Lt Gen Ata Hasnain*.
It shows in unambiguous ways that the *Indian Army is the highest example of true secularism*. This is a must read piece.

Excerpts:

As Muslims, both my spouse and i invariably led the puja of our army unit in its temple every other Sunday…Personally, I come from a regiment which is purely Hindu and has a regimental deity in *Lord Badri Vishal*, the personification of *Lord Vishnu* at the Badrinath shrine. As the head of the regiment i have invoked the blessings of Lord Badri Vishal by personally travelling to the shrine many times for the opening puja of the season after winter. As a senior commander in Kashmir some of *my most satisfying moments were those when i did a round robin of all gurdwaras of the units on Guru Purab*, ending with langar with the unit usually deployed in the most difficult area.

Once in a Muslim Grenadiers unit, its *Hindu company commander* put me to shame when i saw that he was *keeping all 30 rozas with his men and even reading all five namaz* which he knew perfectly.

When *my fauji father* was questioned during Partition about his choice of armies, he said: *“While the nation formed on basis of faith will celebrate now but won’t last forever, the nation formed on basis of respect for every faith will have a difficult beginning but will always celebrate.”* He remained with the Indian Army and *rose to be its first Muslim GOC*. When India has doubts about itself and the future course of inter faith relations it should *just turn to its army for inspiration;* there nothing changes, it only becomes better.
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*JAI HIND*
*जय हिंद*