Focus now shifts to festival starting Dec 7, which will see seminars on India’s defence literature, art, music, photography, among others
CHANDIGARH: Stories of hair-raising battles and humorous anecdotes from on and off the battle grounds marked the second and final day of the military parley, ahead of the inaugural Military Literature Festival.
Lieutenant General JL Malhotra in the inaugural speech narrated the fearless tales of Sikh soldiers in Nagaland and Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. His descriptive portrayal of the soldiers’ brush with artillery firing and their courageous retaliation, despite being wounded amazed the audience.
The Vir Chakra and Vashisht Sewa Medal (VSM) recipient, Colonel Gurmukh Singh lauded the role of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his government for holding the Military Literature Festival and said such functions should be made an annual event. He shared his personal experiences and revealed the importance of discipline and hard work during his postings across India.
Speaking on the role of communication skills in the Indian Army, Colonel RD Singh said an army officer lacking in confidence and in-depth knowledge fails to imbibe the fighting spirit in the soldiers. He gave many tips to the children from YPS School, Mohali, on polishing the communication skills.
Colonel Singh thrilled the children with questions on general aptitude and gave chocolates to those who gave the right answers. To a query on how to become a good speaker, he said, “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”
Touching an important aspect of the Indian Army — Bridging The Gap, Colonel Avnish Sharma cited common perceptions about the Indian ‘Fauji’ in the eyes of the civilians, in contrast with the reality.
HUMOUR IN LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS
“A true soldier is known for his ‘short appearance and quick disappearance,’ he said, apprising the audience about several unknown facts about the soldiers by narrating incidents of humour even in life-threatening situations. He also spoke about transparency, fighting against corruption, behaviour of Pakistani soldiers in war and peace, and filling gaps between the civil society and army personnel.
Captain Amarjeet Kumar talked of his experiences in the 1971 War and the role played by the Mukti Bahini, as well as the conflict sparked by the armed liberation struggle in erstwhile East Pakistan.
He also spoke extensively about the Sikh soldiers’ bravery during this war and how the recipients of the highest gallantry awards fought for the nation without caring for their lives.
INNOVATION IN ARMY The need and role of innovation in the Indian Army was highlighted by Major General Surjit Singh, who made the audience aware of many innovative and economical techniques, swiftly adopted by the Indian Army.
He took the audience through a slideshow about how a ropeway helped in transporting material as heavy as 150 kg between Gangtok and North Sikkim after the bridge was washed away in an avalanche.
Among the speakers who enlightened and enlivened the event were Flt Lt G S Jawanda, Colonel JDS Jind, Brigadier Harwant Singh, Colonel Krishan Yadav, Major General HC Sachdev, Captain Renu Aggarwal, Major General BS Grewal, Brigadier IS Jakhal and Lt Gen PN Hoon.
Concluding the ceremony, senior adviser to Punjab CM, Lieutenant General TS Shergill thanked the organisers and Captain Amarinder Singh.
