Daya Sagar
India has celebrated the 10th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day on 14th Jan 2025 to salute the valiant soldiers who made extreme scarifies for India & her people and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh this year led the celebrations by addressing around 1,000 ex-servicemen at Tanda Artillery Brigade, Akhnoor in Jammu. He interacted with the ex-servicemen and expressed gratitude to the Armed Forces personnel, both retired & serving, for their selfless service towards protecting the borders with unmatched bravery, dedication, sacrifice and patriotism. Field Marshal K M Cariappa retired on 14 January 1953 and 14th January is being celebrated every year since 2016 as Armed Forces Veterans’ Day to recognise the service rendered by the First Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Field Marshal KM Cariappa by hosting interactive events in the honour of the Ex-Servicemen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on ‘X’ <“On Armed Forces Veterans Day, we express gratitude to the brave women and men who dedicated their lives to safeguarding our nation. Their sacrifices, courage and unwavering commitment to duty are exemplary,” “Our Veterans are heroes and enduring symbols of patriotism. Ours is a Government that has always worked for the welfare of veterans and we will keep doing so in the times to come,”>.
Similarly Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, on this day Lieutenant General Kodandera M. Cariappa with his elevation on 15 Jan 1949 (decorated as Field Marshal in 1986) took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian forces from retiring General Francis Roy Bucher ( Commander-in-Chief of India) in 1949. It is not out of place to mention here that Pakistan aided & abetted forces under the commands of Pakistan Armed forces had already openly attacked ( activities had already be started since September 1947) the then Princely state of J&K on 22 Oct 1947 and Gen Cariappa who after his promotion as Lt. Gen in November 1947 was working as the Eastern Army commander was in January 1948 appointed as the GOC-in-C Delhi and East Punjab Command, who renamed it as the Western Command and moved its headquarters (HQ) to Jammu and had launched subsequent attacksto capture the Naushera, Jhangar, Poonch, Zoji La, Dras, and Kargil areas. It will be very pertinent to refer here that before Lieutenant General Kodandera M. Cariappa took commands in J&K Major Som Nath Sharma ( who was decorated with !st Param Vir Chakra of Independent India ) had already made supreme sacrifice in Battle of Badgam ( 03-11-1947) for whom his commander Lt. Col.M. N. Khanna Comnd 4 Komaon Regt while recommending martyr Maj Som Nath Sharma O.C. ‘D’ Coy . Unit-4 Kumaon for HONOURS and Awards had written ” < But for this offr’s bravery and sacrifice of his own life it is most probable that the SRINAGAR airfield would have been ove r run by the enemy and jeopardised this whole KASHMIR operations”>. > and it was on 06-02-1948 that Nk.(J)adunath Singh ( who was decorated with 2nd Param Vir Chakra of Independent India ) had made supreme sacrifice in the Battle of Nowshera ( 06-02-1948) for whom the citation on Yadunath_Memorial_Stone Taindhar_op_near_Naushera reads < No. 27373 NK Yadunath Singh PVC ( Posthumous) 1 Rajput ( 4 Guards ) Born 21 November 1916 Died in Action 6 February 1948 ” Your God is both your Cause, Your Battle and Captain, Come Life or Death, Your God will Bear Your Company, And Ever Keep This Field, This Place and This Days Service In His Grateful Remembrance” This Memorial is Erected in Solemn Tribute to A Warrior Legend Who Sacrificed His Mortal Being to A Greater Glory of Indian Nation on This Very Spot . NK Yadunath Singh Single Handedly Killed 230 Men of the Enemy And sacrificed His Yesterday so That Citizens of Naushera may live Their Tomorrow. Inaugurated on 6 Feb 1996>. Battle of Naushera too was in a way ‘won’ by Naik Yadunath Singh and hence was possible to save large areas from Naushera through to Poonch>”. Defence Minister Sh. Raj Nath Singh ji while speaking on the occasion of Armed forces Veterans has also talked of ‘POK’ ( POJK) and hence the sacrifices made while defending Indian borders along J&K need particular references here where out of 21 PVC awarded soldiers 16 had been while fighting on J&K borders and 15 PVC decorated soldiers out of 16 were non permanent residents of J&K. So painfully earlier governments had not granted even the Permanent Resident of J&K status to the families of these 15 PVC decorated soldiers. It was hoped that atleast in UT of J&K they would be presented the rights of the domicile to their families.
Among other things it had also been suggested by people like writer that though late , but not over, at least the 1st PVC decorated soldier Maj Som Nath Sharma should be honoured by naming Srinagar Airport after him since but for his valour & supreme sacrifice may be whole of Kashmir valley and Ladakh Region would have been in ‘POJK’ of today . Similarly naming Jammu Airport after 2nd PVC Nk Jadu Nath Singh since here too but for his valour & sacrifice may be some more part of Jammu region beyond Sundarbani too would have been part of ‘POJK’ of today.
Defence Minister Raj Nath Singh reiterating the Government’s commitment towards the welfare of the veterans, serving soldiers and their families also assured that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will always work beyond its capacity to ensure the well-being of its soldiers, who remain as the assets to the country even after retirement. Lt Governor Sh.Manoj Sinha paid tribute to ex-servicemen of the Armed Forces, saying: ” We will forever remain indebted to our Veterans who have protected the nation from the enemies and continue to contribute to the nation’s growth and development.” The Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to Prime Minister &Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for dedicating Veterans’ Day to honour the distinguished service of the ex-servicemen. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protect the interests of Armed-forces personnel and their families. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while addressing the occasion too said <“Taking care of you is not a favour-it is our duty. Your immense contributions deserve nothing less than our utmost respect, gratitude and support. The Jammu and Kashmir government will continue its efforts to ensure that all benefits are provided through ex servicemen welfare schemes without delay and hindrance” “If there are any challenges or weaknesses in our efforts, please bring them to our attention so that we can work together to resolve them. We are committed to serving you with the same dedication that you showed in serving the nation,”>.
Prime Minister of India , Defence Minister of India , The Lt Governor of J&K and the Chief Minister of J&K have expressed their very sincere regards commitment and concern for the veterans, serving soldiers and their families and taking leads from that it is hopefully requested that the present ruling dispensations would extend their favours for extending ‘special favours’ to soldier community and would atleast impress upon the aviation ministry to name the Srinagar Airport after PVC Major Som Nath Sharma ( but for his sacrifice may be whole of Kashmir valley and Ladakh Region would have been in POJK of today) and similarly naming Jammu Airport after PVC Nk Jadu Nath Singh since but for his valour & sacrifice may be some more part of Jammu region beyond Sundarbani too would have been part of POJK of today. LG Manoj Sinha ji has also observed on this Armed Forces Veterans’ Day (14-01-2025) that the blessed land of Akhnoor bears the indelible footprints of the valour and saga of courage of our Veterans. Hope LG Manoj Sinha takes the lead , which he can surely take.
(The writer is Sr Journalist, social activist and analyst J&K affairs)