8th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day: Raksha Mantri leads the celebrations pan India

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Jan. On January 14, 2024, 8th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day will be observed in a number of sites throughout India to honour former military members for their noble deeds and sacrifices, as well as to strengthen ties with their bravery’s surviving relatives. Wreath Laying ceremonies and Veterans’ Rallies are being planned in Srinagar, Pathankot, Delhi, Kanpur, Alwar, Jodhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai, Secunderabad, Kochi and various other places to celebrate the day.

Mantri Raksha At the Air Force Station in Kanpur, Shri Rajnath Singh gave a speech at a veterans’ rally to spearhead the festivities. There were over a thousand former service members present. During their interaction, the Raksha Mantri conveyed to the heroes his sincere gratitude for their selfless contribution to the nation. He highlighted that every Indian has a particular place in their heart for the veterans. “Our soldiers put the country above all other considerations, including family, caste, and creed. They efficiently perform their tasks since they are aware that everything is safe if the country is secure. This provides them with the moral fortitude to meet any obstacle,” he continued.

Reiterating the Ministry of Defence’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of ex-servicemen, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the government, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has been doing everything in its power to ensure the veterans’ well-being, from implementing the One Rank One Pension scheme to offering health care and re-employment. He continued by saying that although the government is working harder as the country develops, it is also the people’s duty to care for the soldiers and their dependents as if they were their own family and to always be there for them. He made a plea to the populace to bolster their resolve to commemorate both active and veteran military personnel.

The Raksha Mantri emphasised that the world, as well as the nation of India, respect and acknowledge the bravery, honesty, professionalism, and humanity of Indian military. “People all throughout the world recognise the bravery of our warriors who served in the First and Second World Wars. As Indians, we also honour the soldiers of other nations in addition to our own. In the 1971 war, about 90,000 Pakistani soldiers gave themselves over to India. We could have handled them however we pleased, but because of our culture and customs, we chose to treat them with the utmost compassion and returned them to their homeland with all due respect. One of humanity’s greatest moments is when enemy warriors are treated with such dignity.

The Raksha Mantri honoured the heroes for their selfless sacrifice and committed service on this day by laying a wreath at the War Memorial. Dignitaries in attendance included Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Maintenance Command, and Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Kanpur, Air Commodore MK Praveen.

Mantri Rajya Raksha Later in the day, Shri Ajay Bhatt will be present at the Secunderabad function. Along with other senior military officers, the following people attended the New Delhi event: Lt Gen JP Mathew, the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, and Joint Secretary, Ex-Serviceman Welfare (ESW). The event was also graced by veterans and officials of other organisations for ex-servicemen. Speaking at the event, the Service Chiefs emphasised the significant welfare initiatives that the various Armed Forces agencies handling veterans have been carrying out. They gave the ex-servicemen high marks for their unselfish contributions to nation-building.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) today is a result of the leadership, vision, and tenacious spirit of the veterans whose achievements were recognised by the Chief of Air Staff. He said that the System for Pension Administration-Raksha (SPARSH) platform, a web-based integrated system in place for the approval and disbursement of defence pension, has moved almost 1.85 lakh IAF retirees. He continued by saying that as part of the “Service at Doorstep” idea, SPARSH Service Centres have been set up at each Air Force station and have been assisting veterans in getting their problems handled more thoroughly and effectively.

In order to address the many difficulties encountered by the veteran population, the Chief of Naval Staff noted that the Navy has been using a multi-pronged approach that involves proactive outreach, good contacts, and consistent communication. The Directorate of Ex-servicemen Affairs, the Naval Regimental System, the Navy Foundation, the Veteran Sailors’ Forum, and Pension Adalat, among other well-established mechanisms and fora, he continued, have been strengthened and extended to include widows and Next of Kin of the fallen heroes in addition to retired personnel and their families. He emphasised that the Navy carried out 58 of these outreach initiatives in various places last year, including Leh, Ladakh, and the northeastern provinces. It is an honour for us to continue to gain from your knowledge and insight. To better address concerns facing the Services and the veteran community, we look forward to your essential feedback, unwavering support, and direct comments, he said.

As a tribute to the veterans community, the anthem “We for Veterans” was played in a number of public settings. During the festivities, the first issue of “SAGAR SAMVAD,” an annual publication of the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Ex-Servicemen Affairs that covers news, guidelines, and other subjects of interest to veterans, was also released. The journals “VAYU SAMVEDNA” and “SAMMAN,” published by the Indian Army and Air Force, respectively, were also released.

Every year on January 14th, Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is observed to honour the service of Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the first commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, who retired on this day in 1953. Since its inaugural celebration in 2016, the day has been observed annually by holding these kinds of engaging activities in honour of the Ex-Servicemen.