SPEECH OF HON’BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWARILAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF ARMED FORCES VETERAN DAY AT AIR FORCE STATION CHANDIGARH ON JANUARY 14, 2023 AT 11.00 AM

Its an honour and privilege to be in the company ofbravest sons of India and the true heroes of Nation.

I feel immense pride on presiding over the pious occasion of the seventh Armed Forces Veteran’s Day at Air Force Station Chandigarh.

As you are aware that the Veteran’s Day is celebrated in recognition of 14 th January 1953, the day the first Indian Commander in Chief (C-in-C) of Indian army, Field Marshal KM Cariappa who led India forces to victory in 1947 war, formally retired from Services.

The long history of sacrifices of armed forces veterans pre and post independence era is testimony to the solemn oath that every soldier takes “TO DEFEND THE NATION EVEN ON THE PERIL OF LIFE”.

This day gives us an opportunity to pay homage to our veterans of armed forces who attained martyrdom and made ‘SUPREME SACRIFICE’ for the sovereignty, liberty and freedom of India.

Our veterans endured pain and struggle to provide a peaceful life to every citizen of our country. As a true saviour of country, they devoted their lives for upholding the pride of our nation. They never hesitated even for a second to sacrifice their lives to keep Indian Tricolour flying high with pride .

The Nation is indebted to every veteran of country for their countless sacrifices in every war beginning form 1947, till date. The conferring of highest gallantry awards mostly posthumously is the testimony to the supreme sacrifices made by our great veterans.

It is pertinent to highlight here that the Armed Forces are the most trusted potent force to handle and safeguard country in every type of emergency contingency.

Every citizen feels that “He or She is in safe hands on arrival of Armed forces in any type of manmade or natural calamities/disasters”. The nation looks upon the Armed Forces as a guardian angel during nay earthquake, floods, cyclones and even during pandemic.

The world over recognition of capabilities of Indian Armed Forces in rescuing own and friendly countries citizens from war zones/conflicts areas makes us proud of our veterans those who were part of such missions.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I am of the opinion that service in Armed Forces isdedicating one’s self to a greater purpose; a purpose that is not motivated by greed or profit; a purpose that is not motivated by individual recognition or fame. The purpose is to support and defend theunity and integrity of motherland. This is a selfless cause, and I am truly humbled when I get to talk to the outstanding men and women from armed forces.

I am also of the opinion that there is nothing like an Ex-servicemen because in India ‘once a soldier, always a soldier’. An army personnel may not be serving actively in Armed Forces but his or her heart and soul are committed to serving the motherland. The Veterans are the readymade contingency force available within every district in the challenging times.

As every one of us knows that not only the soldiers serve the Nation but their family members also equally serve the nation and endure the hardships .

It becomes the duty of each one of us, as a society, to give assurance to every veteran and their dependents that we are indebted with their valour displayed in every war.

We as Nation, are committed to the lifelong success of our soldiers, veterans and their families. As we say “Taking Care of our own no Matter What !!” The Army is the strength of the Nation and soldiers are the strength of our Army. But, the supporting family is the invisible strength of every soldier.

On the occasion of Veterans’ Day, I convey felicitations and best wishes to the veterans and their families. We continue to seek your guidance because the righteous path that you have carved for us will set the course of our future.

You are our strength and source of our motivation.

All of you who are in uniform and in service, I believe, that you gratefully acknowledge the fact that the multidimensional and credible force that we are today is due to the vision, perseverance, and fortitude of our veterans.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service to this Nation and your continued contributions to the society. We owe each of you that have served, a lifelong debt of gratitude. You have shielded your fellow citizens from danger. You have defended the beliefs of your country and advanced the rights of the downtrodden. You have been the face of hope and mercy in dark places and a force for good in the world .

Before I conclude, I would like to say that it is not only the time to honor those who have fought or are fighting for our freedom ... It is also the time for all of us to uphold and protect our freedom.

Protecting freedom is not only the responsibility of the soldiers, but it is also the responsibility and duty of each one of us to give our full cooperation in protecting it.

If we want to preserve our freedom, we must put our responsibilities and duties into action – for example, by voting in elections or speaking out against injustice. We must also ensure that everyone feels the benefits of freedom. And we can do this by volunteering in our communities or by teaching our children what it really means to be an Indian.

This day is not just a day dedicated to ex-servicemen – it is also a day for all Indians . It is a day to remember why they fought for us and our country. This day is also the day for all of us to start our journey to protect our freedom and the freedom of many generations to come .

Once again, I wish all the best to every esteemed veteran gracing the occasion.

Thank you,

Jai Hind.