring an elaborate visual and musical performance against the backdrop of the presidential palace, an official statement said on Sunday.

The new format includes military drills by troops and horses of the President’s Bodyguard, along with personnel from the Ceremonial Guard Battalion and the Ceremonial Military Brass Band. The display will be spread over a larger area, the statement added.
President Droupadi Murmu witnessed the inaugural ceremony in its new format on Sunday at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, according to the statement issued by her office.
The ceremony will be open to a larger number of visitors from February 22, the statement said.
Change of guard, a time-honoured military tradition, was introduced as a ceremonial event in 2007 at Rashtrapati Bhavan allowing a fresh group of the President’s Bodyguard to take charge.
In 2012 the ceremony was made a public event giving citizens an opportunity to attend the event, officials said.
Previously held between Jaipur Column and gate number 1, it has now been shifted to the forecourt, expanding the capacity to over a thousand spectators, they said.
Conducted weekly, this ceremony marks formal handover of duties between the outgoing and incoming guards.

The ceremony attended by Murmu on Sunday showcased synchronised movements by the Ceremonial Battalion, precision drills by the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) and performance by the Ceremonial Band, reflecting the discipline, heritage, and pride of the Indian armed forces.
Raised in 1773, the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) is the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army, tasked with ceremonial duties for the president. PBG personnel are skilled horsemen, tank operators, and paratroopers.
Visitors can reserve their slots at https://visit.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in (PTI)

I carry my grief with me on my sleeve

Geetika Lidder

Last weekend was my birthday, February 8. It also happens to be the month of love, the Valentine’s month. It seemed to be the perfect day to offer this tribute of true love to my husband, the late Brig LS Lidder, who lost his life in the CDS chopper crash in December 2021. The tribute was in the form of a book, straight from my heart.

The book is titled ‘I Am a Soldier’s Wife’. Well, we got married in 1996 and I have been a soldier’s wife since that glorious day… but these words were spoken right after the last rites of my husband, when I was asked by the media, and I said, “I am a soldier’s wife, I must give him a smiling sendoff.” Never ever have I felt this more profoundly that I need to be the soldier’s wife than at that time, when the soldier was gone.

This has started on a serious note, so does the book. It starts with the day when we lost him along with the others in the crash. However, like the subtitle of the book — ‘The life and love of Toni Lidder’ — the book is merely that.

An eternal romantic at heart, I love love stories. My own is my favourite. The book is a simple story of true love — a life well lived with precious memories and moments. I always believed that Toni was special. It was after he went that I realised that he was so special to so many people… and that gave me reason to recall and record my life with him. It is a simple, no-fuss book. In fact, you will find yourself in any of the chapters. It is like the Jane and John next door. They are all relatable to any couple, especially the Army ones, for it has glimpses of life as it passes us by, station to station, box to box.

Remember, I said the life and love of Toni Lidder, nowhere did I say loss. Yes, we lost him in the physical form, but three years after that day, I can say that he is always with me.

These years have taught me that love may not mean togetherness. How else can you explain Radha-Krishna, or Meera-Krishna… true love is faith and devotion, something I can never be short of where Toni was concerned. True love is in the form of Nandi, who has patience, complete surrender and faith as he waits at the door of the Shiv temple, unquestioning about the appearance of the lord. True love is in the form of Hanuman, who is pleased only by the mere mention of Ramji… do you know how many times you say Ram when you chant the Hanuman Chalisa? So, love is independent of physical presence. These analogies are only to justify my faith in the universe and the plan it has for everyone.

We barely ever had an argument and I would tease him — “I love you and you love you!” When we were courting, his coursemates used to say: “Geetika talks like Lakhy. In fact, she says something and looks towards him for validation.” When we got married, I was told by many elders of the paltan — “Humara sabse honhaar beta hai”, until one day, our CO’s wife told one of them: “Woh jaisa hai, yeh bilkul vaisi hai….” That was music to my ears.

Within 12 hours of his passing, I told myself, if I break down and shatter into pieces, it’ll be pieces of him all around, so I have to collect him within me now and reflect him within me — heaven knows it that I have tried my best to live with that spirit of the soldier within me. He and his memories have ensured that I continue to live in the way that would make him proud, befitting of the Lidder way! He taught Aashna and me to grab moments, make them memories and live a life of meaning, purpose and gratitude. We continue to do that as well as we can.

Yes, I have to reset my mind to think of a tomorrow without him in it, but the love we had will keep me warm forever. That love comes to Aashna and me in the form of all our friends who envelop us with their love. The purpose to each day comes from the institution where I serve — Shri Ram School gives me identity and relevance and impacting the children each day in my own small way is a humbling feeling which I am eternally grateful for. AWWA and its outreach and dependability is something that never ceases to amaze me. AWWA president Sunita Dwivedi and all other members make me feel so loved, respected and held.

My most respectful salute to the outfit which gave Toni his identity and made him who he was, the 2nd Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Bodyguard. ‘I Can Never Say Enough About the Men’ is the title of a book written on our unit, and I can only echo that.

As we say in Bodyguard

Some of us are gone

And some of us are far,

But all of us are proud

Of just who we are

We, the Bodyguards.

Being a soldier’s wife has taught me the harshest lessons in life — Toni taught me to not turn my back on the enemy. Here, when grief came calling, I opened the door to it, looked at it in the eye, adapted to it, adopted it and today, I own my grief. I carry it with me on my sleeve. After all, I am a soldier’s wife.

Jai Durge, Jai JAK, Jai Hind!

Flight lands at Amritsar airport around 10 pm

A third US military special flight carrying 112 deportees landed at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport on Sunday night.

The flight landed at the airport at 10:03 pm, officials said.

Among the fresh batch of deportees, 31 are from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The deportees will be allowed to head to their homes after completion of all formalities, including immigration, verification and background checks.

Arrangements have been made for the transportation of deportees to their destination, the officials said.

Second US military flight brings 117 deportees, men in ‘shackles’ again

Their removal is part of an ongoing crackdown by US immigration authorities on individuals who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas.

On Saturday night, a US military plane carrying 117 illegal Indian immigrants, including 65 from Punjab, landed at the Amritsar airport.

The movement followed the deportation of 104 individuals earlier on February 5.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also attacked the Centre over the landing of US planes carrying deportees at Amritsar airport.

“Do not make our holy city a deportation centre,” he said.

He slammed the Centre saying it was a “deliberate attempt to defame the state” by giving the impression that all deportees belonged to Punjab.

Mann also visited the airport on Saturday and said his government has made arrangements to take the Punjab residents to their hometowns.