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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Blood camp at Guru Nanak Dev College to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas
1 2 3 Ludhiana: A blood donation camp was held at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College here Monday, as part of the Vijay Diwas celebrations. It was organised by 3 Punjab Battalion NCC in association with non-profit organisation, NIFAA. Sixty-two cadets and instructor staff donated blood at the camp. Col Rohit Kalra from the battalion said organising such events emphasises and makes the youth realsise their role in nation building, and also sensitises them to their responsibility towards society. Subjedar Major Karnail Singh, Commanding Officer, 3 Punjab Battalion, NCC also donated blood at the camp. Donors were awarded with medals and certificates by Ajay Jain from NIFAA. Col Khanna took an active part in Operation Vijay while his Battalion 14 Sikhs was deployed in the Batalik sector. For his act of bravery, he was awarded Sena Medal (gallantry) in the same sector. tnn
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
City's Kargil war hero felicitated by CM
Hyderabad: Marking Vijay Kargil Diwas, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy met and felicitated Col Joy Dasgupta of the 18 Grenadiers, one of Hyderabad's Kargil war heroes. The-then Major Joy Dasgupta was part of the operation to capture Tololing Hill, which was being used by Pakistani forces. As the Pakistani enemy forces kept firing from the hill that overlooks National Highway 1A, affecting operational logistics of the entire theatre till Batalik, Turtuk and Kargil; 18 Grenadiers were tasked with the capture of Tololing. The Grenadiers launched multi-pronged attacks and captured Tololing. Col Dasgupta, a Hyderabadi did Intermediate from Wesley College, graduated from Osmania University and received training at the Officers' Training Academy, Chennai. He was commissioned in May 1995. Tasked to lead two Army Companies, he was awarded the Sena Medal for his gallantry. The braveheart, accompanied by his octogenarian mother, offered suggestions to the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for encouraging more youth to join the armed forces.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia salutes her father's bravery on Vijay Diwas; says, 'I remember my mom didn't receive a call for like 15–20 days'
Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia , popularly known for her role in Choti Sarrdaarni and also her appearance on Khatron Ke Khiladi 14, shares a few moments from the time when her father served in the army. Gurdeep Singh Ahluwalia, a former Brigadier in the Indian Army , served the nation in the 1999 Kargil War . He was honoured with the Sena Medal for his bravery. While India honours the bravehearts of the Kargil War on Vijay Diwas, Nimrit also recollects her childhood during that time. In an interview with Hindustan Times, she shares that at the age of just four, she witnessed her father serving in the war and receiving the gallantry honour. Even though she was just a child, she could sense the tension at home. She shares that her mother was constantly glued to the news to stay updated on the latest happenings. She was a working woman and single-handedly took care of Nimrit and her brother during the war. She further continues, 'There was this one time during the Kargil War that my mom hadn't heard from my dad for a couple of days. That's when my dad revealed to her that every time he would go on an operation, he would call before he went. That one time, I remember my mom didn't receive a call for like 15–20 days, and she would say, 'No news is good news,' just to kind of make peace with the reality of it all.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo She recalls the time when her father was awarded; the family showed immense pride while also realizing the pain and effort it takes to be in a war. She further explained, 'It's just a very bittersweet kind of situation because whatever said and done — we lost so many lives — and it's just something no one wants a repeat of ever again.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Former Kargil commander Surinder Singh moves Supreme Court for ‘correction' in war history
CHANDIGARH: Brigadier Surinder Singh (Retd), who commanded Kargil Brigade during the 1999 war, has knocked on the doors of (SC), seeking a fresh probe and 'corrections' in history. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The plea, filed before the apex court on Thursday — two days ahead of the 26th anniversary of Kargil War — seeks a probe either by an SC-judge headed committee or the group of ministers. Saying that petition was filed in 'public interest,' Brig Singh has mentioned that 527 of India's finest sons laid down their lives, and the truth still lies buried under layers of bureaucratic silence and 'doctored reports'. Alleging a cover-up, suppression of intelligence warnings, manipulation of war records, and 'betrayal from within,' the 78-year-old Sena Medal (gallantry) awardee, twice wounded in combat, has pointed fingers at the highest echelons of the Army's command at the time. Singh has stressed that the 'logical and natural deduction of prior knowledge of the enemy intrusions' by then Army brass needs to be investigated. Singh is the only Army officer to be dismissed from service without a general court martial. In his plea, the former Brigadier has claimed that 121 (Kargil) Brigade was restricted from using its own artillery, whereas Pakistan used its air defence artillery guns from Point 5108 to inflict casualties on Indian forces, and for cover fire for intrusions. 'The enemy's 'unprecedented covering fire' in this area is on record, including in the diary of slain Captain Saurabh Kalia (in his own handwriting), yet ironically not given a place in the Kargil Review Committee (KRC) report,' his plea says. The petition also says that it was the GOC who ordered Bajrang Post in Kargil sector vacated in Feb 1999, and Singh's request to reoccupy it in April 1999 was declined. The orders to reoccupy came only in June 1999, he says. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was here that the patrol of Captain Kalia was ambushed by enemy intruders on May 14, 1999, and taken PoW. He and five other soldiers were tortured brutally and killed. When the war started, there was utter confusion in headquarters of 3-Infantry Division, says the plea. 'It is pertinent to mention here that against all military teaching and established practices, headquarters 3-Infantry Division did not have an Op Order (Operational Order) for fighting a defensive war, ensuring the sanctity of the Line of Control. All this was well within the knowledge of the then Chief of Army Staff,' says the plea. It has also been claimed that 'Operation Vijay' was hastily called off on July 26, 1999, despite the fact that some important and vital positions had still not been recovered from the enemy, most importantly Point 5353 which overlooks Drass even today. 'Even the situation reports of enemy intrusions from neighbouring 102 Infantry Brigade Sector in Jan and Feb 1999 were withheld by GOC Budhwar from reaching the petitioner's brigade for reasons not professionally tenable, the petition says, adding that if these reports had been shared, it would have alerted the entire Kargil-Batalik-Chorbat La-Shyok Valley front and prevented the enemy from intruding into Indian territory any further, While referring to the urgency for this petition. Brigadier Singh has mentioned that many senior officers are elderly, and they need to be questioned for details of their action, which may have ended up helping the enemy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Before dying in Kargil, Indian Army soldier chose a bride for his son. This is their story
1 2 Chandigarh: It is often said that marriages are made in heaven but celebrated on earth. For Karan Singh, the son of a Kargil war martyr, his marriage was destined by the Kargil war itself. Before leaving for the battlefield, his father, Havildar Mahavir Singh of 17-Jat regiment, penned what would become his final letter to Karan, who was then undergoing military training as a recruit. In his letter, Mahavir hesitantly revealed that he had chosen a girl, expressing his hope that Karan would marry her after completion of his training. Though Havildar Mahavir Singh was martyred in Kargil, Karan honored his father's dying wish. He sought out the girl his father had chosen—and married her. Today, the couple Karan Singh and wife Sudesh Boora are happily married for around 24 years. Interestingly, the couple's both children, Apoorav Boora and Anjali Boora are into their graduation and preparing for the officer's entry examinations for armed forces. Karan's father, Mahavir Singh had attained martyrdom even when Karan was to complete his basic military training. In his last letter posted in April 1999 to his son, Mahavir Singh had written, "I am writing this letter, as you had requested of me. Don't worry about me, my son, I have reached my unit safely. Please take care of yourself during the training. If you don't mind, I wanted to share with you that I have finalized a girl for your marriage. But don't worry, we will not marry you till you complete your class-XII. Please keep on writing at home, your grandmother always worries about you. Complete your training with concentration and zeal. Don't bother about anyone at home, all are happy". At that time, Karan was a recruit in "Multan Coy" in the Jat regiment's training Centre at Bareilly. The letter was written by Mahavir Singh, a Havildar posted with the 17-Jat regiment, on April 16, 1999. After the war broke out in 1999, Havildar Mahavir's unit moved to Mushkoh Valley in Kargil. His unit was assigned the task to push the enemy out from Pimple-II complex (Point 4875). In the fierce battle, Mahavir had lost his life on July 5, 1999 in a fierce battle. A total of 34 men including two officers of the 17-Jat regiment lost their lives in Kargil. Havildar Mahavir Singh was conferred with Sena Medal (SM) for his gallant act. At that time Karan Singh had not completed his military training. According to Karan, he was given special leave from the training to perform the last rites of his father. Later, Karan left the army to take care of his mother and younger brother. He is now running a petrol pump near Hisar cantonment, which was allotted by the government to honour the next of kins of soldiers killed in action. According to Karan, he took the words written by his father as his last wish and on inquiry found Sudesh whom his father wanted him to marry in Karsindhu village in Jind district. After two years of his father's death, he married the same girl in 2001. Girl's father was not in the army, but her maternal uncle was known to Havildar Mahavir Singh. Karan's wife informed that she was not aware about the fact that her father and her father-in-law had any kind of discussions about her marriage as she was very young at that time. "If it was destined, I am proud that I was married in this family. We are preparing both our children for the armed forces," Sudesh added.
