Press Trust of India

letters@hindustantimes.com

New Delhi : The Army headquarters will be moved from the iconic South Block at Raisina Hill to the Delhi Cantonment area, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to “perform the ‘bhoomipujan’ (ground-breaking) ceremony” on Friday for the construction of the new ‘Sena Bhawan’, they said.

“The ‘Sena Bhawan’ spread over 39 acres would come up in five years time near the Manekshaw Centre in the Delhi Cantonment area,” a source said.

South Block is part of the historic Raisina Hill complex built during the colonial era as part of the “new imperial capital” of the British Raj.

The North Block and South Block, Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) and Parliament House, surrounded by lush green landscape and imposing fountains, were built during the construction of ‘New Delhi’ starting 1912.

The North and South Blocks in Lutyens’ Delhi are likely to be converted into a museum, as part of the government’s Central Vista redevelopment project, officials in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry had said in January.

The official in the HUA Ministry, the nodal agency for the ambitious redevelopment project of the Modi government, had said people would have access to North and South Blocks once they are turned into museums.

At present, the South Block houses the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs, while the North Block has offices of Home Ministry and Finance Ministry. The two blocks fall under a very high-security zone.

The redevelopment of the Central Vista envisages a triangular Parliament building next to the existing one, a common Central Secretariat for ministries and the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath — from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

HT Correspondent

letters@hindustantimes.com

Dehradun : A top commender of the army on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s order on giving permanent commission to women army officers but said it is not the right time to induct them in combat roles.

Lieutenant General RP Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Western Command, made the comment while interacting with media persons at Western Command’s Investiture Ceremony held at Cement Town cantonment in Dehradun.

“We welcome the SC ruling to give women officers permanent commission. We don’t have any issues or regrets on the same. However, as far as the combat role for them is concerned, I think the right time for it has not come yet,” he said.

Lieutenant General RP Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of Western Command said, “It is an evolutionary process. Women officers are already into other wings related to combat if not direct. We hope in future they will get into more roles and contribute to Indian Army.” Congratulating the awardees, he asked them to “do their best and keep up the glory of Indian Army”.

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that women could serve as army commanders, ordering the central government to extend permanent service to all women officers. Currently, women are inducted through a short service commission that lets them work for up to 14 years and only allowed permanent commission in the army’s legal and educational wings.

gallantry awards

Earlier during the event, the Western Command chief presented 41 awards, including 32 Sena Medals for gallantry, two Sena Medals for distinguished service and seven Vashisht Seva Medals to army officers and soldiers. Apart from this, 16 elite units of the Western Command were honoured for their professional excellence.

Suparna Roy

suparna.roy@htlive.com

Dehradun : Exactly one year after martyrdom of her army officer husband in Kashmir, 28-year-old Nitika Kaul Dhoundiyal, is all set to join the Indian Army. She says this will be her real tribute to her husband and her way of feeling close to him.

Kaul’s husband Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, was martyred in an encounter in Pulwama last year with Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists after the Pulwama attack.

Kaul, 28, who originally hails from Kashmir, has cleared Short Service Commission examination, along with the interview. She is now waiting for the merit list to be declared after which she will join the forces as a cadet.

presently works with an it firm

Kaul, who lives in Delhi these days with her parents and works in a multi-national IT company, said she wants to focus on being a good officer like her husband.

“I want to learn new things as it is a major shift for me from corporate culture I am so used to, to the disciplined culture of armed forces”, she said.

“I took my own time to recover from the major loss, and the decision to sit for the Short Service Commission examination happened gradually. Just to fill the form in September last year was a big decision. But I had decided that I want to walk on a similar path like my husband,” said Kaul.

Remembering the day she sat for the examination, Kaul said, “It was a very emotional moment for me to enter that examination hall, given what I had experienced. At the same time, I was thinking that my husband would have gone through the same situation, of clearing the first examination as a step towards joining the forces….it made me feel closer to Vibhu…”

However, she said that it was not easy to get back to normal life after the death of her husband. “I drowned myself in work, hoping the pain will ease…”

“I went back to work around 15 days after my husband’s death, because I wanted to keep myself busy. It is natural to have a breakdown but we needed to accept the situation. I had to find positivity in my daily routine and stand up on my feet once again,” she added.

Sharing an anecdote from the first time she went out with her cousins, after her husband’s death, Kaul said, “There was an internal resistance, I was not completely willing to go outside, but then when a loved one leaves, you have to think whether they would have wanted to see you in such a sad state. I always thought what Vibhu would have wanted me to do and I got my answer…”

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Mrs. Nitika Kaul Dhoundiyal, wife of Maj Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, martyred on 18 Feb 2019, pays tribute to her husband on the 1st anniversary of his “Day of Martyrdom”…

As we observe the first anniversary of my husband’s “Day of Martyrdom”, I am surrounded by thoughts of disbelief, pain, and emptiness. The treasured moments passed with him have now taken over the role of a support system that is gradually teaching me to pick up the pieces in life.

I often read my diary to revisit my earlier thoughts and bring Maj Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal (Vibhu for me) back alive. My diary tells me that… when he was away serving in the field area, I would often wake up in the night to check any message from him. He would invariably come in my dreams smilingly and would hold me tight. I would beg him even in the dreams not to leave me alone. Those were the days I did not want to wake up and probably that was my way to escape from reality.

I know that with time, people accept the situation and move on, but for me, life can never be the same again as the “scar” of his absence has left an indelible mark on my psyche. I still remember the moments that took away parts of my soul. I lost a part when I first heard the news of his “Martyrdom” and another part when I had to sign documents, where his name was written as “Late Maj Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal” and my name, had a title of “Widow”.

Besides being a committed soldier, Vibhu was a fabulous human being and taught me many things about life. I learned to be focused and understood the significance of being passionate in life and most importantly realized the importance of love. I had written a letter to him but by the time it was ready to be posted, it was too late. It indeed summarized my feelings for him….” Vibhu, I wish I can tell you how much I love you. Every day seems to be a new struggle but I can’t tell you about that. I know you are busy with your work and I don’t want to burden you with my worries. But honestly speaking I am quite scared at times. You are my life. When I look back I realize the importance of love. You have made me a different person. I miss the moments when you hug me and say hey Nikki I love you. I remember whenever I had nightmares you always hugged me tight saying” it is all, okay I am here love”. Just always keep me close. It seems so long since I saw you and am waiting for you to come home.Here I imagine a world for us. Vibhu, I am so proud of you and I love you”.

These days sometimes when I go to my balcony and look at the stars, I observe their brightness flickering randomly. However, this random pattern, gives me a feeling that Vibhu is trying to communicate with me. I wonder, if Vibhu is one of those stars and is engaged in narrating our love story to other stars. But I am very certain that wherever he is, he will make sure that others around him are always smiling.

I miss Vibhu, my soldier and my soulmate, but as a martyr’s wife I am committed to do everything that would have made him proud….my small contribution to the nation he loved and gave his life for….

Jai Hind!!

 Nitika Kaul Dhoundiyal

To send messages to the family members of Maj Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, please click on https://www.honourpoint.in/profile/maj-vibhuti-shankar-dhoundiyal/.