Monthly Archives: August 2018

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh landed in Patna on Friday to attend the closing ceremony of Parkash Utsav to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. The ceremony was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at SK Memorial Hall with a cultural programme on Friday. Nitish presented Capt Amarinder a memento and shawl.The Bihar government provided free boat service to ferry Sikh devotees from the Gai Ghat to the Kangan Ghat. Pilgrims are  converging on Patna to attend Shukrana Samaroh. TNS 

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: The Southern Command Headquarters, Ordnance Branch Pune of the Ministry of Defence has invited applications for to fill up 818 vacancies under group C posts at aocrecruitment.gov.in.

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: The Southern Command Headquarters, Ordnance Branch Pune of the Ministry of Defence has invited applications for to fill up 818 vacancies under group C posts at aocrecruitment.gov.in. (Website)

he Southern Command Headquarters, Ordnance Branch Pune of the Ministry of Defence has invited applications for to fill up 818 vacancies under group C posts at aocrecruitment.gov.in. According to the official notification, the appointment will be made through the direct recruitment process. Candidates who are interested can now apply for LDC, Tradesman and others visiting the official website. Candidates must note that the last date to apply online is December 23, 2017. Aspirants who have passed ITI or 10th class or Graduates can submit their job application. The hiring will be done on permanent basis, the official notification stated.

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: Here are the details regarding the vacancies:-

Total number of vacancies: 818 posts.

Tradesman Mate: 561 posts
Lower Division Clerk: 110 posts
Fireman: 61 posts
Material Assistant: 11 posts
Messanger: 14 posts
Cook: 05 posts
Steno Grade II: 02 posts
Safaiwala: 26 posts
Washerman: 02 posts
Female Searcher: 04 posts
Tin and Copper Smith: 01 post
Vehicle Mech: 01 post
Tailor: 01 post
Painter and Decorator: 01 post
Carpenter and Joiner: 03 posts
Electrician: 02 posts
Gardner: 01 posts
Armourer: 02 posts
Tele Operator: 02 posts
CMD (OG): 02 posts
Saddler: 01 posts
Fitter (MV): 01 post
Vendor: 03 posts
Barber: 01 post.

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: Selection process: Candidates will be selected on the basis of written test and interview.

Here is the online application form:

(Screenshot/aocrecruitment.gov.in)

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: Pay Scale: The salary for various posts ranges from Rs.5,200-20,000+GP 1800 to Rs 5,200-20,000+GP 2800.

The candidates should read all instructions carefully before filling up the online application. All the information entered by the candidate must be correct. If any false info is found the candidature will be cancelled. The candidates must take the original educational certificates and its photocopies at the time of appearing the selection test. While filling up the online form they must upload their scanned copy of educational documents, passport size photograph and signature.

Ministry of Defence Recruitment 2017 2018: Here is how to apply:-

1. Visit aocrecruitment.gov.in.
2. Now click on the online application.
3. On the new page, first, select the post you want to apply for.
4. Then click on “I agree”
5. You will be redirected to the application form.
6. Enter all the relevant information, upload documents and photographs.
7. Submit the application form.
8. Save and take a print out of the application form for future reference.

Bangladesh air force planes release coloured smoke during celebrations marking the country”s 46th Victory Day in Dhaka, on Saturday, December 16, 2017. — AP/PTI

Dhaka, December 16

Bangladesh on Saturday honoured 27 Indian war veterans as it celebrated ‘Victory Day’ marking its emergence as an independent nation following the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan.A 31-gun salute marked the occasion while President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the National Memorial at suburban Savar in a pre-dawn ceremony with army bugles playing the ‘Last Post’ while thousands followed them as the nation paid homage to the 1971 martyrs and heroes.Hamid later joined as the chief guest a parade of armed forces and other state-owned organisations at a ceremony, also attended by the premier at the National Parade Square in the capital.The 1971 war veterans of both Bangladesh and India once again got together to celebrate the victory.Twenty-seven 1971 war veterans from India and four serving officers arrived in Dhaka on December 14 to join the celebrations on invitation of the Bangladesh government.Bangladesh Army Chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq hosted a reception for them also attended by some Russian military veterans who aided Bangladesh in demining its coastline after the war.Retired Lieutenant General Jai Bhagwan Singh Yadava, who took part in the 1965 war against Pakistan and the 1971 Liberation War, led the Indian delegation.”The delegation will also pay homage to Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial museum, and 1971 martyrs placing wreaths at ‘Shikha Anirban’ (Flame Eternal) at Dhaka cantonment and visit some of the battle sites of Liberation War,” an official familiar with the visit said.An Indian High Commission statement said reciprocal visits by Bangladeshi freedom fighters (FFs) and Indian war veterans on Victory Day started in 2005 and over 300 Bangladeshis and 150 Indians have joined celebrations in Kolkata and Dhaka respectively since then.As part of the celebrations streets and buildings in the capital and other major cities were illuminated overnight.The war in 1971 began after the sudden crackdown at midnight on March 25 that year in erstwhile East Pakistan by Pakistani troops and ended on December 16 as Pakistan conceded defeat and unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising Bengali freedom fighters and the Indian Army.Officially three million people were killed during the nine-month-long war in one of the most heinous acts of genocide by Pakistani troops. — PTI 

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 12

Five soldiers went missing in two separate snow-linked incidents near the Line of Control in north Kashmir, the Army said, as the region received the season’s first major spell of snowfall that shut two major highways leading in and out of the Valley.Defence spokesman Rajesh Kalia said search and rescue operations were under-way at two locations in Bandipora and Kupwara districts to trace the missing soldiers.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Kalia said two soldiers slipped down a slope in Nowgam sector of Kupwara while three others went missing from a forward post in Kanzalwan sub-sector of Gurez in Bandipora, both incidents taking place during heavy snowfall in last 24 hours.While the exact nature of the incidents was not known, the Army’s forward posts in north Kashmir–many of them perched atop steep mountain ridges–have been routinely hit by avalanches in recent years leading to dozens of casualties.The latest incidents have come at a time when Kashmir valley received the season’s first snowfall, which ended a nearly four-month-long dry spell in the region.The downpour–moderate to heavy snowfall and rainfall–has blocked three key highways and roads, which lead in and out of Kashmir valley, snapping road connectivity with the region, an official at Traffic Control Room said.The vehicular traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway, Srinagar-Leh highway and Mughal Road remained suspended for second consecutive day. While Srinagar-Jammu highway was shut due to landslides and slippery stretches, Srinagar-Leh stretch and Mughal Road, which provide alternate connectivity between Kashmir and Jammu divisions, will now be closed till April next year, the official said.The precipitation that continued for two days has brought an end to a lengthy dry spell, which began almost four months ago and caused the water of the Jhelum to fall to record low levels, and also ignited hopes of the tourism industry.Srinagar, the state’s summer capital, also received light snowfall during the night and early morning today. Gulmarg meadow resort, a famed skiing destination during winter months, had already received two feet snow, a Meteorological department official said.

Sahib Singh, SHO

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 9

It was nothing less than a ‘daring act’ on the part of the station house officer and a head constable of the Gharuan police station, who accepted bribe from a vehicle owner at a function where Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was the chief guest.Vigilance sleuths arrested Sub-inspector Sahib Singh, Gharuan SHO, and Head Constable Rashpal Singh, posted at the same police station, from Chandigarh University at Gharuan for allegedly accepting Rs 3,000 from a tipper owner, whose vehicle was impounded by the policemen last night.Both policemen were on VIP duty at the venue (where Captain Amarinder Singh was coming) where Ropar Range DIG BL Meena, Mohali SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal, Mohali DC Gurpreet Kaur Sapra and other senior functionaries of the district administration and police were also present. The amount they accepted was the remaining part of Rs-10,000 bribe.The Vigilance sleuths, who laid a trap there, nabbed the policemen just a couple of minutes before the Chief Minister arrived there.According to sources, the policemen had caught two tippers of a resident of Sector 71, Jarnail Singh, last night. They had demanded Rs 10,000 to settle the case, following which Jarnail handed them Rs 7,000 and promised to pay the rest of the amount the next day.“Today, Jarnail Singh was asked to turn up at the venue to give the rest of the amount. As Jarnail has made a complaint to the Vigilance Department, a trap was laid there. As soon as the bribe was accepted, the sleuths nabbed the duo there,” said the sources.“The duo has been arrested after registration of a case of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act,” said Vigilance Inspector Satwant Singh Sidhu.The police are also verifying the fact whether or not the tippers were containing material related to illegal mining, said the police.Earlier, to avoid the media, Vigilance SSP Paramjit Singh Virk directed the officials to lock the gate of the Vigilance Police Station at Sector 68. A woman constable was deputed at the gate.

Punjab Governor VPS Badnore and Finance Minister Manpreet Badal arrive for Military Literature Festival.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

The Punjab Government is looking to take the Military Literature Festival to the next level. Governor VP Singh Badnore, who originally mooted the idea of holding such a festival, is now looking forward to make it an annual feature. Speaking to The Tribune, he said the festival received a good response and it would only grow from here. “We are going to take it to new heights,” he said, expressing happiness at its outcome. “The very best had come and interacted here.  Punjab is the sword arm of the nation,” said Badnore.Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said the idea was that of the Governor. He suggested sticking to military literature part. “The festival is the first of its kind. The seed has been sown, next year you will see it even bigger,” he said.On how it would be funded without the government’s support, Capt Amarinder said it definitely required government support. “We will form an association to take it forward,” he said, exhorting the naval and Air Force officers to come forward and write histories of their forces.Lt Gen TS Shergill (retd) said the process to form the ‘Military Literature Festival Association’ was under way.

Karachi: Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has criticised the role of mushrooming madrasas, which mostly taught only Islamic theology, underlining the need to revisit the religious schools concept in the Muslim majority country. “I am not against madrasas, but we have lost the essence of madrasas,” a news report quoting the army chief said. PTI

(Left) Lt Gen Mahinder Puri (retd) and Air Marshal Vinod Patney (retd) at the Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh on Friday. RAVI KUMAR

In militancy and counter-insurgency, there are no victors and losers. For a successful insurgency like that led by Mao Zedong (Chinese Marxist theorist), you need sanctuary. In Kashmir’s insurgency, sanctuary was in Pakistan and reasons were economic.” Lt Gen TS Shergill (retd)

When someone asked Winston Churchill how history would judge you, he replied I will write history. He wrote six volumes on World War-II. His contemporaries did not survive to tell their story. Benito Mussolini was executed in 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in 1945,  Joseph Stalin died in 1953 and Franklin D Roosevelt died in 1945.” Thomas Fraser, Military Historian

Churchill had hardly devoted any page to Indian Army. Battles of Kohima and Imphal were ignored.”  Alan Jefferys, Historian

“History is written by winners, so it is difficult to get more than one perspective. Had Stalin written down his thoughts, the outcome would have been different.” Ed Haynes, Historian

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 7

More than 18 years after India and Pakistan fought a war on the icy heights of Kargil, two officers of the Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) who led the respective operations shared a stage at the Military Literature Festival here today recollecting their first-hand experiences.Speaking about the war in 1999, Lt Gen Mahinder Puri (retd), who was then a Maj General commanding the 8 Mountain Division tasked with securing Kargil, recollected: “I told General Malik (VP Malik, then Army Chief) ‘don’t set a timeline to evict the intrusions and be ready for casualties’.”“The country and military were taken by surprise at the intrusion in Kargil,” he asserted while talking about the war fought along the 168-km Himalayan ridgeline that forms the Mushkoh-Drass-Kargil-Batalik-Turtuk axis along the LoC.Air Marshal Vinod Patney (retd), who was then the chief of the IAF’s Western Air Command (Kargil is its part), recollected how fighter jets were not designed to launch an attack at those heights (17,000-18,000 feet). “It was the afternoon of May 26 that the Chief (AY Tipnis) called up and said be ready. But then, he said, don’t cross the LoC,” recollected Air Marshal Patney.“A small error could mean the bomb would fall on the other side of the ridgeline that would be miles away. It was the time that laser-guided bombs were used.Lt Gen Puri said the plan by (General Parvez) Musharraf, the then Pak army chief, was to alter the Line of Control (LoC). “He had a brilliant plan but could not visualise its end.” General Musharraf in his book ‘In the Line of Fire’ writes how “800 sq km of area was captured… and it created strategic effects”.Lt Gen SH Kulkarni (retd) said: “We still need answers. Why did Kargil war come on us? Have we acted on Kargil Review Committee? or Was not allowing forces across the LoC a right idea?” This is a very little historical analysis of the war, he said.

“In militancy and counter-insurgency, there are no victors and losers. For a successful insurgency like that led by Mao Zedong (Chinese Marxist theorist), you need sanctuary. In Kashmir’s insurgency, sanctuary was in Pakistan and reasons were economic.” — Lt Gen TS Shergill (retd)“When someone asked Winston Churchill how history would judge you, he replied I will write history. He wrote six volumes on World War-II. His contemporaries did not survive to tell their story. Benito Mussolini was executed in 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in 1945, Joseph Stalin died in 1953 and Franklin D Roosevelt died in 1945.”  — Thomas Fraser, military historian“Churchill had hardly devoted any page to Indian Army. Battles of Kohima and Imphal were ignored.” — Alan Jefferys, historian“History is written by winners, so it is difficult to get more than one perspective. Had Stalin written down his thoughts, the outcome would have been different.”  — Ed Haynes, historian

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat during the presentation of the President’s Standard to 87 Armoured Regiment, 41 Armoured Regiment and 10 Armoured Regiment at Suratgarh military station. PTI

Jaipur/Abohar, December 5

Operations against militants in Kashmir will continue, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat asserted today, adding that while it was up to the “neighbouring country” as to how it treats terrorist organisations but India will continue to raise the issue.“Operations in Kashmir are going on continuously and we see an improvement in the situation in the Valley. Such operations will go on,” Rawat told reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony at Suratgarh military station in Sriganganagar district. The security forces in J&K have eliminated over 200 militants this year, the highest number since 2010.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Rawat said how the “neighbouring country” deals with terrorist organisation is their matter “but we will keep raising this”. We do not want that such organisations are promoted, he said.Rawat was at the Suratgarh military station to present the President’s Standard to three regiments — 87 Armoured Regiment, 41 Armoured Regiment and 10 Armoured Regiment — after a mounted parade which was attended by Lt Gen Cherish Mathson, GoC-in-Chief Sapta Shakti Command, Lt Gen PC Thimmaya, GoC Chetak Corps, and a number of other senior military officers and civilian dignitaries. General Rawat also released first day cover to mark the grand event. The ceremony was hosted by Colonels of the Armoured Regiments — Major General Vinod Sharma, Major General SS Mahal and Major General Kulpreet Singh, respectively. A formation of roaring T-72 main battle tanks, the mainstay of Indian Armoured Corps, displaying might of the Army, was commanded by Brigadier Praveen Chhabra, Commander of the Sand Viper Brigade with Regiment Contingent commanded by the respecting commanding officers. — TNS & Agencies