Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 4: Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, GOC Chinar Corps, today described the large number of Kashmiri youth joining the Army as an encouraging trend.
General Saha while speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the passing out parade of the new recruits at Bana Singh Parade Ground at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre in Srinagar said that from July to December last year 767 Kashmiri youth have enrolled for the Army.
The GOC described the trend of large number of Kashmiri youth joining the Army as encouraging. “179 recruits took oath and are joining various units of JKLI. From July to December last year, 767 youth enrolled for army. We think whenever there are recruitment rallies large numbers of youth take part in these rallies for joining the Army. This is encouraging for the Army and recently for 1301 vacancies in Army 25,000 Kashmiri youth took part for getting enrolled in the Army. It is encouraging”, he added.
General Saha said that youth joining Army in large numbers is due to continuous efforts of army in engaging the youth in sports activities and conducts tours etc. “It is a big positive trend”, he added.
Hamid Lone of Baramulla, one of the recruits who took part in passing out parade today told Excelsior that he is happy for successfully completing the training course. “I wanted to join Army and am happy that I have accomplished my mission”, he added.
Another recruit Afaq Manzoor expressed his happiness and said that he is ready to serve his nation.
Earlier, the 179 passing out recruits from Jammu and Kashmir took part in the passing out parade. Marching in precise unison with a singular aim of devoting their life in service of their nation, singing their Regimental Song’Balidanam Veer Lakshnam’, the young soldiers inspired one and all as their voice echoed in the Valley.
These recruits completed 42 weeks of strenuous training and their Passing Out Parade, depicting graduation of Recruits and their transformation into a Young Soldiers, was reviewed by Lieutenant General Subrata Saha and was attended by over 2000 parents and relatives of the young soldiers along with a number of civil and military dignitaries. They took oath in unison to serve the Nation.
The GOC congratulated the Young Soldiers for their immaculate Parade. The GOC impressed upon the young soldiers to uphold the traditions of selfless service towards the Nation. He praised their contribution towards encouraging more and more youth from the State to come forward to join the Indian Security Forces and also highlighted the vital role played by the parents in motivating their wards to join this noble profession.
Lt General Saha also felicitated two brave young boys Abdul Majjid Bhat and Javeed Ahd Bhat of Village Takiya, Safapora, in district Bandipora who displayed utmost presence of mind by informing the security forces about the helicopter crash last month. These brave young boys extricated the bodies of Lt Col Gulati and Maj Tahir Hussain Khan from the burning wreckage of the helicopter.
At the end, parents and relatives pipped the soldiers making them ready to join their battalions. As a mark of respect, gratitude and recognition of contribution made by the parents of these young soldiers, they were all also presented with the Gaurav Padaks instituted by the Indian Army.
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