The Pioneer Corps, a small but one of the oldest corps of the Indian Army, celebrated its first postwar Reunion at the Pioneer Corps Training Centre (PCTC) in Bangalore. The corps also celebrated its diamond jubilee as the Corps came into being on November 25, 1941 at Jhelum, now in Pakistan.

As part of the Reunion celebrations, a family welfare meet was held at PCTC in which 40 widows of the soldiers of the corps who laid down their lives since Independence were given financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each. Six of them received the amount personally from Mrs Urmila Pal, wife of Lt Gen Krishan Pal, Colonel Commandant of the Pioneer Corps and Quartermaster General of the Army. A ‘Remembrance Day’ was also observed at the war memorial of the PCTC and Lt Gen Krishan Pal led the serving and retired officers of the Corps in laying wreaths.

On this occasion, a special sainik sammelan was held which was addressed by Lt Gen Krishan Pal. The Army Postal Corps released a first day cover commemorating the diamond jubilee of the corps.

Lt Gen Krishan Pal also released a CD on Record Office Instructions which is designed and compiled by Maj Surendran, the Senior
Record Officer of the PCTC. The Reunion culminated with a
pagal gymkhana.

Before the commencement of events connected with Reunion celebrations, Brig RK Saigal, Deputy Director General of the corps addressed a press conference to make the media acquainted with the glorious history of the Pioneers spanning over two centuries. It was in 1780 that the Madras Pioneers was raised and the corps has undergone many changes over the last two centuries. He outlined the impressive and vital role that the corps played in providing operational and logistic support to the fighting formations in various wars and operations — from the two World Wars to operation Vijay. The Pioneer Corps also has the responsibility of maintaining troops in Siachen, Ladakh and Kargil sectors by air, particularly during winter months. The corps also assists in the air-maintenance of a number of posts in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. The corps has won many honours and awards for its distinguished services