Eightythree newly commissioned officers participated in an impressive passing-out parade on the occasion of their completion of Medical Officers Basic Course-153. The course was conducted at Officers’ Training School (OTS) of Army Medical Corps (AMC) Centre and School in Lucknow Cantonment.

Altogether, 76 Army officers and 7 Naval officers, including 8 lady officers, had successfully undergone the course. The young medical and dental graduates were imparted initial military training. Lt Gen SP Malhotra, Commandant, AMC Centre and School took the salute at the parade.

Later, the Lieutenant General distributed prizes to the best officers of the course. Whereas Lt Gen FN Bilmoria Trophy for best all-round officer was bagged by Maj Piyush Angrish, the prize for best shot was received by Capt S Lathwal. Maj Angrish and Capt (Ms) Vasu Aggarwal were adjudged the best in drill. A number of general officers of AMC and AD Corps and senior officers and ladies witnessed the parade.

A three-day workshop for management development officers of the Ordnance Factories was held at the Ordnance Factories Staff College (OFSC), Ambajhari. It was attended by senior HRD officers from various ordnance factories across the country.

The central theme of the workshop is the need for strategic programmes and initiatives in the context of the emerging HRD challenges. The workshop also focused on issues related to HRD policy of the Ordnance Factory Board and designing and evaluating HRD courses.

The faculty for the programme included Prof Krishna Kumar of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Mr Sukumar Kolay, Deputy Director General, Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata, Mr BK Arora,
General Manager (HRD), WCL Nagpur and Mr Rakesh Babu, Additional Principal Director at OFSC.

Addressing the valedictory function of the workshop, Principal Director, OFSC, Mr AO Abraham emphasised the need to revitalise the organisation and bring about a transformational change. He stressed the need for innovation, creativity
and dynamism for effective development and utilisation of human resources.

The course director, Mr CB Sharma conducted the proceedings and presented the course report.

Lt Gen RK Mehta, Commandant, MCEME and Colonel Commandant of Corps of EME flagged off the first indigenously developed ‘Aiming Trainer’ for T-72 tank for Armoured Corps at Simulator Development Division (SDD), Secunderabad. The simulator has been designed and developed by SDD which is a premier category ‘A’ establishment of the Indian Army, established in 1991 for in-house development of training simulators for various defence needs.

The Aiming Trainer has been developed for enhancing training skills of persons of Armoured Corps of Indian Army. It is a state-of-the-art simulator for imparting basic aiming training to the gunners and commanders. The fully indigenous simulator has world class features for imparting cost-effective training to the crew of T-72 tank.

General Hospital (Territorial Army) Allahabad organised a health camp for children of Annie Beasant School, Prayag. Altogether, 816 children were medically examined during this camp, held under the initiative of Lt Col MPS Rawat, Officer Commanding of General Hospital (TA). The specialist doctors from TA treated the ailing children and explained them the ill-effects of bad health on their studies. Children were also educated on importance of balance diet and hygiene. Medical officers, nursing officers and paramedical staff participated in this camp with great enthusiasm.

Principal of the school, Mrs Krishna Mitra thanked the General Hospital authorities for organising the camp and also generating health consciousness among the students.

Air Force Station, Gwalior conducted a course on ‘fire fighting’ in which the trainees were educated on operation of various types of fire fighting equipment by JWO MB Ahirkar Ach GD and Mr J Singh (Fire Supervisor). The trainees were also imported fire fighting skills. As a part of the course, the trainees participated in a joint rescue operation with Civil Fire Brigade, Gwalior at Kendriya Vidyalaya 2, Gwalior.

About 260 mechanical transport driver trainees passed out from the Mechanical Transport Training Institute, Air Force Station, Avadi after completion of 15-month basic and trade training. The impressive passing-out parade was commanded by Aircraftman BK Tiwari.

Air Vice Marshal NI Razakki, Senior Officer-in-Charge of Administration, Headquarters Training Command, Bangalore reviewed the parade and gave away trophies to the best drivers.

Leading Aircraftman (LAC) RM Mohan was declared the best in education and LAC Majic won the best in Mechanical Transport Driver Trade. Aircraftman BK Tiwari won the trophy for being best in general service training.

On his arrival at Avadi, Air Vice Marshal Razakki was received by Air Cmde HR Karkal, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Avadi.

Maj Gen AS Jamwal, GOC, ATNKK & G Area inaugurated the first medical camp in Chennai for issuing "Palm Grove Health Record Card" to all ex-servicemen under "Project Pre-Care." The project envisages a thorough medical check-up of ex-servicemen and widows of former soldiers. Brig JK Bohre, Deputy Director (Medical Services), ATNKK & G Area and KS Pathy, Commanding Officer, Military Hospital, Chennai made arrangements for issue of medical cards.

In the first-ever camp under this project held at the Military Hospital, St Thomas Mount, over 500 ex-servicemen and widows in and around Chennai were screened.

Such camps will be conducted at the Military Hospital, Wellington and also at Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Triunelveli, Srivilli-puthur, Madurai and Trichy to cover about one lakh ex-servicemen and 38,000 widows in the state. Launched as a pilot scheme in Tamil Nadu, "Project Pre-Care" will be extended to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa.

Lt Gen RS Kadyan, DCOAS (T&C) inaugurated the institute for the other ranks (OR) at the Headquarters of the Indian Military Training Team of Haa, a high altitude valley in western Bhutan. The General conveyed his felicitations to all ranks and civilians who participated in the project on the occasion. The institute has been constructed by the Engineer Cell personnel of IMTRAT in a record
time.

There was a need to provide recreation facilities for the troops at Haa Garrison, who are often cut off for days during the rainy season with little or no means of entertainment. It was also decided that this multi-facility institute would cater not only to the needs of the Indian troops but also the civilians of the Engineer Cell at IMTRAT and the local public.

Due to heavy rains at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, the life at Kamalkot, Shahdara, Sultan Dhakki and other villages came to a virtual standstill.

Landslides caused by heavy rains had blocked a large stretch of Uri-Kamalkot road in the area of Dachhi and Basgiran villages. There was a mammoth pile of debris and large rocks blocking the stretch. The entire life came to a grinding halt as the vehicles got stuck. The required help was nowhere in sight and in the meantime, the villagers kept suffering as their lifeline kept drifting away due to continuous rains.

Once again, Army extended a helping hand to the desperate villagers. Heavy machinery to clear the road was provided by the Uri Brigade. The soldiers of the local unit, 15 Maratha Light Infantry despite its deployment in Operation Parakram worked indefatigably alongwith the local villagers. They used dozers to remove the debris from the road.

The soldiers worked round-the-clock and were instrumental in restoring the paralysed conditions of the villagers.

A veterinary and medical camp was organised by 1/4 Gorkha Rifles in a remote area of Dubhi-Bari Baihk on Line of Control (LOC) for the poor. It is located at a height of 10000 ft between LoC and Rajwar-Bangash forest. Nearly 1200 livestock and 600 patients were treated by the trained and qualified team of Army doctors from Trehgam and Chowkibal. Free medicine was distributed during the camp. The camp was inaugurated by Brig Prakash Menon, Commander, 68 Mountain Brigade.

Brig NS Rana, Commander, Allahabad Sub Area inaugurated the Allahabad Sub Area Van Mahotsav festival on the banks of Yamuna. The function was organised at Saraswati Ghat by Ordanance Depot and the Army unit at Allahabad Fort.

The aim is to develop the area around the Ghat which has been named Sarswati Vatika. Brig NS Rana and Mrs Nirmal Rana planted peepal and neem saplings at the Vatika in the presence of a large number of Army officers, jawans and their families.

As a part of the afforestation drive, it is proposed to cover the entire Sarswati Ghat area with trees, thereby promoting the prospects of enhanced green ridge on the banks of river Yamuna and also to save it from erosion. Personnel from the forest department besides the NSS volunteers took part in this endeavour.

An adapted mini check dam was inaugurated at Dachhi village by Brig Ramesh Halgali, Commander, 12 Infantry Brigade. The check dam is the result of the efforts put in by the personnel of 15 Maratha LI and villagers of Dachhi as part of Operation Sadbhavana.

After seeing the success of this venture, a linking project of
water supply scheme has also
been sanctioned by the Army for effective utilisation of water in the entire area.

Brig Vinod Chopra, Commandant, Guards Regimental Centre, Kamptee visited 2 Guards (1 Grenadiers) presently deployed somewhere in the western sector. The Commandant commanded this unit from 1991 to 1994 and led many counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Brig Chopra was accorded a warm welcome by all ranks. He addressed a special sainik sammelan in which he exhorted all ranks to live up to the expectations of the regiment. He also expressed confidence in the battalion’s ability to fulfill any assigned operational task with competence. His visit has infused new zeal and enthusiasm among all ranks of the paltan.

Brig Chopra also met Commanding Officers of other Guards Battalions located in the near vicinity.

Twentyseven children from different schools of Meerut and Yamuna Nagar participated in a school excursion called Operation Maitree. The excursion was conceived by Headquarters, 15 Corps and executed by 832 Light Regiment under the guidance of 28 Artillery Brigade.

The excursion team, accompanied by an Army officer visited various places of interest in Jammu, Srinagar and Gulmarg. The children also visited Army units including artillery gun positions at Tangdhar, Machhal and 2 Gali. The local schoolchildren organised many cultural programmes for the excursion team which were also attended in large numbers by the local public.

The children were given Gondola rides and horse rides at Gulmarg. They also saw Pakistani posts and Indian artillery guns deployed in high altitude areas.

During their visit to various places, the children got an insight into the cultural heritage of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The COAS Golf Tournament 2002 was held at the Royal Thimphu Golf Course. The tournament received a overwhelming response. The participants included dignitaries from Royal Government of Bhutan, Royal Body Guards, Royal Bhutan Army, Indian Embassy and Project Dantak. Three ladies also participated in this tournament for the first time.

The event contributed in a big way to strengthen the Indo-Bhutanese friendship. While Mr Sonam Wangchuk Kesang was declared the winner, Mr Sonam Tshering and Mr Tashi Tshering were runners-up and best gross respectively. The tournament, was formally instituted in 1996.

As part of the endeavour to achieve excellence in various games, the 1 Army HQ Signal Regiment has been identified by the Army Sports Control Board (ASCB) as a suitable location for establishment of a basketball node. This node, equipped with all requisite infrastructure, will train all potential Army basketball players.

Presently, the team is being trained by Mr Emilio Merlo Mezo, a coach from Cuba, with Sub SK Raja of the Signal Regiment assisting him. Maj Gen Ashok Vasudeva, officiating DGMT paid a visit to this node to have a first hand information about the training facilities available here and also to assess further requirements to make this node one of the best in the country.

The location of the node is in Delhi and with the present facilities, the players get ample opportunities to gain vital experience by playing with various teams. The node is under the overall supervision of Col Vikram Tiwathia, who was also the manager of the Services basketball team which took part in the last national games.

Hav N Jana of Army Red was adjudged the best swimmer of the championship. Indian Air Force won the water polo trophy while Army Red scored the highest points in all diving events.

Lt Gen RK Mehta, Commandant, MCEME, Secunderabad presented the trophy and medals to the winners. Air Vice Marshal VK Verma, Commandant, Air Force Academy and a large number of officers, cadets and families were present on the occasion.

Commissioned in the famous ‘Hodson’s Horse’ in the year 1966, General Bhandari commanded 72 Armoured Regiment and later an Armoured Brigade and Armoured Division that formed parts of strike formations of Indian Army. He has also been Brigadier, General Staff of a Strike Corps. He has also been a Brigade Major of an Armoured Brigade.

Known as a mechanised warfare expert, the General Officer is an alumnus of Defence Service Staff College, Higher Command and Royal College of Defence Studies (UK). He has held a number of important instructional assignments including tenures at the Indian Military Academy, Armoured Corps School, Defence Service Staff College and senior and higher Command Wings of College of Combat.

Before assuming the Command of 21 Corps, Lt Gen PPS Bhandari was Additional Military Secretary at Army HQs.

Lt Gen Narayan Chatterjee took over as the new Colonel Commandant of the Regiment of Artillery in place of Lt Gen AS Khanna who retired recently.

Lt Gen Narayan Chatterjee was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery on June 30, 1963. The General Officer, an ace aviator, had a very distinguished career. He took part in the Indo-Pak wars in 1965 and 1971. The General Officer held distinguished appointments including Additional Director General, Army Aviation Corps, Major General incharge Administration, Southern Command and Director General Resettlement. On promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General in September last year, he was appointed Director General, Manpower Planning and Personnel Services at the Army Headquarters.

Lt Gen Chatterjee is a recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Mention-in-Depatches, Chief of the Army Staff Commendation and Chief of the Air Staff Commendation (twice).

Surgn Vice Admiral SP Malhotra took charge as Director General Medical Services (Navy) after relinquishing his appointment as Commandant, AMC Centre and School, Lucknow.

The Flag Officer was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps in 1964. He is an eminent ENT specialist with masters degree in Otology. He was professor of ENT at Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. He has the distinction of serving both Army and Navy in various capacities. He was the Director, Institute of Naval Medicine in Mumbai from February 1995 to January 1997 and was DMS (P&M) at NHQ from February 1997 to June 2000. He was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal last year.

Gp Capt KA Kumar took charge as the Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station, Bamrauli in the place of Air Cmde Ashok Kumar Bhardwaj who moved to Headquarters, Southern Air Command at Tiruvananthapuram on his new assignment as Senior Officer-in-Charge (Administration).