Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 13

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the armed forces had opportunities for the youth of all castes and religions.

“Muslim girl Sania Mirza will become India’s first female Muslim fighter pilot after the completion of her course. There was a time when women were hardly represented in the defence forces but, today, women are deployed on warships and in extreme areas such as Siachen,” said the minister while addressing a convocation ceremony of a university in Lucknow.

He hailed the success of women in every field, including the defence forces, and said the government believed in providing more and more opportunities to women on a par with men. Army Chief General Manoj Pande had yesterday announced that women would be allowed in the Regiment of Artillery.

Envoy tries to dial down harsh observations hours later

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, January 13

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev called India’s supply of weapons to adversary Armenia as an “unfriendly move”, adding: “If we are facing a serious threat, we will deal with that threat immediately, regardless of where that threat arises, within our territory or outside our borders. It is our legitimate right to do so.”

A few hours later, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to India Ashraf Shikhaliyev sought to dial down the harsh observations by congratulating India on the G20 Presidency and pointing out that Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov was participating in the Global South Summit’s session on energy security.

In an attempt to take the heat off bilateral ties, the Ambassador pointed out that India’s G20 theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future” showed the role of the developing world in shaping global agenda.

Ilham, who along with father Haider Aliyev, has ruled oil-rich Azerbaijan for 30 years, said: “We see and know which countries are preparing to give weapons to Armenia. Unfortunately, India is now among them. We consider this an unfriendly move. Because these weapons have only one target, Azerbaijan.”

India has made little attempt to hide the sale of military grade radars to Armenia when the first war with Azerbaijan took place in 2020. The media had reported that a defence delegation from Armenia visited India to meet with their counterparts while noting that the indigenous weapon-locating radars were a success in Armenia as well.

In September, “India Narrative” reported that India was prepared to export missiles, rockets and ammunition to Armenia and that the two nations had signed contracts for the supply of arms and ammunition. The main arms suppliers to Azerbaijan in its upper hand over Armenia have been Turkey and Pakistan.

Besides Ranjit his fellow bus drivers from several other countries also featured in his video

There was no loss of life or damage to property

PTI

Srinagar, January 14

An avalanche hit a village in Gurez sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday, but there was no loss of life or damage to property, officials said. An avalanche warning has been issued for 12 districts including Bandipora after moderate to heavy snowfall a day before, they said.

The avalanche hit Jurniyal village of Gurez this afternoon but there was no damage, the officials said.

The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Saturday issued a ‘high danger’ avalanche warning for Kupwara district of north Kashmir and a ‘medium danger’ warning for Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and Reasi districts.

“Avalanche with high danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres of Kupwara district in the next 24 hours. Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres over Bandipora, Baramulla, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban and Reasi districts in the next 24 hours,” SDMA officials said.

They said avalanche with a low danger level is likely to occur above 2,000 metres over Anantnag, Kulgam, and Rajouri districts in the next 24 hours.  People have been advised to take precautions and avoid venturing into avalanche-prone areas.

Two labourers from Kishtwar died on Thursday when an avalanche hit the work site of a construction company in Ganderbal district’s Sonamarg.  

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Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh to preside over 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day Celebrations at Dehradun tomorrow

7th Armed Forces Veterans Day Celebrations at Nine Places

Posted On: 13 JAN 2023 7:18PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will preside over 7^th Armed Forces Veterans Day Celebrations by addressing an Armed Forces Veterans Rally at Jaswant Ground in Dehradun Cantonment on January 14, 2023 .  He will also launch the ‘Soul of Steel Alpine Challenge’, a joint adventure sport initiative of the Indian Army and CLAW Global, by flagging off a car expedition from Dehradun to Ghamshali located in the Niti Valley. To pay homage to the supreme sacrifice and the dedicated service of our Armed Forces, he will dedicate Shaurya Sthal- developed by Uttarakhand War Memorial Trust, which unanimously decided to hand over its control to the Indian Army , to the Armed Forces on Veterans’ Day, 14 January, 2023.

This year the event is being celebrated at nine locations across the country, namely  Juhunjhunu, Jalandhar, Panagarh, New Delhi, Dehradun, Chennai , Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar and Mumbai by three Service Headquarters. The event at Chennai will be presided over by Raksha Rajya Mantri.

As a part of scaling up of the Veterans Day, the Chief Ministers/ LGs of States/UTs  have been urged to observe the  Veterans’ Day on 14th January 2023 in their respective States/Districts.  During the event, felicitation for veterans will be done by giving them Medal/Souvenir/recognition certificate etc. During the celebration, the ‘We For Veterans’ Anthem– an ode to our Veterans commemorating their valor and sacrifice will also be played at the events.

 The Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated on 14^th January as   on this very day, January 14 1953 , the  First Indian Commander in Chief (C-in-C) of  Indian Army- Field Marshal KM Cariappa,  who led Indian Forces to Victory in the 1947 war, had formally retired from the Services. The Day is celebrated as Armed Forces Veterans Day and dedicated to our esteemed Veterans.  

The First Armed Forces Veterans Day was celebrated on January, 14, 2016 and it was decided to commemorate this day every year by hosting such interactive events in the honor of our Armed Forces  Veterans and their families.

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THE EXPRESS INDIA NEWS

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 12

The district administration will hold a Military Literature Festival. The event will be part of the Patiala Heritage Festival. The two-day festival to be held on January 28 and 29 will also commemorate sacrifices of the Indian Army soldiers.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney today said, “The ceremony will be organised at Khalsa College as a part of the Patiala Heritage Festival.”

She said Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan had announced expansion of the Military Literature Festival (MLF). “He has also announced that the MLF will be organised at the district and university level across the state. This initiative has been taken in same connection,” she said.

She said the Military Literature Festival Association had decided to organise events, including panel discussions, clarion call episodes of bravery, martial dances, display of equipment by the Army, wreath laying, brave hearts motorcycle ride, archery demonstration-cum- competition and Army, ITBP and the police recruitment counselling as part of the festival.

“During the festival, visitors will also get an opportunity to taste the best food prepared by famous eateries of Patiala,” she added.

“The administration will also honour Army war heroes, writers, leaders, thinkers, poets, artists, journalists, film and documentary makers, sportsmen, technocrats and industrialists during the festival,” she said.

Chandigarh, January 12

The former Chief of the Army Staff, Gen VP Malik, today said that the Supreme Court order prohibiting conversion of independent residential houses into multi-storey apartments in older sectors of Chandigarh should also be extended to its sister city of Panchkula.

“Very happy to see the SC judgement highlighting needs to strike balance between sustainable development and environmental protection,” Gen Malik.

“Politicians+bureaucrats+developers/builders plundering cities without caring for environment, sustainable infrastructure, master plans and character,” he said on his Twitter handle today.

“What is good for Chandigarh should apply to Panchkula or in few years, this city will compete with Delhi, Gurugram and Bengaluru,” the former Chief, who is a resident of Panchkula, added

In September 2022, he had also written to the Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal, pointing out that construction of residential buildings up to four floors that had been put on hold, had started again.

He had said that such construction was environmentally harmful, added to congestion due to narrow lanes, violated privacy and also put unbearable strain on water supply, sewerage and drainage. He has sought a permanent ban on such construction.