MADIKERI, Karnataka: Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag today underscored the need for respecting former service personnel who had safely secured the Nation besides providing them adequately for a decent retired life.
Addressing a massive Veterans rally here, he said the Armed Forces proposed to set up 10 regional veteran hospitals and the Centre has cleared four initially.
More such hospitals would be provided in phases. The Army Chief, while calling Kodagu a land of heroes and warriors, said: ”I hope this land produces more and more Chiefs of Army and not stop with the two (Cariappa and Thimmayya)”.
He said that he had the honour of meeting Field Marshal Cariappa when he was in Bengaluru. ”Once, we were climbing the stairs of Vidhana Soudha and I was right behind him to take care in case he slipped.
He turned around and told me ‘son, even if I fall, you should not pick me up’.”
The Army Chief said Field Marshal Cariappa was a man of conviction and he had worked with several other officers like him from Kodagu.
Despite the inclement weather, more than 5000 people had gathered in this coffee land of the country known for men of valour and pride having served the Country’s Forces for the rally.
The Army Chief also paid respects to the Field Marshal K M Cariappa and visited the first Army Chief’s residence.
Stating that he recalled the names of some veterans who served the army gallantly and said ”I, in fact, had the honour of even meeting FM Cariappa, one of the only two field marshals in India several times in Bengaluru.”(Agencies)
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