Monthly Archives: August 2018

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 12

China today offered to play a “constructive”’ role in improving ties between India and Pakistan. With the standoff in Sikkim nearing almost a month and the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement is bound to aggravate India and the situation further. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)India has always maintained that Kashmir issue is a bilateral one. China’s statement comes a day after its media suggested that a “third” country’s army could enter Jammu and Kashmir on Pakistan’s request, using the same logic that India has to stop  Chinese troops from constructing a road in Doklam. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said: “The conflict occurred near the Line of Control in Kashmir. This will not only harm peace and stability in the two countries, but also of the region.”He hoped the two sides would do more to prevent   escalating tensions and that China was willing to play a “constructive” role.Only yesterday Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had made a conciliatory statement, suggesting that India and China could manage their border disputes.

Burhan Wani. File photo

New Delhi, July 9

India on Sunday hit out at Pakistan for glorifying militant commander Burhan Wani, saying Islamabad’s terror support and sponsorship need to be condemned by ‘one and all’.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

In a strongly worded tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Gopal Baglay said: ” First @ForeignOfficePk read frm banned LeT’s script. Now Pak COAS (Pakistan army chief) glorifies Burhan Wani. Pak’s terror support and sponsorship need to be condemned by one and all”.

Baglay’s comments came a day after Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa praised Wani, Hizbul Mujahideen commander who was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces last year.

Wani was responsible for several attacks against security personnel in Kashmir.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday paid tributes to Wani, saying his death “infused a new spirit in the struggle for freedom” in the Kashmir Valley. PTI

Tribune file photo

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 19

The Indian Army has set a deadline of September-end to eliminate most of the terrorists, if not all, in south Kashmir with the full backing of political groups of all hues in the Valley, highly-placed sources have told The Tribune.They said the Army has “complete political support of the government and the Opposition in Kashmir”.“All of them are nationalists notwithstanding their articulation of different nature, which may sound offensive to the sensitivity of the times, situation and the place,” a top-ranking officer observed.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Having realised the current volatile situation in south Kashmir, that has become synonymous with the Kashmir problem at the international level, the Army has embarked on a “surrender or face bullet” aggressive strategy.South Kashmir has posed a serious challenge to the security apparatus and has also changed the narrative after the July 8, 2016 killing of militant commander Burhan Wani.The Army has taken on terrorists in a big way with the help of the local police. The impression of “terrorists being more powerful” is being dispelled by the frequent anti-terror operations. There are approximately 100 terrorists in south Kashmir and many have been eliminated, including top-ranking ones like Sabzar Bhat, Bashir Lashkari and Junaid Matoo.“This is what we are supposed to do and that’s what we are doing. Our primary objective is to remove the atmosphere of fear,” the commander said.

IAF’s MIG-29K Fulcrum flies over US Navy ship Nimitz in the Bay of Bengal near Chennai coast on Monday. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

The eight-day joint naval exercise ‘Malabar’ between India, the US and Japan, ended in the Bay of Bengal today with all three navies operating in tandem to hunt submarines, land helicopters on ships of other countries and formation flying of fighter jets that had taken off from giant seaborne aircraft carriers.Indian Navy’s Russian-built MiG-29K jets that had taken off from INS Vikramaditya and the American Boeing F/18-A super hornets which had taken off from USS Nimitz flew in tandem. A MiG overflying an American carrier was a novelty in itself.The last four days of the exercise were the ‘sea phase’ during which warships of the three navies participated in the naval manoeuvres at sea. The movement of ships swiftly at close quarters is as an essential aspect of operations at sea for fleet. It streamlines procedure in ship handling and communications.All three countries carried out what are called cross-deck landings by helicopters. This is for joint operations, if needed. US helicopters landed onboard INS Sahyadri of India and JN Sazanami of Japan. The helicopter from JN Sazanami undertook flying operations from INS Sahyadri and USS Shoup.Despite the rough seas and challenging weather, the ships and aircraft of the three navies carried out their assigned tasks in a cohesive manner. An Indian Navy Seaking helicopter undertook transfer of Japanese personnel to INS Vikramaditya as part of crew exchange programme during the exercise. It was followed by flying operations undertaken by the helicopters of the US Navy ships.Started in 1992 between India and US, the exercise has grown in scope, complexity and participation into a multifaceted exercise.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 15

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed the overall security situation in the state, particularly in the aftermath of the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, leaving seven dead.During the meeting, which lasted for half-an-hour, a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official said, the Chief Minister shared the details on the steps taken by the state government to maintain peace in the Kashmir valley and specifics on the security arrangement to ensure the security of Amarnath pilgrims.Blaming “external forces” for creating trouble in the state, Mehbooba said, “Kashmir issue is not a law and order problem. It is happening because of external forces. The ongoing fight is a handiwork of external forces and now unfortunately China is also trying to meddle into it.”“The attack on pilgrims was designed to create communal tension in the country. But I am grateful that the entire country, political parties and the Central government, especially the Home Minister, helped us in overcoming the tragedy,” she said.Asked if there was any discussion on Article 370, she said: “When the goods and services tax (GST) was passed, the President reaffirmed that Article 370 will be taken in account… Article 370 is linked to the sentiments of people of Kashmir.”Seven pilgrims were killed by militants in Anantnag district while returning from the Amarnath cave shrine on Monday.Security agencies engaged in anti-militancy operations in the state have been told to implement security plans with full vigour, the MHA official said.So far, more than 1.86 lakh pilgrims have visited the high altitude Himalayan shrine.As many as 21,000 paramilitary personnel in addition to state police forces and two battalions of the Army have been deployed for security of the pilgrimage routes.The number of paramilitary personnel deployed this year is 9,500 more than last year.Four districts of the state – Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag – have been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. The unrest has resumed since the April 9 bypoll to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

(With inputs from agencies)

Police personnel clear a road blocked by protesters after the funeral prayers for one of the three militants, who were killed in a fierce overnight encounter with security forces in Budgam district, at Hyderpora in Srinagar on Wednesday. PTI

Srinagar, July 12

Two soldiers were killed today as Pakistani troops, violating the ceasefire, resorted to firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in the remote mountainous Keran sector of Kupwara. The Army did not elaborate on the intensity of the firepower by the Pakistani troops. Since the past few weeks, the Pakistani army has been shelling border villages and forwards posts of the Indian Army in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Meanwhile, the security forces have launched a hunt for Pakistani national and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, the brain behind the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims on Monday, a senior police official said. The government has sounded the “highest alert” across Jammu and Kashmir.Proactive operations have been launched, mainly in south Kashmir, to track down Ismail with investigations,  including communication intercepts, pointing to his involvement in the attack.The official said the Anantnag attack appeared to be in retaliation against the killing of several LeT terrorists, including top commander Bashir Lashkari, earlier this month.”Frustrated at back-to-back losses in the counter-insurgency operations over the past month or so, they are now attacking civilians and tourists,” he said. A Home Ministry official in Delhi indicated that the anti-terror operations would be stepped up.Meanwhile, a central ministerial team comprising Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh and Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir held extensive discussions with the security top brass, Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.They discussed the security situation in detail before a security review with the local Army commander, Chief Secretary, the police chief and senior CRPF and BSF officers.

Some senior citizens are happily challenging the notions that old age is a slowdown in the bend of life. They are being equally productive in this later innings while reinventing themselves in new arenas

Photo for representational purpose only. iStock

Geetu Vaid

Love for the green: Maj Gen C. S. Bewli has set up a society to create awareness for cacti and also penned a book on it after hanging his boots

So, what will we do after retirement?” The ball for a discussion was set rolling with this question among a motley group of friends in their late forties. Nothing surprising in it as the reminders of retirement can confront one unexpectedly. Retirement like mortality is a hard fact that each one of us is bound to face sooner or later. Only difference, however, is that there is a full stop when you think of end of life whereas a long (that’s what most of us believe) road remains to be traversed at the end of working life or retirement.

The surprising element, in this discussion, however, was that of all the options discussed about post-retirement plans not even one revolved around starting a new venture or doing something that one hadn’t done during the long work life. Most of the suggestions were the staid and “easy’ variations of the work that one was already doing. The main concern was to do something to stay busy, as well as earn a modest sum.

While many may merrily chime that ’60 is the new 40, but the enthusiasm is woefully limited to looking good, going for a run and wearing dapper clothes or maintaining a strict “work day” schedule after 60. Mention work or suggestion to start a new venture or attempt something different and you get to hear the refrain “this is no age to start anything new, or learning new things at this age will be ridiculed”.

In a society ruled more by mindsets and stereotypes, the shackles of age are a convenient refuge to distance oneself from anything strenuous or mentally taxing after retirement. This, not only alienates and feeds a feeling of redundancy, but maybe the main reason behind the cases of depression and ill treatment of the elderly by their progeny.

These perceptions and attitudes make the stories of those who dared to follow their passion and chase the dreams that had long been put on the backburner, worth sharing.

Reinventing oneself and redefining retirement is an art that can fill colour and vigour in what truly is the second innings, maintains Dinesh Singh, while sharing his experience of starting a new venture after 60. An engineer by profession, he is a well-known name in business circles as the force behind the Energo Group and Energo Engineering Projects Limited (EEPL). But opting to tread a completely different path of bringing different art forms in public domain, he launched NavrasaDuende at the age of 62. “The arts have been a lifelong passion for me and with my own venture, I have the opportunity to bring global arts as an entertainment to the people of India and kindle a passion in them much like my own. For me, beginning an entrepreneurial venture only required two things — a passion to achieve my dreams and the belief that there is no deadline or age limit”, he recounts.

If it was the lifelong passion for art that goaded Singh to launch his venture, then the childhood dream of writing is what has made noted businessman Nidhi Dalmia to sidestep account books to pen a romantic story. The scion of one of the oldest business families of the country, Dalmia has taken baby steps in the world of books with Harp at the age of 69. “I have wanted to write since I was a schoolboy.  I remember my best friend wouldn’t believe me when I used to share my dream of being a writer.  He would say, ‘You are from a top industrial family, you will be an industrialist’. I wanted to write in addition to running a business, not in place of it”, says this business tycoon. With degrees from Oxford and Harvard under his belt, he took a decades-long detour to the world of business before finally telling a story close to his heart.

If it was a shift from passion for business to passion for words for Dalmia, for Maj Gen C. S. Bewli it was the love and commitment for olive green to that for green gardens that redefined his post-retirement life.  A qualified mechanical engineer, Major General Bewli had an illustrious career in the Army spanning 38 years. He, however, dodged several job offers after retirement to devote all his energies to his life-long passion — the love for plants. “After retiring in 2011 many good offers came my way. But retirement being a life-redefining milestone for me, I refused all as I wished to do things which were close to my heart. To fulfill my cherished aspirations and to pursue a lifelong passion with my favourite activities, I prepared a wish list to write on subjects that are seldom touched by Indian authors — cacti, bonsai, succulents and creativity”. Six years down the line he has already set up a society to spread love and awareness for cacti and succulents, besides teaching the art of bonsai creation to people in the northern region. He has also penned a book on cacti and is in the process of writing another one on the bonsai culture.

Their stories may be different but the underlying thread of challenging their comfort zone and a refusal to buckle under the weight of age is what brings them to a common platform.

Ask him about the age factor and the fear of entering unchartered territory, and Singh is quick to counter question with, “When did we set a deadline on pursuing our goals? Who came up with these restrictions? It’s ironic that several people chase a career up to the age of 60 years, moving from one job and position to another, yet are extremely skeptical when it comes to pursuing an entrepreneurial calling later in their life. What causes us to impose these restrictions is a mix of both psychological and cultural factors. It stems from this long-perpetuated idea that entrepreneurship is a domain that is best suited for the young and the agile”, he explains.

“I honestly don’t think age has anything to do with following your passion. When I started writing Harp a few years back, I was at a stage of my life where I could devote my time and energy in fulfilling my childhood passion. My age has not restricted me from stepping into this new challenge, on the contrary I feel my age and experience has provided me with invaluable insight which I have incorporated in my novel”, says Dalmia.

“One does not retire on reaching a certain age nor is it a factor in starting something new. Retirement is simply a switchover from a primary job into something else and, therefore, accept it as a desire to keep living actively,” adds Gen Bewli.

“Actually, age and experience add far more credibility to your personality and intelligence. Hence, it is quite surprising when people tend to think of age as a restrictive factor when it comes to following their dreams”, says Singh.

“Young may grow old, but youthfulness and passion can keep you young forever. Even at the age of 65+ Zakir Hussain (the tabla maestro) is youthful and is considered Youth Icon. One should not be slave of oneself; ability to break free of oneself on a continuing basis is what keeps freshness in thoughts, ideas, and zest for life”.

Following one’s dreams and creating a purpose in life is the duende that Singh is aspiring to create. Redefining retirement is to be in a happy place where no dream is unachievable and the fear of mortality doesn’t overpower the spirit of creativity and life. “I know, there may not be enough time to achieve what I want, but my new venture assures me a lifetime of employment and engagement in something that never tires me”, signs off Singh.

General Bipin Rawat with Lt Gen D Anbu in Jammu on Friday.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 28

In the wake of heightened tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat today reached Jammu for a two-day visit to review the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness of the Army.General Rawat was received by Northern Command chief Lt Gen D Anbu; Lt Gen AK Sharma, GOC, White Knight Corps (16 Corps); and Maj Gen SK Sharma, GOC, Tiger Division, at the technical airport here this morning. “Immediately after his arrival in Jammu, the top Army officers left for forward areas in Nowshera, Bhimber Gali and Krishna Ghati sectors of Rajouri and Poonch districts in a helicopter where he was briefed in detail about the actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter-infiltration grid,” Army sources said.“General Rawat complimented the troops for their unflinching efforts and reiterated the need to remain prepared to counter the nefarious designs of the adversary,” Col NN Joshi, spokesperson of Udhampur-based Northern Command, said in an official statement.The spokesperson said the Chief of the Army Staff also visited Rajouri where he was briefed on the Army’s operational readiness by the GOC, Ace of Spades Division.Later, General Rawat visited the White Knight Corps to review the prevailing security situation in the zone.“The Army Chief was briefed by Lt Gen AK Sharma, GOC, about the preparedness of the White Knight Corps in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by inimical forces,” the spokesperson said. Pertinently, the troops of India and Pakistan have been engaged in skirmishes on the LoC, the de facto border between India and Pakistan that had caused human loss on both sides, besides triggering mass migration.

Praises troops

• General Rawat was briefed about the actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter-infiltration grid, said Army sources
• He complimented the troops for their unflinching efforts and reiterated the need to remain prepared to counter the nefarious designs of the adversary

Arun Jaitley. File photo

New Delhi, July 26

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the three Service chiefs on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to armed forces personnel who laid down their lives in the Kargil war.Jaitley accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, and Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, paid homage to Kargil war heroes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti here.“Salute to the valour of our soldiers on #KargilVijayDiwas,” Jaitley tweeted on the occasion.Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on this day every year, marking successful conclusion of the war with Pakistan in the Kargil-Drass sector of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999.The Indian soldiers successfully gained back the high-altitude outposts occupied by Pakistani intruders culminating in Operation Vijay on the day.Over 500 Indian armed forces personnel laid down their lives during the 60-day-long war. PTI