Opinion | Honouring Veterans Is The Honour to the Honour!

Veterans from our Army are the ones who have rendered the service of safeguarding our country. Their strenuous and tenacious service has protected the nation from the armed assaults of neighbouring enemies and has bestowed upon us the most honourable and joyful thing as the country is what we call freedom. The freedom as a country and the respect as a nation we enjoy as Indians is by dint of our army,

As we do business in busy markets, our army stands alert at the borders, vigil on our enemies in the scorching chill and frightening landscape of the borders. Thus, we peacefully earn our livelihoods and respectfully return to our homes at night. As our children smilingly go to schools and learn and live there peacefully, our army stands alert at the borders on the terrible day and the horrid night, vigil on our enemies. As we move with joy and peacefulness from state to state through trains, busses and aeroplanes, enjoying business, education and whatnot, our army stands alert with heavy guns and wearing bulky shoes and fat helmets to safeguard our freedom.
Thus, to honour the veterans from the armed forces is an honour to the honour! We all owe them, so we all must return. But what we pay back is far less than what we owe them. We owe them our most precious thing: freedom. Is it likely to pay something equivalent back to them?
Remembering Veteran Services and keeping them honouring, the government keeps celebrating 14th January as Veterans Day. On the day, the government give away honours to those who have rendered their services in the armed forces. One such historic occasion was celebrated at the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre in Srinagar, Kashmir.
On the 8th Armed Forces Veterans Day, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi felicitated Veterans who have dedicated their lives to the nation’s service. This historic celebration showcased the unwavering camaraderie between retired and serving soldiers, reaffirming the bond that unites them. The weather conditions were unfriendly, though 700 Armed Veterans, Veer Naris, gallantry and representatives of the Ex-servicemen community made their gracious presence felt at the celebration. The honourable event teemed with warmth and joy and was remarkable in its occurrence. While paying tribute to the indomitable spirits of Veterans and the services they have rendered, we pay tribute to the freedom we have as Indians.
Veteran Day’s one of the objectives was to receive first-hand information about problems being faced by the veterans and Veer Naris. People at the gathering were informed about various projects aiming to address the problems of Veterans undertaken by Central and State Governments. To instantly lighten the grievances, various stalls including the medical camp and Zila Sainik Welfare Board, JAK LI Regimental Centre and Records and ECHS were established. The stalls assisted the attendees with instant cushioning of the post-retirement issues, documentation and medical care.
In his address, the Army Commander encouraged the veterans to anchor the presence of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme. He highlighted various welfare initiatives under Sadhbhavana, including infrastructure development, medical care, women and youth empowerment, educational tourism, sports tournaments and selected sponsorship to youth for degree courses & school education under the Army Welfare Education Society. He highlighted that the Indian Army and the Government have been pursuing the issue of jobs for the veterans under various schemes.
In the 2-day Veterans rally in Kashmir, a candlelit wreath-laying was also celebrated at the Chinar War Memorial. In the celebration, Veterans and the in-service soldiers together commemorated the martyrs. Paid their respect and homage to them. It was indeed a heartfelt gesture to honour those Bravehearts who have laid their lives for the freedom and peace of the country. It was indeed a heartwarming and eye-welling scene to observe.
On the 14th annual Veteran’s Day celebration, celebrated every year in recognition of the services rendered by the first Commander-in-Chief of the independent Indian Armed Force, Field Marshal, KM Cariappa, who retired on 14th January 1953, the Commander expressed his gratitude towards the war heroes who have made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty!
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