CHENNAI: Jobs in the corporate sector may be lucrative but youngsters are slowly getting more attracted to the Indian army, leaving lucrative employment in law, engineering and even research.

Akshay Patil, a junior scientist in Defence Research Development Organisation, opted for the Olive Green, rather than a career in India’s premier defence research lab.

Nurturing a dream to join the Army as an officer, Patil, the first commissioned officer from Jalai village in Jalgaon in Maharastra, is content with the job. “Even Abdul Kalam tried to get into the army; he failed and I succeeded,” he says with a smile.

Although this is a short service commission, the former scientist who specialised in armament research had made up his mind to opt for a permanent commission

Even Hyderabad based Nikita could have landed in a lucrative job in the corporate sector. The girl from a humble family lived on scholarships alone after seeing her parents struggle.

“I lessened the burden of my dad and got into Chaitanya Bharati Institute of Technology through scholarship,” says Nikita. She had numerous offers but the charm of the armed forces motivated her to apply for the Officers Training Academy.

“My dream is to take care of my father as I saw him struggle throughout his life. I don’t want to get married. I want to care for my parents,” she says, eagerly awaiting the September 10 Passing out Parade, which her parents would attend.

For S Kannan, who did engineering from Rajalakshmi Engineering College in Chennai, joining the army was a career with a difference. “I had three job offers but I want something different in life,” reasons Kannan, a resident of Ponamallee. According to him awareness on careers in the defence is very low in Tamil Nadu.

This time there have been more cadets from Tamil Nadu unlike the past year. Earlier, there were only six to seven cadets but this year there are 13, said an officer with OTA.

Lokesh Pant, who had completed law from Christ University, Bangalore, and a runner-up in Moot Court competition in St Thomas University in Miami, Florida, United States, preferred the army as he wanted to use his professional skills to serve the nation.

First Fiji officer to graduate from OTA in Chennai

Orisi Lavasiga Nasove will become the first Fiji officer to graduate from the Officers Training Academy on September 10 during the Passing Out Parade. Fiji, which was relying on United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, has started looking to India after the Commonwealth nations keeping it off, following the coup in 2010. Once the elections were held, the sanctions were lifted and the island nation has been sending budding officers to India for training. Nasove, who was selected by the Fiji military for military training, is among the first generation of army officers undergoing training in India. After graduation from the OTA, the son of a farmer would join the Fiji military as 2nd lieutinant.

Orisi Lavasiga Nasove will become the first Fiji officer to graduate from the Officers Training Academy on September 10 during the Passing Out Parade. Fiji, which was relying on United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, has started looking to India after the Commonwealth nations keeping it off, following the coup in 2010. Once the elections were held, the sanctions were lifted and the island nation has been sending budding officers to India for training. Nasove, who was selected by the Fiji military for military training, is among the first generation of army officers undergoing training in India. After graduation from the OTA, the

son of a farmer would join the Fiji military as 2nd lieutinant.

Himanshu Kumar Lall

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 11

Academy Cadet Adjutant (ACA) Rajendra Singh Bisht bagged the most coveted Sword of Honor for being adjudged the best all round Gentleman Cadet from the regular course and the bronze medal for standing third in the order of merit.Bisht comes from a humble background. He was born in Bareilly, home to Jat Regimental Centre, and belongs to Ranikhet where Kumaon Regimental Centre is located. He grew up dreaming about a life in the Army as these regimental centres had always motivated him to don the olive green. He dedicated his success to his father Gopal Singh Bisht and mother Vimla Devi.Bisht, an alumni of Sainik School, Gorakhal, said hard work is the only way to achieve the desired goals. Youths of the nation should come forward to join the military forces as this was the noblest of professions, he added. Before joining to the IMA, Bisht was a bronze medalist in the National Defence Academy.Another awardee, Battalion Under Officer Aman Dhaka from New Delhi, who won the gold medal, decided to join the Indian Army as his father had always motivated and wanted him to join the forces. He said it was a very special day since his dream of joining the Army was fulfilled.Silver medalist Senior Under Officer N Dinesh Kumar from Tamil Nadu is an alumni of Sainik School and has no Army background.

ENEFICIARIES NEED TO SUBMIT AADHAAR AND MOBILE NUMBERS WITH CONTROLLER GENERAL OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS

TARN TARAN: All ex-servicemen will get to know about their pensionary benefits through SMS soon. Controller general of defence accounts (CGDA), New Delhi, SK Kohli, said this on Saturday during a pension camp here. The system is being launched in order to prevent inconveniences the pensioners. The beneficiaries will have to submit Aadhaar Card and mobile phone numbers.

On ‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) issue, he said arrears will be paid soon. He said the department was merging entire pension record lying in banks with its own record so that the benefits could be provided to the pensioners directly. Apart from this, a website has also been created on which each of the beneficiaries will have an online account, he said.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included Kanwaldeep Singh, Rajbir Singh Rana, Major General Vijay Pingle and Amarbir Chahal.

India-Afghanistan ties on new course with Friendship Dam

Kabul confers its highest civilian award on Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi with Afghan Prez Ashraf Ghani after inaugurating the dam in Herat. PTI

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 4

If symbols define a relationship, then all the correct signs were on display today when Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Afghan city of Herat. The inauguration of the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, earlier known as Salma Dam, seemed the perfect occasion to display to the world, and to a particular neighbour, the growing bond between India and Afghanistan.The dam was inaugurated by Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Modi aptly summed up the mood  in his speech, saying “We are reviving a region, restoring hope, renewing life and redefining Afghanistan’s future. The dam is a generator not just of electricity but also of optimism and belief in the future of Afghanistan.”  Ghani displayed great warmth in his address to the PM as he welcomed Modi to his “second home” and said a “long-standing dream” of the country had been realised after 30 years with help from India. The PM, in his speech, evoked the great Persian poet,  Jalaluddin Rumi, when talking about Herat. “And the city that once Jalaluddin Rumi held as the finest, will rise again,” he said. “In the Holy Quran, river is central to the image of paradise. In the ancient scriptures of India, rivers defined our nation and were celebrated as the giver of life. And, an Afghan proverb says, Kabul be zar basha be barf ne (May Kabul be without gold rather than snow),” he said. Ghani, returning the compliment, said, “Today, we come together to make India-Afghan ties and friendship eternal. This dam will chart a new course of cooperation and prosperity.”  “Contrary to those who spread chaos and destruction, we two countries have taken a joint decision to build and grow,” said Ghani.His veiled reference to Pakistan was loud and clear and may be a relief for many in India who initially perceived Ghani having a pro-Pakistan tilt. The Afghan-India Friendship Dam will irrigate 75,000 hectares of land and generate 42 MW of power. Modi’s speech referred to the strategically important Chabahar port deal that was recently signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.  The Chabahar agreement will provide India a greater access to Central Asia and also provide Afghanistan an alternative port to Karachi. Afghanistan conferred its highest civilian honour, the Amir Amanullah Khan Award, on Modi to underline the importance Afghanistan attaches to India. It was only last December that Modi had inaugurated the new Parliament complex in Kabul built by India at a cost of $90 million.  

NEW DELHI: Secret data on India’s Scorpene submarines was accessed by an unknown number of people working for a private company in a Southeast Asian country and even placed on an internet server where it was vulnerable to hacking and interception.

The leaked data, which has forced the Indian Navy to assess the vulnerability of the Scorpene submarines ordered from French shipbuilder DCNS under a $3.5 billion deal, is believed to have been “removed” from the firm in Paris in 2011 by a former French Navy officer, The Australian reported late on Friday.

The officer, who worked as a subcontractor for DCNS, and a French colleague, took the data to a Southeast Asian country where they were employed by a private company run by a Western businessman. After the two Frenchmen were sacked, the secret data was sent to the company’s head office in Singapore. The data was also placed on a server on April 18, 2013, and it was “dangerously vulnerable to hacking or interception by a foreign intelligence service”, the daily reported. “It is not known whether the data stayed on this server for a few days or for a year,” it added.he data was also sent by the firm on a disk by regular post to a person in Sydney in 2013. This person, experienced in defence issues, was “stunned” when he saw the documents detailing the secret capabilities of the Indian submarines, the report said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Barack Obama. Tribune file photo

Washington, June 1

Voicing concern that a conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear weapons, the US has asked the two countries to engage in a “sustained” bilateral dialogue process and exercise “maximum restraint” to boost peace.

“We are concerned by nuclear and missile developments in South Asia,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI when asked about the recent statement of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, 80, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, that Islamabad has the ability to target New Delhi in five minutes.

“We are concerned by the increased security challenges that accompany growing stockpiles and the increased risk that a conventional conflict between India and Pakistan could escalate to include nuclear use.

“It is important that there be a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours, and that all parties in the region continuously act with maximum restraint and work collaboratively toward reducing tensions,” the spokesperson said.

Improvements in Indo-Pak bilateral relations would greatly enhance prospects for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the official said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the State Department said it is looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US.

“We look forward to the prime minister’s visit and we want it to be successful,” State Department John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference.

Modi will embark on a five-nation visit from June 4 which will cover Afghanistan, Qatar, Switzerland, the US and Mexico.

He will travel to the US on June 7 at the invitation of US President Barack Obama, with whom he will review the progress made in key areas of defence, security and energy, and will also address a Joint Meeting of the US Congress. — PTI

he leak about the submarines’ secret combat capabilities has turned the spotlight on the project. The row has erupted as India prepares to deploy its first French-designed diesel-electric version early next year

PROJECT-75

THE SUBMARINES are being built with French technology at the Mazagon Dock Ltd in Mumbai. India has ordered six Scorpene-class submarines in a deal worth `23,562 crore THE 66-METRE submarine can dive up to a depth of 300 metres to elude enemy detection.

SIGNIFICANCE

THE NAVY is betting on the project to sharpen its underwater attack capabilities INDIA OPERATES 13 ageing conventional submarines against China, which has 53 diesel-electric attack submarines LIMITED SERVICEABILITY is also an issue as some boats are not battle-ready at all times

PACKING EXTRA PUNCH

SOON, THE fifth and sixth Scorpene boats will be equipped with air-independent propulsion system, which will help the submarines recharge their batteries without surfacing for more than three weeks

DELAY

THE NAVY was supposed to induct its first Scorpene submarine in 2012 but the project was delayed due to problems related to transfer of technology IN 2009, the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) came down heavily on the government for giving undue favours to DCNS while awarding the submarine deal in 2005

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra took over the reins of Western Naval Command (WNC) as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) on 30 May 16 from Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra.

Later in the day, officers of the Western Naval Command accorded Vice Admiral Lanba a warm send off, with the traditional ‘Pulling Out’ ceremony. Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba will take over as the Chief of Naval Staff on 31 May 16.

Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba addressing the personnel on parade prior to handing over the charge of Western Naval Command

      Addressing the personnel on parade, Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba complimented the personnel of the command who, not withstanding the constrains of the service, have worked with synergy and teamwork in ensuring that ships, submarines and aricrafts are maintained in a high state of combat readiness at all times. In keeping with the fragile maritime environment of the region, he said that, there is a need to be ever vigilant in all quarters and all fronts. He said that he had no doubt that fire power from units of fleet, flotillas and squadrons can be delivered appropriately should the need arise.

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra taking over charge as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command

      Pointing towards the International Fleet Review held recently at Visakhapatnam, Vice Admiral Lanba said that presence of 50 countries in the review clearly indicates the growing stature of the country in the region. He added that many countries have expressed the desire to cooperate and exercise with Indian Navy which is indicative of professionalism, training and sound culture displayed by the service. He also urged the need to continue working together to bring change and work smartly. He also apprised the personnel on the steps taken by WNC in addressing the long standing issue of shortage of married accommodation.

Special forces of the Indian Army had made a cross-border raid on two camps of N-E insurgents in Myanmar on June 9, 2015, after 18 soldiers were killed in an ambush in Manipur. File photo

Nay Pyi Taw, August 22Myanmar military authorities have denied that there was a recent exchange of gunfire on its soil between the Indian army and the outlawed National Socialist Council of Nagaland (khaplang) (NSCN-K), the media reported on Monday.The denial referred to some reports that the Indian Army entered the Myanmar territory and fought with Naga rebels on August 19 and that the fighting lasted for three hours, Xinhua news agency reported.Myanmar military’s information quoted witnesses as saying that the gun battle occurred inside India, one mile west of the Myanmar-India border, and not in Myanmar.However, Myanmar military columns on the border were on full alert to ward off foreign troops from entering the country, the military authorities said.Myanmar would neither accept nor encourage any armed group to station on its soil to potentially terrorise the government, it said.The authorities insisted that Myanmar armed forces was working in tandem with Indian army and rendering cooperation in patrolling the border and exchanging information.A leading English daily recently reported a gun battle between Indian army and the NSCN-K near the Indo-Myanmar border.The Indian army had carried out a strike in June last year after the Naga group had ambushed and killed 18 soldiers in Manipur.Myanmar army had then warned India against such incidentsThe Naga militants abrogated a 14-year-old ceasefire in March last year. — Agencies

Shimla, May 30

The Army recruitment rally for recruitment of soldier general duty, soldier clerks, store keepers technical, soldier tradesmen, soldier technical, soldier nursing assistant, Havildar (Education) and Defence Service Corps (DSC) for Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan and Kinnaur district will be conducted by the Army Recruitment Office, Shimla, at GB Pant College, Rampur, in Shimla district from May 31 to June 6.“The recruitment will be held on the base of online applications and as many as 11,000 persons had got them registered online. The recruitment for Rajgarh, Nohra, Pacchad, Renuka, Dadahu, Nahan and Kamru tehsils of Sirmaur district will be held on May 31 while the recruitment for Poanta Sahib, Shalai and Ronhat tehsils of Sirmaur will be held on June 1,” an Army spokesperson said.He said the recruitments for Arki, Darlaghat, Ramshahr, Baddi, Kishangarh, Kausali, Solan and Kandaghat tehsils of Solan district would be held on June 2 while the recruitment for Nalagarh tehsil would be held on June 3.The recruitment for all tehsils of Shimla and Kinnaur district would be held on June 4, he said. — TNS