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English rendition of the statement by Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in Parliament on Kokrajhar militant attack on August 05, 2016.

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh today made a statement in both Houses of the Parliament on Kokrajhar militant attack on August 05, 2016.

Following is the English rendition of the statement:

“On 5th August, 2016 there was a militant attack at a crowded weekly market at Balajan Tiniali in Kokrajhar district of Assam. According to information available, around 11.30 in the morning militants, reportedly in army­like fatigue set on fire some houses and shops which led to a cylinder blast and fire in the area. This was followed by indiscriminate firing on the crowd of shoppers by the militants.

14 innocent persons including 8 Bodos, one woman, one child and four others lost their lives in the attack. 19 persons were seriously injured who are under treatment in various hospitals of the district and the state capital. The state police and the security forces reacted swiftly to the attack and neutralised one militant whose identity is yet to be established.

From the slain militant, one AK 56 rifle, two magazines of live ammunition and one grenade were recovered. The exact number of militants and the militant group involved in the attack is being investigated.

The state government has made satisfactory arrangements for the treatment of those injured in the attack. Ex­gratia relief of Rs. 5 Lakh has been provided to the next of kin of those killed, Rs. 1 Lakh to those seriously injured and Rs. 20,000 to those with simple injuries. A criminal case has been registered at Kokrajhar Police station to investigate the militant attack. I condemn this dastardly attack on innocent persons who lost their lives and on behalf of this August House convey heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray to the almighty to give them strength in this difficult moment. On behalf of all the members, I also pray for the early and full recoveries of those injured.

I have taken up with Government of Assam and the security forces in the state to track down the militants involved in this attack, so that they are brought to justice for this crime against the humanity.”

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KSD/NK/PK

Know Your Army Mela: 2016

As part of Independence Day Celebrations, the army would be conducting the ‘KNOW YOUR ARMY MELA’ based on the theme “INDIAN ARMY: KNOW OUR MIGHT”. Event will be held on 12-13 August 2016 at Central Vehicle Depot (CVD), Delhi Cantonment from 9 AM to 5 PM. It is open to general public for witnessing the military equipment, demonstrations and screening of motivational movies.

The event will include display of wide array of military equipment and weapons which would demonstrate the technological advancement and military might of the Indian Army. In addition to the above, the Army Tank Museum showcasing various vintage tanks would also form part of display. Various Stalls are being established where information about joining the Indian Army through different type of entries will be provided. Cultural shows comprising Army Band Display and other entertainment programs will be held. Food courts and refreshments catering to different tastes would also be available.

The event promises to be a unique, unforgettable and motivational experience for the youth and general public to see and feel from close quarters, the army way of life.

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Col Rohan Anand, SM PRO (Army)

Indian Army's 'Naari Shakthi' takes a nosedive, sharp decline in numbers - The New Indian Express


The New Indian Express

Indian Army's 'Naari Shakthi' takes a nosedive, sharp decline in numbers
The New Indian Express
NEW DELHI: At a time when the Indian Air Force has commissioned three women fighter pilots, the Indian Army is struggling with the sharp decline of women personnel. Following an initiative by the Centre, Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana ...

and more »

Union Home Minister visits Assam to take stock of the flood situation

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh visited Assam today to take stock of the situation in the flood-affected areas. Shri Rajnath Singh, accompanied by Chief Minister of Assam Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, conducted an aerial survey of the worst hit districts of Nagaon, Morigaon and Kaziranga. He also met the family members of those affected by the floods at the Bhagatgaon relief camp in Morigaon district.

Later the Union Home Minister chaired a high level meeting with Shri Sonowal, Dr. Jitendra Singh and Senior Officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs and State Government to review the flood rescue and relief operations.

Shri Rajnath Singh said the situation is grim but the Chief Minister and his team are doing well in managing the situation. He said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are working on the ground. The NDRF along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Army have saved more than 6,000 lives in Assam, he added.

The Union Home Minister said it is heartwarming to see the government and other political representatives helping the rescue and relief operations. Shri Rajnath Singh said the Centre is ready to provide all possible help. “I have received a memorandum from Assam government. An inter-ministerial Central team will soon visit Assam,” he added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju, who also accompanied Shri Rajnath Singh to Guwahati, undertook an aerial survey of the flood fury in other areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Shri Kiren Rijiju said the Central Forces are working with the State team in conducting flood rescue and relief operations.

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KSD/NK/PK

Dhanush to end Indian Army's gun drought - India Today


India Today

Dhanush to end Indian Army's gun drought
India Today
It took three decades for the government to pull out these designs and start production in India. A defence ministry official said that three Dhanush guns will be provided to the Army by June 30 and another three by September end for use. It will be ...
India Clears Purchase Of 145 Ultra-Light Howitzer Guns From USNDTV
India Clears Ultra Light Howitzers Buy from USDefenseNews.com
India To Buy 145 Howitzer Artillery Guns From BAE Systems (BA) In $750 Million DealInternational Business Times
The New Indian Express -Times of India
all 28 news articles »

United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-01)

The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India (CUNPK) commenced the first United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-01) for a duration of three weeks commencing from July 25 at New Delhi. The course is being conducted jointly with the USA. Mr MJ Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs chaired the inaugural session. Lt Gen MMS Rai, VCOAS welcomed the participants from African countries. He stated that Indian Army had acquired vast experience through decades of participation of Indian peacekeepers in UN Peace Keeping Operations (UNPKO). He also brought out that CUNPK has trained 900 officers from 92 countries in UNPKO, till date. Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Permanent representative of India to the UN, US Ambassador to India and the UN Resident Coordinator in India also spoke on the occasion.

The course is aimed to build the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN and to further train the Trainers from these countries. The course, which revolves around the concept of training the trainers, as stated by the UN, is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities. Incidentally, India is one of the largest Troop Contributing Country (TCC) and US is the largest Fund Contributing Country (FCC) to the UN. The students include officers who are currently employed in the respective peacekeeping training centres in African peacekeeping training institutions.

The training conducted during this course will incorporate topics on operational and logistical matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics, Blackboard and table top exercises and mission briefs. The course is also targeted to assist the student officers to further train officers in their respective countries on nuances of peacekeeping. Indian team of instructors will be assisted by the US in this event.

Col Rohan Anand, SM

PRO (Army)

Suspected rebels kill 8 Indian soldiers in ambush in Kashmir - Houston Chronicle


Houston Chronicle

Suspected rebels kill 8 Indian soldiers in ambush in Kashmir
Houston Chronicle
An Indian army soldier, second left, gives first aid to paramilitary soldiers who were injured in a highway ambush in Pampore, on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, June 25, 2016. A few paramilitary soldiers were killed and ...
Eight CRPF personnel, two terrorists killed in Pampore encounterLivemint
How the map of Jammu and Kashmir could have been significantly different todayScroll.in

all 191 news articles »

Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman bin Haji Ahmad Badaruddin of Royal Malaysian Navy visits India

Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman bin Haji Ahmad Badaruddin, Chief of Royal Malaysian Navy is on a visit to India from 25-28 Jul 16. His visit is intended to consolidate the bilateral naval relations between India and Malaysia and also to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.

Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman bin Haji Ahmad Badaruddin held bilateral discussions with Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of Naval Staff today. He also interacted with the Chairman COSC and Chief of Air Staff and Vice Chief of Army Staff. The Admiral was promoted to the rank of Admiral and assumed Command of the Royal Malaysian Navy on 19 Nov 2015, as the 19th Chief of Royal Malaysian Navy. Prior to taking over as the Chief of Royal Malaysian Navy, he was the Deputy Chief.

The Indian and the Royal Malaysian Navies cooperate with each other in terms of training, Passage Exercises, as well as interact at various multilateral forums like IONS, MILAN and ADMM Plus. Warships from both navies visit each other’s ports to build ‘bridges of friendship’. The ships of the Eastern Fleet recently visited Port Kelang as part of its Overseas Deployment to North West Pacific and held a first ever ‘Table Top’ Exercise on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief with the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Major issues that were discussed during the visit included training exchanges, improving Maritime Domain Awareness by sharing of white shipping information and exploring opportunities for bilateral exercises. The Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy is scheduled to visit Kochi and Visakhapatnam on completion of his visit to New Delhi, where he will interact with the Commanders-in-Chief besides visiting ships and Naval Dockyard. He is also scheduled to visit the Cochin Shipyard Limited.

DKS/AC 65/16

Indian Army Objects Development Along Border with China - Sputnik International - Sputnik International


Sputnik International

Indian Army Objects Development Along Border with China - Sputnik International
Sputnik International
New Delhi (Sputnik) — India's northeastern region bordering China has been a breeding ground for resentment towards Central India owing to the slow pace of development in comparison to the rest of the country. The region lacks road connectivity and ...

RAKSHA MANTRI REVIEWS SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS IN BAY OF BENGAL FOR MISSING IAF AN-32 AIRCRAFT

Raksha Mantri, Shri Manohar Parrikar personally reviewed the ongoing search operations initiated to locate the missing Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft during his visit to INS Rajali, the Naval Air Station at Arakkonam this morning. The Raksha Mantri was briefed on the search operations undertaken in the last 24 hours and utilization of assets from the Navy, Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard. The Rasksha Mantri directed that if need arises more resources be diverted for the SAR operations. Raksha Mantri also reviewed the situation on ground as well as while flying over the area of operations in a P8 i Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

He was apprised of the difficult condition under which the operations are being undertaken in the last 24 hours. The state of the sea is 3 to 4 and is very choppy with thick monsoon clouds in the area making the search effort quite challenging. Raksha Mantri has directed that the operations be continued unhindered till further orders.

It may be recalled, that on 22 July 16 an An-32 aircraft belonging to 33 Squadron of IAF which is located at Sulur, Coimbatore was on a scheduled courier sortie from Tambaram (Chennai) to Port Blair. The aircraft departed Tambaram at 0830 hrs with 06 crew members and 23 passengers. The aircraft was scheduled to arrive at Port Blair at 1145 hrs. The aircraft however did not make any contact with Air Traffic Control of Port Blair and an overdue action was initiated. The last Radar contact marked by Chennai Air Traffic Radar was East of Chennai at 151 NM. The aircraft was flying at 23000 ft.

As of now a massive search operation is in progress braving prevalent monsoon weather conditions and poor visibility wherein IAF, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have pooled in all available resources to look for any possible sign of the aircraft in this vast swath of Bay of Bengal between Chennai and Port Blair.

IAF has deployed two C-130 aircraft equipped with Electro-optical and Infra-Red sensors. Indian Navy P8i aircraft equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar along with Dorniers are also taking part in this operation. Indian Navy has deployed 13 ships in the search area and is being assisted by six ships of Indian Coast Guard and merchant vessels in the area. Indian Navy has also deployed one submarine for the task. The Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center at Chennai has been coordinating round the clock surveillance towards search effort along with Southern Air Command of IAF, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

Out of 29 people who were on-board six were crew members along with eleven IAF personnel, two from Indian Army and one person from Indian Coast Guard. Eight civilians working with Indian Navy along with one sailor from Indian Navy was also travelling in the aircraft. Raksha Manti has directed all commanders to be in touch with the families of the missing service personnel. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of Air Staff and Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command were also present during the review.

NDW/AB

Indian Army Soldiers Rescue A Lady Mountaineer Who Fell Into A 300-Feet Deep Crevice! - Indiatimes.com


Indiatimes.com

Indian Army Soldiers Rescue A Lady Mountaineer Who Fell Into A 300-Feet Deep Crevice!
Indiatimes.com
In a rescue operation, the Indian Army soldiers rescued a lady mountain climber who fell into a 200-300-feet deep crevice. The incident took place on June 16 when the mountaineer was suspended mid-air at a height of 30-feet at Dokriani Bamak Glacier in ...

and more »

Army Chief Reviews Security in Kashmir

The Chief of Army Staff Gen Dalbir Singh today reviewed the security situation in Kashmir during his visit to the Srinagar based 15 Corps.

The Army Chief was briefed by the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen Satish Dua on the situation along the LC and the hinterland including the measures instituted to ensure close coordination with all security and other government agencies towards maintaining peace in the Valley.

The Chief, accompanied by the Northern Army and Chinar Corps Commanders, also visited the Kupwara Division and Awantipur based Victor Force where he was briefed on the operational preparedness as also the initiatives taken by Army in collaboration with civil administration to alleviate hardships being faced by the populace due to the prevailing unrest. The Army Chief also met with the DG Police, J&K, and was reassured about the excellent synergy between Army, Police, CAPFs and intelligence agencies.

In his interaction with officers and troops, the Chief commended their operational preparedness and commitment to the cause of national security. He exhorted everyone to ensure strict vigil along the Line of Control. Appreciating the synergy being shown amongst all security agencies that has resulted in successful counter terrorist operations, he also complimented the troops on ground for showing maximum restraint even in the face of grave provocation. He expressed his grief and concern over the casualties of civilians and security forces during the protests while making an earnest appeal to the Awaam to maintain peace and help the security forces serve them better.

The Army Chief also impressed upon everyone to continue their positive engagement with the Awaam and lend them all possible assistance in close coordination with the other stakeholders.

Col NN Joshi

PRO (Def) Srinagar

NNJ

How The British Raj's Army Opened Its Doors For 'Indian' Officers - Swarajya


Swarajya

How The British Raj's Army Opened Its Doors For 'Indian' Officers
Swarajya
The commander-in-chief of India, as well as the India Office, rebuffed the resolutions, arguing that their provisions would dilute the efficacy of the Indian army and that no British officer would deign to serve under an Indian. Even a plan drawn up by ...

33rd Tri Services Commanders' Conference Hosted by South Western Air Command SWAC

The Tri-Services Commanders' Conference of Southern Region is an annual feature amongst the seven Commanders' of the Army, Navy and the Air Force [Southern Command of the Indian Army, Western Naval Command, Eastern Naval Command and Southern Naval Command of Indian Navy, South Western Air Command and Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force and Andaman and Nicobar Command, a Tri-Service Command].

The 33rd Tri-Services Commanders' Conference is being hosted by AOC-in-C SWAC, Air Marshal RK Dhir AVSM VM ADC at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 07 Jul to 08 Jul 16.

The objective of the two days Tri-Services Commanders' Conference is to strengthen and promote jointness amongst the three services. The concept of operations in a network centric warfare scenario and exploitation of newly inducted weapon systems for enhancing operational capability in a synergised tri-service environment would be the focus of the conference. Matters related to Joint Operations and tactical issues related to Southern/ South-Western region will also be discussed.

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AB/PB

Former J&K Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) S.K. Sinha met Dr Jitendra Singh

Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) S.K. Sinha met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh here last Thursday, June 23, 2016, and held over an hour long meeting to discuss different issues related to Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast.

92-year old Gen. Sinha is a war veteran and a long time Kashmir observer, who first time came to the State of Jammu & Kashmir in 1947 as an Indian Army Major and was associated with the State for the next over half-a-century till he relinquished office as Governor of the State in 2008, when Shri N.N. Vohra took over.

Gen. Sinha spoke at length about his impressions about the situation in Jammu & Kashmir, as it has evolved since independence.

From his long experience in having dealt with the Northeast, Gen. Sinha provided Dr Jitendra Singh a detailed perspective about how the events have evolved in Assam and the other North-Eastern States over the last 65 years.

Gen. Sinha also updated Dr Jitendra Singh about his current subject of research, which was that of rediscovering the rich heritage of his hometown of Patna, originally known as Pataliputra which had been the capital of India for as many as 700 years.

Dr Jitendra Singh appreciated Gen. Sinha’s commitment and passion for research, and said that the inputs provided by him are of immense value.

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KSD/NK/PK

Visit of MoS (Home) Shri Kiren Rijiju to Bhutan

At the invitation of the Minister of Home & Cultural Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB), Mr. Lyonpo Dawa Gyeltshen, Minister of State (MOS) for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju visited Bhutan from July 2-4, 2016 to attend the International Conference on Tradition and Innovation in Vajrayana Buddhism.

During the visit, Shri Kiren Rijiju called on Mr. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan, Mr. Lyonpo Dawa Gyeltshen, Minister of Home & Cultural Affairs and Mr. Lyonpo Damcho Dorji, Minister for Foreign Affairs, RGoB. He also met Lt. General Batoo Tshering, Chief Operations Officer, Royal Bhutan Army. Varied issues of bilateral and mutual importance were discussed during the meetings, in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

On July 3, 2016, the MoS addressed the Closing Session of International Conference on “Vajrayana Buddhism: A Mandala of 21st Century Perspectives” at the Royal Institute for Tourism & Hospitality (RITH), Thimphu.

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KSD/NK/KM/PK

1 Army Headquarters (HQ) Signal Regiment Celebrates Platinum Jubilee

As part of its Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, 1 Army HQ Signal Regiment organised a Special Sainik Sammelan on 24th June 2016 in New Delhi at the unit location. The event was chaired by Maj Gen BP Murgai (Retired), who commanded the Unit from 1971 to 1973. The Special Sainik Sammelan was witnessed by both serving and retired personnel of the Unit.

Maj Gen BP Murgai (Retired) complimented the unit for its achievements. He also released the “First Day Cover” on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of the unit.

1 Army HQ Signal Regiment is responsible to provide communication and public address system to Army HQ and also for important National level events such as Republic Day Parade. The unit also actively participated in rescue and relief operations, namely, Op Meghrahat (J&K floods in 2014) and Op Maitri (Nepal Earthquake in 2015). The unit has been conferred with the Vice Chief of the Army Staff Unit Citation twice in year 2008 and 2015 for its outstanding service.

Manoj Tuli APRO (Army)

Lt Gen MK Unni Takes over as the new DGAFMS

Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Unni assumed the charge of Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) in a function here today. A graduate from the Armed Forces Medical College AFMC, Pune, he was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps on February 27, 1977. He trained as a paratrooper and has served with the Special Forces as a Regimental Medical Officer of the elite 9 Para Commandos.

During his illustrious service career of over 39 years, the General Officer, apart from specialist duties, has also held important staff and command appointments. He was Major General Medical Northern Command. He commanded the prestigious Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi Cantt before becoming Director General Medical Services (Army).

The General Officer has received several commendations and awards during his career. He has received two Presidential awards, VSM and AVSM. He was elected Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps in 2014. Lt. Gen Unni was appointed Honorary Surgeon to the President of India on July 01 2015.

NAo/Nampi/RAJ

Fifteen nursing students commissioned into MNS

Commissioning ceremony of the 57th batch of probationer nurses, College of Nursing, Army Hospital (R&R) was held here today. Addressing the function as the Chief Guest, Lt Gen SD Duhan, Commandant of the hospital congratulated the newly commissioned Nursing Officers and their proud parents. He urged the newly commissioned Nursing Officers to nurture the ethics of Military Nursing Service (MNS) and to uplift its tradition. Lt Gen Duhan advised the new Lieutenants to keep abreast with the latest developments in the field of medicine and nursing in order to provide care with compassion to patients under their care.

During the ceremony the 15 young nursing students were commissioned as Lieutenants into MNS and were posted to various Armed Forces Hospitals in the country. Lt Priyanka Prakash secured Second position in all India Armed Forces Medical Services Examination Board for which she was awarded with Presidents Bronze Medal and Commandants Silver Medal for securing First position in the batch. Lt Sakshi Sharma was awarded Commandants Silver Medal for securing second position in the batch. The Best All Round Student Trophy was awarded to Lt Jijo Thomas and Lt Rini Joseph was adjudged the Best Clinical Nurse.

Earlier, Maj Gen Elizabeth John, Principal Matron of Army Hospital (R&R) welcomed the dignitaries, hospital staff and others. Col Amita Devrani, Principal, College of Nursing delivered the batch report.

N Ao/NM/Ranjan

Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meeting in Srinagar on strategic issues

A High Level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh was held in Srinagar today. The meeting was also attended by the Jammu and Kashmir Governor Shri NN Vohra and Chief Minister Ms. Mehbooba Mufti and several Senior Officers from the Centre and the State. The meeting deliberated upon the strategic issues pertaining to situation in the state with particular reference to development projects of the state.

Union Home Minister expressed satisfaction over the performance of the State Government as well as the Security Forces and complimented them for excellent ground coordination and synergy.

During the meeting a range of issues pertaining to the state were discussed. Union Home Minister assured of positive outcomes on issues of opening of more LoC routes for trade and business, giving permission to foreigners to visit Ladakh including Nubra valley, quick resolution of land related issues, increasing ex gratia payment to families of martyred J&K police personnel at par with the Central Forces and restarting the police modernization. Shri Rajnath Singh also instructed the CRPF and BSF to explore the possibility of conducting special recruitment drives in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Minister asked the agencies to ensure fool proof security in the state, with primacy being to protecting the life and property of civilians. The State Government expressed its confidence of maintaining security in the State, including during the ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra.

Union Home Minister also asked the BSF and the Army to step up the vigil at the International Border and the LoC, so that the evil designs of the enemy could be frustrated.

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KSD/NK/PK

Union HRD Minister Smt Smriti Zubin Irani launches a new initiative ‘Vidyanjali’ to involve volunteers into co-scholastic activities of schools

Inspired from Honourable Prime Minister’s vision to inculcate reading habits among children and create a reading culture at school and community level, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani dedicated ‘Vidyanjali’- a school volunteer programme to the nation at New Delhi, today.

In her inaugural address Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani said that Vidyanjali is a step forward in creating an ecosystem, wherein education will be attached with imbibing knowledge and improving learning output. The Union Minister added that there is an ingrained sense of participation and willingness within the people of this country to contribute towards nation building. We are hoping to leverage the same through this programme. Numerous researches have reflected that community engagement with schools has led to improvement in the quality of learning and education. This programme will instil fresh enthusiasm in school children to take up reading and will re-energise the teaching-learning process at schools. She also emphasised upon the significance of providing timely remedial support to improve the learning outcomes of school children, thereby reducing the number of school drop outs

The programme is designed to involve volunteers from different walks of life to strengthen the co-scholastic activities in government schools. Vidyanjali, which is being implemented under the overall aegis of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, will enhance the community involvement in Government run elementary schools and effectively engage children in reading, creative writing, public speaking,  play acting, preparing story books etc..

The Indian Diaspora in Indonesia was also connected to the live proceedings through the Indian embassy at Jakarta and they shared their heartfelt appreciation for the initiative with the Hon’ble Minister, along with their views and suggestions.

Giving a nod to their ideas, Hon’ble Minister assured to widen the scope of Vidyanjali to include performing arts and life skills. She also urged the MyGov team to create a module under Vidyanjali wherein NRI community or others, who want to contribute by providing additional teaching-learning aids like books etc. and other resources, can do so in conjunction with state and district administration.

The volunteers can register for free by visiting the MyGov.inor though the mobile app, which has been developed by MyGov and were launched today.  The programme is unique in that it gives the freedom to the volunteers to design their activities in consultation with the school.

The programme will be open for participation by all Indian citizens including retired Professionals, retired government officials, working professionals and homemakers; and also persons from the Indian Diaspora.

The programme will be piloted across 21 States which committed to do so in the conference of State Ministers of Education held on 8th February, 2016.  These States are Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telengana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Many of the eminent personalities extended their support to the initiative and encourage people to participate in the programme. Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh; Smt. Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister, Rajasthan, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra; Shri Raman Singh, Chief Minister, Chhattisgarh; Shri Kedar Kashyap, Minister for Education, Chhattisgarh; Shri Kalikho Pul, Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh; Shri Kiren Rijiju, MoS, Ministry of Home Affairs; Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, MoS, I&B; Smt. Mehbooba Mufti, CM, Jammu & Kashmir; Shri Babul Supriyo, MoS, MoUD; Dr. Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor, Puducherry; Shri. R. Kamalakannan, Minister for Education, Puducherry; Smt. Twinkle Khanna, Shri Anil Kumble, Shri Ruskin Bond, Smt. Moloya Goswami, Actress, Shri Bhaichung Bhutia, Sports Person; General Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff; Shri Ramesh Aravind, Film Personality, they all volunteered in schools in their respective states and conducted a live reading session, co-scholastic activities therby reaching out to school children and encouraging volunteers to participate.

Dignitaries present on the launch were Prof. (Dr.) Ram Shankar Katheria, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development; Dr. Subash Chandra Khuntia Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy; Ms. Henriette Ahrens, UNICEF Deputy representative for Programmes; Mr. Onno Ruhl Country Director, World Bank; Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, Minister for Education, Punjab; Shri Naeem Akhtar, Minister for Education, J&K; and Smt. Rina Ray Additional Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy.

 

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GG/RT/RK/Vidyanjali

 

Exercise Jalrahat a Joint Initiative by State Govt and Armed Forces for Flood Relief in Assam Commences

The much awaited event, Exercise JALRAHAT commenced today at Narangi Cantt. Taking the leaf from the latest National Disaster Management Policy – 2016 and the call given by the Prime Minister urging the enhanced cooperation and involvement by Armed Forces in mitigating disasters, the Exercise JALRAHAT is a joint initiative taken by the Assam State Govt and the Armed Forces that is being led by GAJRAJ Corps with full support from HQ Eastern Command.

The exercise commenced with the Opening Address delivered by Lt Gen D Anbu, AVSM,YSM, SM, GOC GAJRAJ Corps who stressed upon the need for integrating the key facets of the NDMP-2016 guidelines to include understanding and strengthening disaster risks, governance to manage disaster risks, investing in disaster risk reduction and enhancing disaster preparedness.

Thereafter, the Chief Secretary, Shri VK Pipersenia commended the ASDMA and the Armed Forces for taking the unique initiative, first of its kind to spread awareness amongst various stakeholders about each other’s role, tasks and capabilities.

Proceedings thereafter followed a series of presentations and brain storming sessions with Syndicates co-opting different agencies responsible for disaster management. Healthy discussion pursued with syndicates deliberating upon issues ranging from Preparation, Planning, Early Warning and Immediate Response to Relief and Rehabilitation measures. The keen interest and participation of the stake holders adequately displayed that this exercise is heading on to become an epitome in the field of planning and preparation for taking on the menace of Urban Flooding head on with the firm resolve to build resilience in the society to stand up to such a calamity and come out victorious.

It is pertinent to mention that in addition to Exercise Jalrahat based on Flood Relief in an urban setting, Indian Navy will be carrying out Exercise Prakampana based on relief and assistance in case of a super cyclone at Vizag, Andhra Pradesh in August 2016 and Indian Air Force will be undertaking Exercise Sahayta based on relief and assistance in case of a major earthquake at Bhuj, Gujrat. All these will be joint exercises like Exercise Jalrahat.

The First Day of Exercise ended on a positive note. The Exercise spread over three days will witness the outdoor display and demonstration on 29 Jun 2016 before terminating with Lessons Learnt on 30th of Jun 2016.

Manoj Tuli

APRO (Army)

Platinum Jubilee Celebration of First Assam Regiment

The First Battalion The Assam Regiment celebrated its 75th Raising Day (Platinum Jubilee) with ceremonial fervor at Shimla, Himanchal Pradesh, today. The highlight of the whole occasion was release of 'First Day Cover' by Colonel of the ASSAM REGIMENT & ARUNACHAL SCOUT, Lt Gen Subrata Saha and flagging in of a Motorcycle Rally, led by Brig Charandeep Singh, by Lt Gen PM Hariz, General Officer Commanding -in - Chief of the Army Training Command.

The Battalion was raised on this very day in 1941 and has had an illustrious military history. It is one of the only units in the history of warfare to have been awarded six Battle Honours, namely, JESSAMI (Nagaland), KOHIMA (Nagaland), ARADURA (Nagaland), MAWLAIK (Burma), KYAUKMYAUNG (Burma) and TOUNGOO (Burma) and one Theatre Award BURMA within a short span of three years of its raising. The Battalion is also proud recipient of Chief of the Army Staff Unit Citation for its role in combating terrorism on Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir.

The celebrations were spread over three days commencing from 13 Jun with large number of senior veteran officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Others Ranks along with a number of civilian dignitaries gracing the occasion. Church Service was organised at Christ Church for the Platinum Jubilee guests on 14 Jun. On 15 Jun, a Wreath Laying Ceremony was organized wherein all serving and retired soldiers and officers paid respect to the Martyrs.

Col Rohan Anand, SM

PRO (Army)

Soldiers die in Indian army ammunition depot fire - BBC News


BBC News

Soldiers die in Indian army ammunition depot fire
BBC News
Seventeen Indian soldiers have been killed in a massive fire at a military ammunition depot in western Maharashtra state, army officials say. The fire in the depot at Pulgaon near Nagpur triggered a number of explosions, leading to the evacuation of ...
Indian army depot fire kills 16, raises safety fearsDaily Mail
Timeline: Previous instances of mishaps in Indian Army basesThe New Indian Express

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Lt Gen Sarath Chand Uysm, Avsm, Vsm, Goc-in-C, South Western Command, Reviews the Passing out Parade at the Indian Military Academy

610 Gentlemen Cadets of 138 Regular, 121 Technical Graduate and 24 University Entry Scheme Courses, including 45 Foreign Gentlemen Cadets from six friendly foreign countries passed out from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun on 11 Jun 2016.   Lt Gen Sarath Chand, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C, South Western Command reviewed the parade. The Gentlemen Cadets displayed tremendous enthusiasm, vigour and zeal, putting up an excellent show, marching to the tunes of `Colonel Bogey’ and `Sare Jahan Se Achha’ with pride and élan.

 

Congratulating the Gentlemen Cadets on the successful completion of their training at IMA, the Reviewing Officer emphasized the need of imbibing the spirit of the motto of IMA, ‘Valour And Wisdom’, to achieve professional competence and traditional qualities of fair play, civility, maturity and tolerance in times of adversity.

 

To keep pace with the technological age, the Reviewing Officer laid emphasis on the importance of consistent reading and keeping abreast with the latest happenings.

 

The General also mentioned to the Gentlemen Cadets, that the IMA Credo, which places safety, honour and welfare of the country first, always and every time, has a universal appeal to men and women in uniform all around the world. He said that being in uniform we have a definite role in contributing to the society and help in Nation building. IMA’s world class reputation and the achievements of its Officers are attributable to the outstanding quality of the instructors and staff. At the end, the General Officer praised the high standard of training at the IMA and also congratulated the parents and the families of the Gentleman Cadets on the successful completion of the training of their wards.

 

The Reviewing Officer also inspected the Guard of Honour given by the Gentlemen Cadets and presented the following awards:-

 

            The coveted Sword of Honour was presented to Academy Cadet Adjutant Rajendra Singh Bisht. The Gold Medal for the Gentleman Cadet standing First in the Overall Order of Merit was presented to Battlion Under Officer Aman Dhaka. The Reviewing Officer also gave away the following awards:-

 

·         Silver Medal for the Gentleman Cadet  standing Second in the Order of Merit was presented to – Senior Under Officer N Dinesh Kumar.

 

·         Bronze Medal for the Gentleman Cadet  standing Third in the Order of Merit was presented to – Academy Cadet Adjutant Rajendra Singh Bisht.

 

·         Silver Medal  for the Gentleman Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit from Technical Graduate Course was presented to – Gentleman Cadet Avijit Hazra Chowdhury.

 

·         Silver Medal for the Foreign Gentleman Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit  amongst the Foreign Gentlemen Cadets was presented to –Foreign Junior Under Officer Choki Dorji.

 

·         The Chief of Army Staff Banner was presented to Imphal Company for standing overall First amongst the 16 companies for the Spring Term 2016.

 

 
GM/DP
 

 

Indian army team completes mountain cycling expedition - Business Standard


Indian army team completes mountain cycling expedition
Business Standard
The 22-member team of the Indian Army has completed the long, challenging and adventurous GAJRAJ Mountain Terrain Cycling Expedition covering a distance of over 900 km within a span of 25 days. The team was flagged off on May 28 from Rupa in West ...

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General Dalbir Singh Reviews the Passing Out Parade at Officers Training Academy, Gaya

General Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff reviewed the 9th Passing out Parade of Officers Training Academy held on 11 June 2016 in which 92 Gentleman Cadets of the Technical Entry Course Serial 27 along with 46 Special Commission Officers of Course Serial 36 got commissioned into the Indian Army.  Another 53 Gentleman Cadets of Technical Entry Scheme Serial 33 also proceeded to various engineering colleges of the Army to pursue their engineering degrees from Military Engineering Colleges at Secunderabad, Mhow and Pune. The Reviewing Officer was received at the venue by Lieutenant General Vinod Vashisht,  Commandant, Officers Training Academy (Gaya).

The Reviewing Officer was accorded a salute by the parade followed by an impressive March Past after which he gave away various awards to the Gentleman Cadets who had excelled in training. The prestigious Sword of Honour for best overall performance among TES 27 Course was awarded to Gentleman Cadet Pankaj Mehara.

 

General Dalbir Singh, congratulated the Gentleman Cadets for their excellent standard of turnout and drill. He also stressed on the virtues of military ethos which they should imbibe to make themselves good leaders. While congratulating the parents, the Reviewing officer said that they were fortunate since their sons will get the opportunity to serve in one of the noblest professions in the world.   

 

The parade culminated with the Passing Out Course stepping on the  ‘Antim Pag’ (‘Final Step’)  after which they were administered the oath by the  Adjutant of the Academy.

            As a prelude to the Passing Out Parade on 11 June 16, a Multi Activity Display showcasing various aspects of military training imparted to the Gentleman Cadets, coupled with interesting acts of combat skills was showcased. The event included show jumping, fly past in microlight aircrafts, gymnastics and Physical Training display amongst many such activities.  An entertaining ‘Pyro-technique’ display was the show-stopper, bringing the curtain down on the display. 

 

Col Rohan Anand, SM

PRO (Army)

Indian Army warns Rs 40000 crore Arunachal border road could be a liability - India Today


India Today

Indian Army warns Rs 40000 crore Arunachal border road could be a liability
India Today
A 1,500-km proposed highway along the China border in Arunachal Pradesh connecting remote areas of the hill state has hit a roadblock with the Army raising objections fearing that it could be a strategic blunder due to its proximity to China in case of ...
Indian Army warns Rs 40000 crore Arunachal border road could be a liability if tensions break out with ChinaDaily Mail

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VEcare : Army helpline for Veterans

Headquarters Eastern Command launched a 24x7 veteran helpline ‘VEcare 1904’ at Fort William today, which was inaugurated by Gen Shankar Roy Chowdhury (Retired), former Chief of the Army Staff, amidst a large number of serving and retired soldiers. Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, GOC-in-C Eastern Command, said the facility was in continuation of the Chief of the Army Staff’s focus on ‘Welfare of Ex-servicemen and Veer Naris’. Post launch of Directorate of Indian Army Veterans in January this year at New Delhi, the VEcare service is a new initiative for veterans and serving personnel of all three services. It would be particularly of immense help to individuals in distress and requiring immediate medical help. The facility will soon be extended to other stations of Eastern Command.

VEcare service can be availed from landline or mobile by simply dialing 1904. To a registered mobile user, it will provide automated voice guidance for medical emergency assistance including immediate dispatch of an ambulance, queries related to medical facilities and appointments at ECHS/ Command Hospital, CSD related value addition services and facilitate connectivity to Army telephone numbers. The Army Commander further stated that, an endeavour was underway to populate the data of all the veterans whereafter the software driven initiative would be fully exploited. The helpline facility is being seen as a major initiative towards veterans’ welfare.

Col Rohan Anand, SM
PRO (Army)

Indian Army celebrates International yoga day at Siachen - Firstpost


Firstpost

Indian Army celebrates International yoga day at Siachen
Firstpost
"The soldiers and the officers posted at Siachen, commonly known as the highest battlefield in the world, today celebrated International Yoga Day", a defence spokesman said. He said apart from Siachen, the Army's Fire and Fury Corps also celebrated the ...
Indian army jawans, officers line up on frost to observe World Yoga Day along SiachenThe Asian Age

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Seminar on International Day of UN Peacekeepers

On ‘International Day of UN Peacekeeper's’, a joint seminar on “United Nations Peacekeeping : Role and Relevance in Conflict Resolution” was organized at New Delhi by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) along with United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office.

The event was attended by COAS, members of the diplomatic community, veteran peacekeepers, UN Country Teams, students from prominent universities and Indian Army contingents earmarked for UN deployment.

Gen Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff delivered the inaugural address wherein he applauded the role of UN Peacekeeping Contingents in maintaining peace across the world. He also highlighted India’s achievement as the second largest troop contributing country with deployment of 7695 personnel across the globe. Gen Dalbir also applauded the Indian Peacekeepers, 04 from Army and one civilian, who were awarded the UN ‘Dag Hammarskjold Medal’ this year on 19 May 2016.

Gen Dalbir further highlighted the necessity of the major Troop Contributing Nations in having a say in the mandate, tasks and policy coordination. He added that mandate of peacekeeping forces was transitioning from Peace Keeping to Peace Reinforcement. The COAS also stressed on the requirement for better training to make sure the soldier’s understand the task and the manner in which they are required to operate in actual scenario.

Mr Yuri Afanasiev, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India also read out the UN Secretary General's message, after which homage was paid to the fallen peacekeepers by observing two minutes silence.

Col Rohan Anand, SM
PRO (Army)