lt Gen Rajesh Pant, AVSM,VSM, Commandant MCTE and Colonel Commandant Corps of Signals extended a hearty welcome to the alumni of MCTE who had gathered at the College for a Reunion of Signals Officer Degree Engineering (SODE-24A) Course.
In his welcome address to the veterans, the Commandant paid rich tribute to them for strengthening the foundation of the College saying “I could see further because I was standing on the shoulders of giants!”
The “giants” had attended the Course from 1969 to 1972. For a while the course had been discontinued for tihe duration of the 1971 Indo Pak War.The officers had been sent back to respective units for operational deployment that culminated in creation of a new nation in 13 days.The alumni included lt Gen MN Datar and Maj Gen Bewtra who had also been Commandant and Chief Instructor respectively of the College in the past.
Other illustrious alumni included Colonel KP Rao, Col VDS Mehra and Brigadier Thadani amongst others.While memories of Gold Spot, lambretta and Fiat vintage were exchanged amidst tales of the past, the Reunion was also an occasion for the veterans to connect with the present generation . The hall resonated with applause when the Commandant announced with obvious pride that MCTE was the first training establishment of the Indian Army to get a unit Citation Award.
In his opening address the Commandant also brought out that the Reunion was part of an added impetus of Corps of Signals to connect with the Veterans and forge bonds of a family that now had a strength of one million.The alumni celebrated their Reunion from 9th April to 11th April with great gusto.