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

ਅਰਾਕੋਨਮ (ਤਾਮਿਲ ਨਾਡੂ), 13 ਨਵੰਬਰ
ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੈਡਲ ਸਾਡ਼ਨ ਦੀਅਾਂ ਘਟਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਅਤੇ ਹਥਿਆਰਬੰਦ ਬਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ’ਤੇ ਧੱਬਾ ਕਰਾਰ ਦਿੰਦਿਆਂ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮਨੋਹਰ ਪਰੀਕਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਹੁਣ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਸਾਬਿਤ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ (ਓਆਰਓਪੀ) ਲੲੀ ਚਲ ਰਹੇ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਕੋੲੀ ਸਿਆਸੀ ੳੁਦੇਸ਼ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ। ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ,‘‘ਜੇਕਰ ਮੈਂ ਕੁਝ ਆਖਿਅ ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲੱਗ ਜਾਏਗਾ ਪਰ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਬਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਦਿੳੁ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ।’’ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਲਾਗੂ ਕਰਨਾ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਦਾ ਚੋਣ ਵਾਅਦਾ ਸੀ ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ।
ਰੱਖਿਆ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਸਵਾਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਓਆਰਓਪੀ ਬਾਰੇ ਨੋਟੀਫਿਕੇਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਵੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਰੀ ਰੱਖੇ ਜਾਣ ’ਤੇ ਇਸ ’ਚ ਕੋੲੀ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਚਾਲ ਨਜ਼ਰ ਆੳੁਂਦੀ ਹੈ।
ਇਕ ਹੋਰ ਸਵਾਲ ਦੇ ਜਵਾਬ ’ਚ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਹਥਿਆਰਬੰਦ ਬਲਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਲੲੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਵੱਲੋਂ ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੈਡਲ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਸਨਮਾਨਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮੈਡਲਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਡ਼ਨਾ ਜਾਂ ਮੋਡ਼ਨਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਅਤੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਬਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਬੇਇੱਜ਼ਤੀ ਹੈ।
ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਪੂਰੀਆਂ ਨਾ ਮੰਨੇ ਜਾਣ ਬਾਰੇ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਪਰੀਕਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ੳੁਹ ਜੁਡੀਸ਼ਲ ਕਮੇਟੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਪੱਖ ਰੱਖ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ੳੁਹ ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਨਿਵਾਰਣ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ।
ਫ਼ਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ, 13 ਨਵੰਬਰ (ਪੱਤਰ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਕ ): ਇਕ ਰੈਂਕ ਇਕ ਪੈਨਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਦੇ ’ਤੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋੜਨ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਡ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਕੲੀ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਦੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ’ਚ ਫ਼ਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ ’ਚ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਫ਼ੌਜੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਬੈਠਕ ਕੀਤੀ। ਸੇਵਾਮੁਕਤ ਲੈਫਟੀਨੇਂਟ ਕਰਨਲ ਸੁਮੇਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋਡ਼ ਕੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਜਤਾੳੁਣਾ ਠੀਕ ਨਹੀਂ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਜਿਹਡ਼ੀਆਂ ਮੰਗਾਂ ਰਹਿ ਗੲੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ੳੁਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਹੱਲ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸਾਬਕਾ ਮੇਜਰ ਅਸ਼ੋਕ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਤਗਮੇ ਮੋੜਨਾ ਤੇ ਸਾੜਨਾ ਦੇਸ਼ ਲਈ ਅਪਮਾਨ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਹੈ।

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 13
Sending a two-way diplomatic hint, India has indicated that it will continue to simultaneously engage militarily with Japan and China. On Monday, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag will be in Japan on a four-day visit even as a high-level Chinese military delegation will be in India to hold talks.
General Suhag’s visit comes seven months after Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Japan and spoke about broad-basing military ties and said both countries want to make the area of defence equipment and technology a key pillar of bilateral defence relations. Last month, Japanese warships joined Indian and US warships for ‘submarine hunting’ exercise in the Bay of Bengal.
During the time when the India-US-Japan exercise was on in the Bay of Bengal, a team of the Indian Army was exercising with their Chinese counterparts in Kunming China.
China, has not appreciated the recent military overtures between New Delhi and Tokyo. In August, Lu Yaodong, Director of the China’s state-run Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote an article, “Indo-Japanese military cooperation dangerous for Asia”, arguing India and Japan have been getting closer faster as they are eyeing China collectively.
Part of China’s fear could be historic due to Japanese imperial forces having attacked China in the 1930s, while India’s concerns are largely of maintaining equity in waters of the South China Sea and also the Indian Ocean, said a senior functionary in India.
Beijing often asks “outside powers” — read that as India US and Japan — to stay out of the South China Sea dispute. A large volume of India’s east going trade passes through these waters.
A 26-member Chinese delegation led by General Fan Changlong, who is Vice-Chairman of the all-powerful Central Military Commission, will be in India from November 15 to 17.
This is being seen as the highest-level People’s Liberation Army delegation to visit India. The visit could set the agenda for border talks.

LONDON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured a delegation of British Sikhs that he would personally ensure abolishing the so-called ‘blacklist’ of overseas Sikhs who were unable to visit India, and said he agreed in principle to release political prisoners who had served their terms.
Delighted with the meeting, Jasdev Singh Rai, director of the Sikh Human Rights Group and a leading interlocutor, told Hindustan Times that it was a “turning point” in the fractious relationship between overseas Sikhs and the Indian state since Operation Bluestar in 1984.
National security adviser Ajit Doval was asked to open dialogue with Sikhs in India and overseas to take the issues further, while Modi assured the delegation that he would look into all issues related to Sikhs.The so-called ‘blacklist’ reportedly includes individuals involved in the Khalistan movement who are unable to get visas to visit India.
“It is a major breakthrough after a 31-year standoff (between overseas Sikhs and the Indian state). He said he would personally take up the issue of abolishing the blacklist. He said he shared the pain of Sikhs and that the community will soon get justice for the 1984 riots,” Rai said.
Besides Rai, the 30-member Sikh delegation included representatives from other Sikh groups based in Britain. The meeting was held as several pro-Khalistan Sikhs protested against Modi outside 10 Downing Street.