Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai honored the martyr families on Armed Forces Veterans Day

Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai today paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the brave soldiers of the army on the 9th Armed Forces Veterans Day organized at Pagurabahar village of Jashpur district. On this occasion, he honored 81-year-old Shri Arun Kumar, a resident of Bhagalpur, who was awarded the Army Medal by the President for displaying his bravery in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The Chief Minister praised his indomitable courage by presenting him a shawl, coconut and a citation. Arun Kumar shared his war experiences and recalled the glorious moments of serving the country.

In the program, the Chief Minister honored the families of three martyr fighters of the district. These included the families of martyr Sepoy Simeon Kerketta, Martyr Rajesh Bara and Martyr Ashok Ram Bhagat. The Chief Minister met these families and heard their problems and assured all possible help. Seeing the difficulty in walking for Teresa Kerketta, wife of martyr Havildar Simeon Kerketta, the Chief Minister provided her a wheelchair. Recalling the indomitable courage of martyr Sepoy Simeon Kerketta, the Chief Minister said that he sacrificed his life while fighting the enemies of the country in Mizoram in 1966. At the same time, Martyr Rajesh Bara sacrificed his life while fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. Martyr Ashok Ram Bhagat was martyred while protecting the country during Operation Snow Leopard in Sikkim in 2020. The Chief Minister said that the sacrifice and contribution of these brave sons can never be forgotten.

Recalling the contribution of Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, the Chief Minister said that Armed Forces Veterans Day is a day to express gratitude to our soldiers and their families. This day commemorates the struggle and sacrifice made for peace and freedom. MLA Smt. Gomti Sai and officers and members of the District Ex-Servicemen Welfare Committee were present in the program.