INDIA. Mumbai: The 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day was observed by paying homage to the fallen soldiers at a solemn ceremony held at the Gaurav Stambh in Naval Dockyard, in South Mumbai on January 14, Saturday.
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command (WNC), laid a wreath at the Gaurav Stambh. The wreaths were also laid jointly by Major General Rakesh Manocha, Chief of Staff HQ Maharashtra Gujarat & Goa Area, Rear Admiral AN Pramod, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Area, Air Vice Marshal Rajat Mohan, Air Officer Commanding Maritime Air Operations, as well as Veteran Officers and men of the three services.
A 30 men Triservice ceremonial guard was paraded to mark the occasion. The event was conducted to pay tribute to the extraordinary bravery, courage, selfless dedication, and sacrifices of numerous bravehearts in the line of duty, underscoring the finest traditions of the Indian Armed Forces in Nation Building.
Later in the day, a Triservice Veterans Rally was also held at Indian Naval Sailors Institute ‘Sagar’ at Cooperage in South Mumbai. Flag Officers, officers and personnel from the Army, Navy & IAF, and about 500 veterans from all three Services attended the rally.
Interaction with functionaries of the pension cell, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), and Canteen Services were also organized during the rally. Help Desks from the Indian Army, Indian Navy & Indian Air Force, and Nationalised Banks were set up to assist the Veterans. Vice Admiral AB Singh, FOC-in-C WNC, interacted with the veterans and thanked them for their contributions to the Armed Forces and the nation. He also assured them of the full support of the three Services for all their endeavors and requirements.
The objective of celebrating Veterans Day is to bring about compassion, empathy, and respect for the veterans from the people. It is a unique initiative of the Indian Defence Services to acknowledge and honor the selfless devotion and sacrifice of our veterans who, even after retiring, are always searching for opportunities to serve the nation.
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