The inaugural function of the triennial reunion of the war-decorated soldiers’ commenced on Saturday at Manekshaw Auditorium in Chandimandir Cantonment.
lt Gen KJ Singh, GOC-in-C Western Command said in his inaugural address that it is the bounden duty of the nation to revere its soldiers who stake their lives for the Defence of their country.
He said the Western Command has exhibited this reverence by making monuments at almost all its military stations to inspire the coming generations. On this occasion, the Army Commander honoured the bravehearts who are all in the sunset of their life now although no trace of gloom poetically associated with sunset was visible on the face of any of them.
Those honoured also included the survivor kins of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the battlefield. While the gallants included prominently legends like Air Marshal Randhir Singh, Brig Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, lt Gen GS Sihota and Brig NS Sandhu, the kins included the parents of Capt Vikram Batra and the grandson of Havildar Abdul Hamid who is known to have destroyed seven tanks of the enemy single handedly due to his professional dexterity during the 1965 India-Pakistan War.
War Decorated India (WDI) an Association of all chakra series of gallantry bravehearts of the Indian Army, was established 25 years back to share the fond memories of military life with each other after every three years.
More than 100 war-decorated soldiers who have braved the wars of 1965 and 1971 converged on the occasion.
Brig (Retd) SS Ahluwalia, one of the organisers of this conclave, said that of the total 1,090 awardees who were living at the time of award, only about 360 are alive now but despite being a dwindling lot these soldiers are the ones who have inspired generations of officers and Jawans in the three Defence services and millions of our countrymen.
The war-decorated soldiers who graced the occasion included Air Marshal Randhir Singh, lt Gen GS Sihota, and Brig NS Sandhu, Brig Kuldip Singh Chaandipuri (All Retd) on whose life film Border was made.