Dainik Nation News Portal
Dainik Nation Bureau
uttarakhand ex-servicemen celebrated the first Veterans’ Day at Uttarakhand sub-area army station headquarters in Dehradun on Saturday. The annual observance of the day on January 14 was initiated by the new Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Bipin Rawat to honour of the ex-servicemen, who have spent their service life guarding the country’s border, braving adversities.
In his addressing Maj Gen Balraj Mehta, SM, General Officer Commanding (GOC) said that the basic objective behind the celebration is to honour the ex-servicemen as well as to resolve the problems they are facing, post retirement. In all, 51 ex-servicemen above 80 years of age were given mementos by GOC Mehta. Some of the veterans came to the venue on wheelchairs from far- off places, a sight that moved many present on the occasion.
Welcoming the veterans, Mehta apprised them of the string of measures being undertaken by the sub- area for their welfare.
Brig RS Rawat, president, Uttarakhand Ex- Services League (UESI), and Brig KB Chand, director Sainik Kalyan Evam Punarvas also addressed the gathering and projected issues pertaining to the welfare of the veterans.
Kishan Bahadur Thapa, an ex-serviceman, said that he was the first seller at the army canteen at Uttarakhand sub-area. “Earlier, all the vegetables and the food items used to be kept in the kitchen which was a small room, but now the canteen is well equipped and is spread over a large area,” he said.
Around 250 veterans from various parts of Dehradun participated in the programme. There are around 1.82 lakh veterans in the state while around 60, 000 personnel are working in the defence forces currently.
