Indian Army’s Mathura headquartered 1 corps has got a new Corps Commander. Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar has been appointed as the new 1 Corps Commander. 1 Corps is a military field formation of the Indian Army. Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar is an alumnus of Sainik School Ghorakhal. After his military training in National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned in 23rd Battalion of the Rajput Regiment in June 1986. He commanded his battalion twice; along the Line of Control in J&K and along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh. He commanded an Infantry Brigade along Western Borders and an Army HQ reserve Mountain Division.

The General Officer has done all important courses to include Defence Services Staff Course and attended the National Defence College. He is also a Distinguished Graduate of National War College, USA. He has been an instructor in Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan and a Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College. His staff appointments include a Grade 1 post in Military Operations Directorate and Brigadier General Staff appointments in a Corps HQ and a Command HQ. His previous appointment was of Director General Staff Duties in Army HQ.

HAL has bagged the first place for Innovative Training Practices 2019-20 at the 30th National Award ceremony held recently at New Delhi by Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD). “We are honoured to receive such a coveted award. This is a recognition of our relentless efforts to strive for excellence in the area of training and development”, said Mr Alok Verma, Director (HR). Apart from using the in-house talent, HAL has tied up with the best management and training institutes to impart the right training to the professionals.

HAL Management Academy having a sprawling lush green campus of nearly 16 acres with state of the art facilities in Bengaluru is a Centre of excellence for Aerospace Technology and Management professionals. It offers specific courses blending the rich experience and domain expertise with industry exposure to provide trained manpower in aerospace sector. ISTD, established in April 1970, is a national level professional & non-profit society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It has a large membership of individuals and institutions involved in the area of training and development of Human Resource from Government, Public and Private Sector Organizations & Enterprises; Educational and Training Institutions and other Professional Bodies. The Society is affiliated to the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO), Geneva and Asian Regional Training and Development Organizations (ARTDO), Manila.

Major General Arvind Kapoor, Additional Director General NCC Directorate Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu called on the Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat. Maj Gen Kapoor briefed the Governor about the NCC activities being undertaken by Gujarat Directorate. He highlighted that the NCC Directorate Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu was working in concert with the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi including NCC participation in ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, Expansion of NCC in the Coastal, Border & Tribal Areas of Gujarat, as also trying to increase the number of NCC Cadets joining the Armed Forces. To achieve these major infrastructure, projects have been planned in consultation with the State Government and are under various stages of construction.

The Governor appreciated the hard work put in by the Officers and staff of Gujarat Directorate in shaping the future of the Cadets of Gujarat and making them model citizens of the country. He also commended the good work done by the cadets through their Social Service and Community Development programmes such as Blood Donation, creating awareness amongst the populace about Covid-19, Swachhta Abhiyan and other activities. He wished the Officers, Staff and Cadets of Gujarat Directorate all the best in their future endeavours also.

Four day long ‘Teeka Utsav’ (Vaccine festival) is being organised by the Government of India in the country from 11 to 14 April. The vaccine festival is commencing with the birth anniversary of social reformer Jyotiba Govindrao Phule and shall culminate on 14 April coinciding with birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar. In order to inoculate maximum number of eligible people against Covid amid a worrying surge in cases and to support TEEKA UTSAV, 44 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 22 Sect AR/ IGAR(E) made its continuous and deliberate efforts to curtail the upsurge of COVID cases in its area of responsibility by conducting vaccination drives for troops and promulgating information through awareness campaigns for the public in Tamenglong district.

In the present situation where number of positive cases and mortality rate due to COVID is high on daily basis, 44 Assam Rifles battalion headquarter and its COB at Dikuiram reached out to locals to spread the message and appeal locals to get vaccinated as many eligible people as many possible and target zero vaccine wastage. The company commander while addressing the people on the occasion of birth anniversary of Mr Jyotiba Govindrao Phule, the pioneer of women education in India, appealed the public to let their girls study and pursue her dreams. Mr Jyotiba and his wife Savitribai Phule had opened the first school for girls in India way back in Aug 1948. Thus we collectively shall contribute towards social reform and follow the aims of Beti Bachao, Beti Padao campaign. He also conveyed that COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) should be strictly enforced among the local populace.

With an aim to promote CAB, requirement of necessary precautions in the pandemic situation and the necessity of vaccination for the eligible persons was promulgated through various platforms. The unit employed posters, banners, lecture, audio messages through Drones in local languages. The drone based sound bite system was used to disseminate information about proper wearing of masks, hand hygiene, maintaining physical distance and timely vaccination. ‘Dawai Bhi, Kadai Bhi’ message was effectively and profusely spread. The CMO, Tamenglong battalion appraised the public that during this vaccination festival the vaccination drive in coordination with civil medical staff shall be taken to interior areas of Akhui, Azuiram and Dikhuiram.

The aim to educate the locals about the importance of maintaining a healthy day to day life style along with routine exercise/ yoga and good food habits to cope up with current situation shall continue for the said period of the Teeka Utsav. The attendees to these awareness campaigns would be greatly benefitted by the information pertaining to COVID free health. The battalion is endeavouring to incorporate various civil administration authority, church authorities, CSOs, Youth leaders and public opinion makers to further spread the awareness about vaccine.

Exercise Shantir Ogrosena-2021, a 10-day-long multinational military exercise, which started on 4 April, culminated on Monday at Bangabandhu Senanibas (BBS), Bangladesh. Troops from four countries participated in this exercise with observers from the US, UK, Russia, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore. The aim of the exercise was to strengthen defence ties and enhance interoperability amongst neighbourhood countries to ensure effective peace keeping operations. The Armies of all participating nations shared their wide experiences and enhanced their situational awareness through robust information exchange platforms.

The exercise culminated with a validation phase and closing ceremony organised on the theme of Robust Peace Keeping Operations jointly undertaken by contingents of Indian Army, Royal Bhutanese Army, Sri Lankan Army and Bangladesh Army, preceded by an Army Chiefs Conclave. General M.M. Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff witnessed the validation phase of the exercise. He had also delivered a Keynote Address on “Changing Nature of Global Conflicts: Role of UN Peacekeepers” on Sunday. The COAS also interacted with the senior officers of the participating nations and Military Observers from other countries. The contingents displayed highest standards of professionalism during the exercise and also displayed their skills in volleyball, firing and cultural activities.

NEW DELHI: Army paid tribute to Havildar Mohd Saleem Akhoon, who made the supreme sacrifice at District Anantnag (J&K), in a solemn ceremony at BB Cantonment. Lt Gen DP Pandey, Chinar Corps Commander and all ranks paid homage to the gallant soldier on behalf of the proud Nation. Late Mohd Saleem Akhoon was on leave in his native village. He was unarmed when he was attacked by some unknown terrorists.. He was immediately evacuated to District Hospital Janglat Mandi, Anantnag, at approximately 1710 hours, where the doctors declared him as brought dead.

The Braveheart, Late Havildar Mohd Saleem Akhoon, was 43 years old and had joined the Territorial Army in 2004. He belonged to Village Bijbehara of Bijbehara Tehsil, Anantnag District in Jammu & Kashmir and is survived by his wife, daughter and son. The mortal remains of Mohd Saleem Akhoon were taken for last rites to his native place, where he would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and remains committed to their dignity and wellbeing.