They are husband and wife dancing. Major Vikram, who lost both his legs in kargil war, is happily dancing with his wife. Salute to the spirited officer and his brave wife
They are husband and wife dancing. Major Vikram, who lost both his legs in kargil war, is happily dancing with his wife. Salute to the spirited officer and his brave wife
Jammu, August 17
Schoolgirls near Akhnoor border in Jammu and Kashmir celebrated Rakashabandan by tying Rakhi to army personnel on Friday.
The Hindu festival was celebrated with joy as school girls tied Rakhi, applied Tilak and offered sweets to the army personnel. Last year on August 30, Raksha Bandhan was celebrated in a similar manner, when schoolgirls tied Rakhi to the army personnel and showed their gratitude for the services.
Raksha Bandhan, commonly known as Rakhi, will be celebrated on Monday, August 19 this year. It is a traditional Hindu festival dedicated to the love and bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters tie a rakhi around their brothersâ wrists. In return, brothers offer gifts as a symbol of love and care for their sisters.
Rakhi symbolises a sense of protection. On Raksha Bandhan, the brothers promise to protect their sisters from harm of any kind.
Our Correspondent
Abohar, August 16
Hundreds of people led by the Minister for Employment Generation, Skill Development, and Training, Aman Arora, visited the Asafwala War Memorial and paid tributes to the martyrs of the 1971 war. Arora, who was accompanied by his family, all in yellow (Basant) attire, laid a wreath at the memorial on 78th Independence ARora has been instrumental in pursuing the state government in upgrading the monument, with which some non-government organizations were also associated. He said the state has a firm resolve for the welfare of army personnel, families of martyrs, and ex-servicemen. He said the state government has increased the ex-gratia amount from Rs 50 lakh to 1 crore for the heirs of the martyred âjawansâ and has also included firemen under this financial assistance scheme. He added that apart from this, the government has increased the pension to families of freedom fighters from Rs 9,400 to Rs 11,000.
Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee President Sandeep Gilhotra said the NGO has been preserving the war memorial since 1972. He said the monument was home to the ashes of 82 âjawansâ of the Army and other central security forces who made supreme sacrifices in the 1971 war.
New Delhi, August 16
A Delhi court is likely to pass on August 30 an order on whether to frame the charges against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a case related to the killing of three people at Pul Bangash during the 1984-anti Sikh riots.
Special CBI judge Rakesh Siyal on Friday reserved the order after getting some clarifications from the parties.
âThere are no further clarifications required. I am reserving the order for August 30,â the judge said.
In its charge-sheet filed in May 2023, the CBI had accused Tytler, a former union minister, of âinciting, instigating and provoking the mobâ which had assembled near the Pul Bangash gurdwara on November 1, 1984.
New Delhi, August 17
Looking to expand its arsenal of artillery guns, the Army has issued a tender to the domestic industry for the supply of 400 artillery guns that would be deployed in the Himalayas facing China and Pakistan.
The ~7,000-crore tender has been sent to five Indian companies asking them to send bids. The Army has asked for 155mm calibre towed artillery guns.
As per the requirement, the Army needs the guns that are indigenously designed, developed and manufactured. The tenders have been sent to Tata, Bharat Forge, Larsen and Toubro, Adani and the Ordnance Factory Board.
The Army wants the guns to be lighter in weight and easier to deploy in high-altitude areas like older Bofors guns. â TNS
The period from June 1 to September 20 is considered the filling season for dam reservoirs. The target for filling the Bhakra reservoir is 1,650 feet on July 31, 1,670 feet on August 15 and 1,680 feet on August 31.
The water storage allowed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board for the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs is 1,680 feet and 1,390 feet respectively. For the Ranjit Sagar Dam reservoir, it is 1,731.5 feet.
On August 15, the water level in the Bhakra reservoir was 1,626.5 feet, an increase of only around 18 feet from August 1 level of 1,608.2 feet. This is 44.5 feet below the target limit of 1,670 feet.
The hot weather conditions that prevailed in the state during May and June and insufficient monsoon rainfall thereafter resulted in an unexpected increase in power demand. âThe gap between unrestricted and restricted supply given by the PSPCL is around 1,000 MW to 1,200 MW this year. It may increase next year and the consumers may have to face more frequent power cuts,â said a PSPCL official.
PSEB Engineers Association general secretary Ajaypal Ssater levels in dams would surely impact the power generation, besides affecting the farming sector as the water supply for irrigation would have to be curtailed. âThe state authorities should start thinking about increasing the solar and thermal power generation so that the situation can be tackled during the next summers when the power demand will increase further,â he said.
NJ Ravi Chander
I grew up listening to stories about World War II from my uncles, granduncles and grandparents who served in the war. My paternal uncle Major P Sampangi Rajuâs unit, 12 Field Company of the Madras Sappers, was among the first to go overseas and distinguish itself on the battlefield.
In October 1939, the 12 Field Company joined a combat unit in Egypt. The soldiersâ versatility and adaptability were evident as they built camps and hutted accommodation and initiated defence works. They took part in the encounter with the Italians at Sidi Barrani and were engaged in water supply, track repair, mine lifting and obstacle demolition. The operation in Sudan, as part of the Fourth Infantry Division, highlighted their adaptability. They provided long-range reconnaissance patrols and did mine and track construction. They participated in the fighting that led to a spectacular victory over the Italian forces and the capture of Keren.
Major Raju was awarded the Indian Order of Merit for his exceptional courage, initiative, skill and devotion to duty in detecting and destroying minefields during this operation. Later, he was decorated with the Indian Distinguished Service Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal. The MEG Museum and Archives in Bengaluru showcase his medals.
On one occasion, Major Raju and a fellow soldier were riding atop an armoured tank with its hatch open when they came under heavy enemy fire. My uncle dived into the mouth of the tank headlong and escaped with his life. But his mate, who jumped in with his leg down, didnât survive after being shot in the head.
In his customary address to troops on the eve of Independence Day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the government had taken several reforms to make the countryâs defence sector self-reliant.
He said defence equipment worth Rs 6,00,000 crore was procured from indigenous companies over the last 10 years, adding that the countryâs defence production had doubled in the same period. He said the domestic defence production had crossed Rs 1,25,000 crore.
