Major Hina Majoria, an Indian-origin medical officer in the British Army reserves, has not lost touch with her roots
Major Hina Majoria, an Indian-origin medical officer in the British Army reserves, has not lost touch with her roots, indulging in many of the traditional practices that her parents and grandparents had followed.
“We celebrate Diwali, Navratri, everything. We still speak some of the language, we eat the food and that’s what I like to say to people that I have an Indian heart, I have an Indian stomach as well,” she said.
Hina is part of a British Army delegation led by Major General John Kendall, Deputy Commander Field Army, which spoke on the shared heritage between the Indian and British armed forces at the Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh on Friday.
“So, what’s my connection with India? I was born in the UK but my grandparents were born in Gujarat and my parents were born in East Africa,” she said, adding that in civilian life she is a general practitioner with an interest in ENT.
Speaking on her service experience, she said that she has managed to do a lot with the British Army. “I’ve had a really good, extremely enriching career in terms of my medical officer side. So I’ve been able to go to Cyprus, the Falklands, Kenya on an exercise and now to India on an engagement piece as well,” she said.
“I’ve managed to learn so many different skills with the military that includes working under pressure, learning to resource carefully, being able to speak publicly and many, many more and it’s been an incredible experience and I would recommend it to anyone,” she added.
One of the few Indian-origin women officer in the British Army, Hina said that when she joined, less than two percent of the British Army was female and ethnic as well. “So there aren’t that many people that fit how I look. But it is changing and it’s extremely diverse now,” she said.
“They’re very open, very welcoming, they want to see more people with different cultures. So I’ve been extremely just overwhelmed with how well received I am as a British Indian woman in the military,” she said.
Hina said that earlier the cadets were asking her what they would be able to do to prepare for a life in the military and she wanted to give them a few lessons that she had learned. “So I would say celebrate with small wins. Build your networks and start doing it now,” she said.
“You don’t know what’s going to come back to you in the future. Change starts with you. When you walk into a room and you feel like you should be saying something then do it, say something, speak your truth,” she added.
British Army Delegation to the MLF :Dinner at DSOI Sector 36,Chd on 07Nov 2025
In Capt Amarinder Singh, the BJP has an ace of trumps up its sleeve. That is why the political parties in Punjab have already grown curious, as he has resumed his political innings. Those who know him closely, particularly his former colleagues in the Congress, are wary about his getting active in the BJP, not only for his personal capability, but the charisma and appeal he enjoys among all sections of people. When it comes to the ‘panthic credentials’, he has no rival either. And his nationalistic credentials are too well known. He never shies away from taking a stand in the national interest even if it is contrary to his own party’s stand
RECENTLY FORMER Punjab Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Capt Amarinder Singh inducted one of his former aides, Sunny Brar into the party in Faridkot. It was a reasonably good show with a significantly substan tial number of people in attendance. It was after a long time that Singh made a “public appearance” following a pro longed sabbatical. Even when this was just a single out ing, it has started generating curiosity about his role vis-à-vis the 2027 legisla tive assembly elections in Punjab. Capt Amarinder is not a leader who can be taken lightly. Those who know him and those who have worked with him closely during the six decades of his political career, know it well that he has an unmatched and unparalleled capacity of bouncing back from the wilderness with a big bang. After his defeat from Patiala assembly segment in the 2022 elections against an overwhelming electoral tsunami of the Aam Aadmi Party, people started writing his political obituary. He contested 2022 assembly elections as a candidate of the Punjab Lok Congress, a party he had formed after parting ways with the Congress. Punjab Lok Congress had aligned with the BJP for the 2022 assem bly elections. But he was not the only former chief minister to lose. So did Parkash Singh Badal, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal as also the then sitting chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who lost from two assembly segments he had contested from. Capt Amarinder was unceremoni ously removed as the chief minister in September 2021. IIn hindsight, Congressmen without any exception admit that had he not been removed and had the party contested the 2022 assem bly elections under his leadership, the party would not have fared so badly. It won just 18 of the 117 assembly seg ments. In 2017, he had led the party to a landslide victory on 77 seats. Capt Amarinder and the Congress was a perfect combo in Punjab. It was he who had led the Congress back to pow er in 2002, after the dark era of mili tancy which saw Operation Bluestar and the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre in the after math of the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards. Although the Congress had formed the government in 1992 also, those elections had seen a negligible voter turnout. But those elections did help in restoring the political order in the state. Capt Amarinder led the party to two consecutive defeats in 2007 and 2012. On both the occasions, his rivals wrote his extensive political obituaries. After losing in 2007, he faced a vindictive Akali-BJP government which even struck down his membership of the assembly. This was, however, restored by the Supreme Court of India.The Congress, which ignored and tried to sideline him for quite some time, even tually handed him the reins ahead of the 2012 elections. As ill luck would have it, the Congress again lost the elections, although there was hardly one per cent difference in the popular vote share. That was thought to be the last innings of Capt Amarinder as he had delivered two “back-to-back defeats” for the party. Moreover, it was for the first time that a sitting government had been reelected in Punjab. Within less than a year he was removed as the Punjab Congress president and replaced by Partap Singh Bajwa. While living in virtual political wilder ness, with Bajwa having positioned himself as the natural successor and a prospective chief ministerial candidate for 2017 elections, the 2014 General Elections were announced.
There was a strong nationwide anti-incumbency against the Congress. The BJP’s victory was a foregone conclusion. Bajwa, who was the PCC president and sitting MP from Gurdaspur had developed close proximity with the high command. He suggested that the party should field prominent faces and senior leaders in Punjab from all the parliamentary con stituencies. The BJP had announced veteran leader Arun Jaitley as its candidate from the Amritsar parliamentary constituency. The party that time was in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal in the state. The alliance was in power in Punjab. Amritsar was thought to be a “safe” seat for the BJP as Navjot Singh Sidhu had con secutively won it thrice, since 2004. Moreover, given the stature of Jaitley, with an alliance government in the state, his (Jaitley’s) victory was taken to be for granted. Bajwa specifically proposed Capt Amarinder’s name as the party candidate from Amritsar to fight against Jaitley. He was sure and confident that he (Capt Amarinder) will refuse to fight and that would be the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back and the end of his political career. And even if Capt Amarinder would accept the contest he, according to Bajwa’s calculations, would certainly get defeated by Jaitley and would mark the end of his political career. This would obviously clear the path for him (Bajwa) as he would have been left with no competitor, not at least as powerful as someone like Capt Amarinder. To Bajwa’s utter delight, Capt Amarinder initially refused and declined to contest the parliamentary elections, obviously being apprehensive to take on Jaitley with all the odds stacked in his (Jaitley’s) favour. However, one phone call from Sonia Gandhi, who was the party president at that time, changed the course of Congress’ political history in Punjab. Capt Amarinder, as he later revealed, was on his way from Delhi to Chandigarh when he received the phone call from Gandhi. She reportedly asked him wheth er he can do “something for her”. Naturally, Capt Amarinder replied in the affirmative and she asked him to fight from Amritsar. Since he had assured her that he could do anything for her, he agreed to fight, which indeed was one of the greatest challenges in his political career. Not many people know that when the Indo-Pak War broke out in 1965, Capt Amarinder had already taken a premature retirement from the Army as his father had been appointed India’s ambassador to Holland. But once the war broke out, he rejoined the Army and went to the battlefront in the Western theatre as the ADC to Western Commander Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh. Capt Amarinder is a perennial soldier at heart. He took the Amritsar challenge head on like a soldier in the midst of a battle. While Jaitley had been announced long before, Capt Amarinder got limited time as his candidature was announced at the last moment. Nobody thought that he could defeat Jaitley. For three weeks, he worked hard like a soldier on the warfront. He would be ready and out before 7 in the morning and return only late in the night around 11. Otherwise thought to be taking things in a relaxed way, his determination and hard work surprised everyone. And it worked and paid off. Cap Amarinder defeated Jaitley by a huge margin of over one lakh votes and that too when there was nationwide BJP surge. He literally stopped the BJP wave in Punjab. Partap Singh Bajwa, who had pushed Capt Amarinder to fight from Amritsar, lost from the neighbouring Gurdaspur constituency to Vinod Khanna by about 1.5 lakh votes. This heralded the “political reincarnation” of Capt Amarinder. Soon the entire Congress party in Punjab, which had ditched and deserted him and virtually written him off, began to rally around him again. He was again reappointed the PCC president to lead the party to an emphatic and historic victory in 2017 assembly elec tions. The AAP, which eventually formed the government in Punjab in 2022, might well have won in 2017, had it not been for Capt Amarinder’s leadership. The AAP may not have claimed the landslide victory in 2022 either, had the Congress fought the elections under Capt Amarinder’s leadership. The BJP does not have the same grass roots strength and support as the Congress in Punjab. The BJP is yet to make significant inroads into the coun tryside across Punjab. At the same time, it does not face the same hostility it faced in 2022 mainly due to the three Central farm laws. The BJP this time has an advantage that it has not been tried so far exclu sively by the Punjabis. It has another advantage that the party is in power at the Centre. There is a feeling among people that the same party’s government at the Centre and the state might be beneficial for the state. Punjab badly needs Central aid and assistance. Will Capt Amarinder be able to deliv to deliver with the Congress? It is indeed a challenging task, as challenging as the 2014 Amritsar parliamentary election. But he does retain some advantages indeed. After the 2022 elections, both Capt Amarinder and veteran Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal practically with drew from active politics. Both the lead ers remained active till 2022, although Badal had partially withdrawn from much of the political activity. After 2022, there has been a complete “leadership vacuum” in Punjab. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had no experience as compared to Capt Amarinder or Badal. In the Congress, Sunil Jakhar remained alienated and he eventually joined the BJP. Charanjit Singh Channi, Partap Bajwa, Sukhbir Badal lacked the per sona and charisma of Capt Amarinder and Parkash Singh Badal. The “leadership” vacuum is still being felt in Punjab. Capt Amarinder has the advantage that he has no challenger of the same stature he enjoys. Plus backed up by a party like the BJP, he can defi nitely deliver some aces for the party. Despite being in his early 80s, Capt Amarinder remains “as active and agile as he always has been”, whether in his 60s or 70s. He has his own “exclusive style” of working. He still enjoys his drink. He still loves his food. He still does his gardening. He is still fond of reading and he continues to write.Recently a senior journalist revealed how Capt Amarinder responded to his story on a military topic, (Captain’s first love). He not only shared some inputs but also gifted a copy of one of his military history books to the journalist. That is quite characteristic of him to go into the minute details, whether about military history or the political and election strategy.Those who know him closely, par ticularly his former colleagues in the Congress, are wary about his getting active in the BJP, not only for his per sonal capability, but the charisma and appeal he enjoys among all sections of people. Even when he was in the Congress, he was as popular among the BJP supporters as the Congress cadres. And when it comes to the ‘panthic credentials’, he has no rival either. When Operation Bluestar was carried out, he resigned in protest as an MP and also from the Congress. This was when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. He was just 42 then and had dared to put his political career at stake. Again in 2004, when the Supreme Court left Punjab with no option but to construct the Satluj Yamuna Link Canal, he enacted the famous Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004 in the Punjab assembly. He risked his chief ministerial position. Congress president Sonia Gandhi did not speak to him for about a year over this. But he was credited with saving Punjab waters. Even in 2019 when the BJP govern ment at the Centre enacted the three Central farm laws, he was the first to oppose these. Had it not been for his support, the farmers would not have managed to reach Delhi borders, thus forcing the government there to with draw these laws. And his nationalistic credentials are too well known that he would take a stand in the national interest even if it went contrary to his own party’s (then Congress) stand. In Capt Amarinder, the BJP has an ace of trumps up its sleeve. That is why the political parties in Punjab have already grown curious, as he has resumed his political innings. Once on the ground, he knows how to play it to the finish. That is the importance of being Capt Amarinder and that his former colleagues and today’s rivals are well aware of
Vice Admiral Bhalla is chief of Eastern Naval Command
He has taken over from Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar who has superannuated
Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla has been appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam. He has taken over from Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar who has superannuated.
Prior to assuming Charge as FOC-in-C (East), he was the Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters, where he held transformative HR reforms, streamlining recruitment, training advancements and driven holistic wellness and community programs for Indian Navy Personnel.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla was commissioned in the Indian Navy in January 1989 and in a career spanning 36 years, he has held a number of Command and Staff appointments, both afloat and ashore.
After completing his specialisation course in communication and electronic warfare, he served as a specialist onboard several frontline warships. Subsequently, he had the opportunity of holding challenging command at sea, which include, INS Nishank, INS Taragiri, INS Beas and the coveted appointment of Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).
During the tenure as FOCEF, he was the Officer in Tactical Command for the prestigious President’s Fleet Review and the sea phase of the Indian Navy’s flagship multinational exercise, MILAN-22, that witnessed an unprecedented participation form friendly foreign countries.
His important staff appointments ashore, including Assistant Chief of Personnel (HRD) at Naval Headquarters, Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, Director, Maritime Doctrine and Concept Centre, and a diplomatic assignment overseas.
An alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, Naval War College, Goa, and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, his educational accomplishments include M.Phil in Defence and Strategic Studies, Masters in International Security and Strategic Studies from the Kings College, London, and M.Sc (Telecom) from CUSAT. He has been decorated with the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and the Nau Sena Medal for distinguished service.
British general finds strategic perspective by Indian experts enlightening
Maj Gen Kendall said that shared heritage was important because the United Kingdom was becoming a more diverse nation with a more diverse Army
Britain and India have significant defence cooperation and the Royal Air Force will soon be sending pilots to India for training, Maj Gen John Kendall, Deputy Commander Field Army, said in Chandigarh on Friday. He is leading a British Army Delegation to the Military Literature Festival.
“I think that’s symbolic of how strong our shared heritage and our present ties are. For the Army, we have Exercise Ajaya Warrior, where our soldiers work together. We have recently exercised our carrier strike groups together, he said.
He said that it was also important to listen to different perspectives and he particularly enjoy listening to perspectives on China and Gaza and military thought around multi-domain operations like Operation Sindoor.
“For the UK, we have slightly different focusses. But your perspectives still add value. We are slightly more interested in Russia and how we support Ukraine,” he said. “We have, for example, trained over 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers. We help train their commanders, help share intelligence with them and we help equip them. So we know how good our training is, soldier for soldier,” he said.
Paying tribute to India, as the country that raised the largest-ever all-volunteer force in the Second World War and fought on every front in the First World War, he said that just as the Indian Army and the British Army in 1915 dug trenches, we see very similar trenches today. “But that is not just 1915, it is how do we add technology,” he remarked.
Maj Gen Kendall said that shared heritage was important because the United Kingdom was becoming a more diverse nation with a more diverse Army, and therefore it was important for them to recognise the contribution of all their citizens and their heritage.
“Our theories of victory are shaped by our culture and our history. The British will create a very Western way of war by coming to events like this to hear a different perspective. We can modify that and perhaps be a little bit more scientific, a bit more driven by different ideas,” he said. “And as the democratic world faces the autocratic world, alliances and partnerships have never been more important,” he added.
HAL, US firm GE sign fresh pact for 113 Tejas engines
Public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday signed a fresh agreement with US company General Electric (GE) for sourcing 113 F404 engines and a support package for the under-production Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets.
The engines will be delivered between 2027 and 2032, HAL said. Neither HAL nor GE has disclosed the value of the contract, but it is estimated to be around $1 billion (Rs 8,800 crore).
The 113 engines are meant for the 97 Tejas jets for which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a Rs 62,370-crore contract with HAL in August. This latest order for 97 jets comes in addition to an earlier order for 83 aircraft, taking the total Tejas Mark-1A order to 180 jets.
HAL, a listed company in which the MoD holds a majority stake, had earlier signed a $716-million deal with GE in January 2021 to supply 99 F404 engines for the first batch of 83 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft. Deliveries under that contract were scheduled to begin in April 2023 at a rate of 16 engines per year. However, as of last month, only four engines had been delivered, delaying the supply of Tejas Mark-1A aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to the MoD, the new contract for 113 engines is for the 97 planes that are to be delivered to the IAF from 2027-28 onwards and be completed over a period of six years.
The 97 new Tejas jets will incorporate advanced, indigenously developed technologies such as the ‘Uttam’ Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and an electronic warfare suite, further strengthening India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. These jets will represent the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured Tejas aircraft, the MoD said.
44 Indian natives serving in Russian Army, says MEA
‘Several were reportedly coerced or misled into signing up for combat roles’
India on Friday confirmed that 44 of its nationals are currently serving in the Russian Army, several of them reportedly coerced or misled into signing up for combat roles amid Moscow’s war with Ukraine.
“We have come to know of several Indian nationals who have been recruited in the Russian Army. As per our understanding, there are 44 Indians presently serving there,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the weekly media briefing.
Jaiswal said India had “once again taken up the matter with the Russian authorities” to secure the early release of those Indians and urged Moscow to put an immediate end to the practice of such recruitment. “We are in touch with the Russian side and with the families of these people, keeping them informed of all developments,” he said.
Reiterating a strong advisory, Jaiswal warned Indian citizens to stay away from dubious agents offering jobs or positions in the Russian military. “We have repeatedly cautioned that such offers are fraught with danger to life. Despite our warnings, some continue to enlist. Obviously, we cannot stop an individual from doing so, but they must be aware of the risks once they sign up for these jobs,” he said.
The MEA spokesperson also noted that Indian law enforcement agencies had initiated action against individuals and networks suspected of luring Indians into joining the Russian forces. “Action has been taken in the past and continues to be taken so that people are not tricked into such risky endeavours,” Jaiswal added.
The Tribune has over the past year reported extensively on the mounting anguish among families, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, whose sons have been missing for more than 15 months after being allegedly coerced into joining Russia’s war with Ukraine. Many of these young men had travelled to Russia on student or work visas, only to find themselves trapped in military contracts with no means of returning home.
Shift stray dogs from institutional areas, cattle from highways: Supreme Court
Taking note of an “alarming rise” in dog bite incidents within institutional areas such as educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the Supreme Court on Friday directed immediate shifting of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.
A three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath made it clear that the stray dogs picked up shall not be released back to the same location from which they were removed.
“We have consciously directed the non-release of such stray dogs to the same location from which they were picked up, as permitting the same would frustrate the very effect of the directions issued to liberate such institutional areas from the presence of stray dogs,” said the Bench, which also included Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria.
It directed the administrative heads of all government and private educational institutions, hospitals, primary health centres, medical colleges, public sports complexes/stadia, bus stands/depots and railway stations to ensure that the premises are secured by adequate fencing, boundary walls, gates and such other structural or administrative measures as may be necessary to prevent the ingress of stray dogs through their respective local/municipal authorities, under the overall supervision of the District Magistrate concerned.
“It shall be the responsibility of the jurisdictional municipal body/authority to forthwith remove every stray dog found within the premises of an educational institution, hospital, sports complex, bus stand/depot or railway station and to shift such animal(s) to a designated shelter after due sterilisation and vaccination…,” the Bench said.
Asking the authorities to complete the exercise as soon as possible and preferably within eight weeks from today, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on January 13, 2026.
It directed the chief secretaries of all states and union territories to file affidavits of compliance within eight weeks, specifically indicating the steps taken to secure institutional premises and the availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in all government medical facilities.
The Bench asked the states and the UTs to file comprehensive additional affidavits, specifically indicating the remedial measures undertaken to ensure full compliance with the court’s directions and to rectify the “lapses” highlighted in the report filed by amicus curiae Gaurav Agrawal.
“The management of every educational institution, hospital, sports complex, bus stand/depot, including Inter-State Bus Terminal, and railway station identified under direction (A) shall designate a nodal officer responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of the premises and for ensuring that stray dogs do not enter or inhabit the campus,” it said.
It said any lapse in this regard shall be viewed seriously and the municipal officials/administrative authorities concerned shall be held responsible.
While dealing with a suo motu PIL on the stray dog menace initiated on July 28 following a news report about the death of a six-year-old girl in the national capital due to rabies caused by stray dog bites, the top court directed the authorities to ensure removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways and expressways.
The recurrence of dog bite incidents within institutional areas, including sports complexes, reflected not only administrative apathy but also a “systemic failure” to secure these premises from preventable hazards, it noted.
“The situation calls for immediate judicial intervention to safeguard the fundamental right to life and safety of citizens, especially children, patients and sportspersons, under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the Bench said.
Noting that children, the elderly and economically weaker sections bore the brunt of the menace as they were vulnerable and lacked “timely access to post-exposure prophylaxis”, the Bench said it was a matter of grave and continuing public concern that accidents caused by cattle and other stray animals on public roads had become alarmingly frequent.
“The menace of dog bites, particularly in public and private institutions that serve as spaces of learning, healing and recreation, thus constitutes not merely a public-health challenge but a matter of human safety concern. The state and its instrumentalities bear an affirmative obligation to ensure that no citizen, least of all children, elderly people and patients, are exposed to preventable injury or disease within public premises,” the Bench said.
It said all government and private hospitals shall maintain a mandatory stock of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin at all times.
The top court said the primary objective was to safeguard the fundamental right to life and safety of citizens, particularly children, students, patients and sportspersons, while ensuring compliance with the principles embodied in the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
“Scientific assessments, including those conducted by the World Health Organisation and the National Centre for Disease Control, have estimated that a large ratio of animal-related deaths annually in India were attributable to rabies, with over 90 per cent of human cases resulting from bites inflicted by domestic or stray dogs,” the Bench said.
