November, 2016

INDIA REMEMBERS

India Remembers engages with communities across India and empowers them to discover, explore and remember fallen Indian Armed Forces’ personnel and their places of commemoration.

This monthly newsletter will provide you with updates about the activities and recent events organised by communities across the country. It will also tell you how to become a community group and give you some tips and suggestion to help in conducting remembrance activities.

Highlights

New Delhi

Students and staff of Bright Futures visited Indian War Memorial Museum.

India Remembers joined the British High Commission for Remembrance Sunday at the CWGC Delhi War Cemetery.

Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar, organised a lecture by Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM (Retd.).

Punjab

Armed Forces Preparatory Institute with Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, Mohali, conducted a seminar titled “Know the Armed Forces”.

Students of Yadavindra Public School, Patiala, visited a local war memorial.

West Bengal War veterans from Bhondsi Village, Haryana, with Sqn. Ldr. Rana Chhina, Secretary and Editor, Centre For Armed Senior boys of St. Paul’s School, Forces Historical Research and Brig. Mark Goldsack, CBE, Defence Advisor, British High Commission, . Darjeeling, visited Batasia Loop War Memorial. While the proposal for institutionalising a Day of Remembrance in the St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling, held a country is under consideration, India Remembers community groups, Remembrance Mass at the school chapel. through the course of the pilot project, chose existing significant dates to undertake commemorative activities to honour and remember Indian Anugyalaya Darjeeling Diocese Social Service Society organised an defence personnel who served and died in various military operations since Inter-school Drawing Competition 1914 till date. and took a large group of children on a trip to Batasia Loop War Memorial. One of those significant dates was the first Sunday that followed

St. Stephen’s Primary School, - 11th November. This day is observed in the United Sikkim, organised an Inter-school Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations as Remembrance Sunday. India Drawing Competition and a cultural programme to felicitate a local Remembers community groups observed Remembrance Sunday (13th retired defence personnel. November) by participating in Remembrance ceremonies and visiting their local war memorials. In Delhi, three community groups, namely Bright Maharashtra Futures, an NGO that works towards the empowerment of children of Pedal Power Foundation with Gazipur in East Delhi, Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar, and war Kendriya Vidyalaya BEG, Pune, organised a commemorative event veterans from Bhondsi Village, Harayana, took part in the remembrance at the CWGC Kirkee War service that was organised at the CWGC Delhi War Cemetery by the British Cemetery. Members of Pedal Power High Commission. Foundation with members of the History Club, College of More updates on what other community groups did on this day are Engineering, Pune, toured local war memorials and museums. mentioned below.

1 November, 2016

Rev. Halder, Rector, St, Paul’s School, Darjeeling, with four retired defence Students of YPS, Patiala, at their recent visit to the Cenotaph. personnel from the locality and students & staff of the school.

Remembrance Sunday, 13th November Visit to Local War Memorials

India Remembers community groups in Imphal, Pune and On 26th November, 2016, students and staff of Yadavindra Darjeeling observed Remembrance Sunday. Public School (YPS) visited a local war memorial, the Cenotaph. The Cenotaph commemorates soldiers who served and died in In Imphal, Manipur, members of Imphal Campaign WW2 the Battle of Phillora during the Indo-Pak War of 1965. The Foundation, an organisation working towards highlighting the students laid marigold garland at the memorial to honour the regional contribution of Manipur in the two world wars, visited the sacrifice of all Indian servicemen and women who took part in CWGC Imphal War Cemetery to pay homage to India’s war dead. the Indo-Pak War of 1965. Located in Patiala, Punjab, YPS was founded in 1948 by the late Hon’ble Maharaja Yadavindra Singh. It is an English medium school for both boys and girls and is considered to be one of the top schools in India.

On 28th October, 2016, students and staff of Bright Futures visited Indian War Memorial Museum located in Red Fort, New Delhi. The trip was organised essentially to provide an opportunity to the students to learn more about the military history of India, in general, and the role and contribution of personnel of the Indian Armed Forces since 1914 to the present day, in particular. Bright Futures is a community project for the children living in the slums of Gazipur Dairy Farm in East Delhi.

In Pune, Maharashtra, members of the History Club of College of Engineering under the supervision of India Remembers community group, Pedal Power Foundation, went on a tour of local war memorials. They visited four war memorials in Pune: the CWGC Kirkee War Cemetery, Seamen War Memorial in Bund Garden, National War Memorial, Southern Command (Pune Cantonment) and Maratha War Memorial in Pune Cantonment. They also participated in a film screening held at the National War Memorial, Southern Command, which focused on the role and contribution of Indian Armed Forces’ personnel in military operations since World War I till date.

Lastly, St Paul’s School, Darjeeling, West Bengal, held a Remembrance Mass at the school chapel and also felicitated local On 14th November, 2016, on the occasion of Children’s Day, retired defence personnel. Prior to this event, on 29th October, a Anugyalaya DDSSS organised a trip to Batasia Loop War group of senior boys, under the supervision of their teacher, Mr. Memorial. Selected students from ten schools from Gorubathan Mahesh Kharga went for a visit to the Batasia Loop War participated in this trip. The students came from an Memorial. underprivileged background. The main aim of this trip was to make the children aware of the role and contribution of Indian ! servicemen and women and of the existence of a war memorial in the district of Darjeeling. Anugyalaya DDSSS is a social wing of the Roman Catholic Diocese working in different parts ! of Darjeeling District in West Bengal, India.

2 November, 2016

Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM (Retd). delivering a talk at Ahlcon Students of KV BEG, Pune, with marigold button flowers pinned to their International School, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi. chest, observing two minutes silence after the Last Post was played at the commemorative event held at the CWGC Kirkee War under the supervision of India Remembers community group, Pedal Power Foundation. Lectures and Seminars

On 27th October and 2nd November, 2016, Army Public Commemorative Events School, Bengaluru, Karnataka, organised lectures by two war veterans at the school. The first lecture was delivered to On 5th November, 2016, Pedal Power Foundation (PPF) jointly students and NCC cadets from classes VIII and IX by AVM with Kendriya Vidyalaya Bombay Engineering Group (KV R.K. Batha, AVSM, VSM (Retd.). AVM Batha served actively BEG), Pune, Maharashtra, organised a commemorative event at in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and played a key role during the the CWGC Kirkee War Cemetery to remember the fallen Indian Kargil War. AVM Batha’s lecture focused on war memorials and servicemen and women in military operations over the last their significance and about all decorated personnel of the India century. This event saw the participation of over 50 students and Armed Forces. The second lecture was delivered to the students staff from KV BEG, members of PPF and other guests. The of class XII by Col. N. Shankar (Retd.). Col. Shankar served in salient feature of this event was that the students and staff of KV the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. The lectures provided the BEG cycled from their school to the cemetery. Marigold button students and cadets of the school a unique opportunity to flowers were pinned on the chest by all those present at the event interact with the war veterans and learn more about Indian and marigold wreaths were laid at the . Also at Armed Forces. Established in 1981, APS, Bengaluru, is one of the event, Last Post was played by a bugler and the students the best co-educational institutions in India which aims to performed a short cultural programme. PPF is a not-for-profit nurture and mould young minds. organisation that works towards conserving the environment by encouraging people to use bicycles to commute in Pune. KV On 12th November, 2016, cadets of Maharaja Ranjit Singh BEG is one of the oldest and prestigious educational institutes Armed Forces Preparatory Institute and Mai Bhago Armed located near Bombay Engineering Group and Center, on Forces Preparatory Institute, Mohali, Punjab, conducted a the Deccan College Road in Pune. It was established in 1963. Mr. seminar on the theme ‘Know the Armed Forces’. The seminar R. K. Lale is the current Principal of the school. began with BCA Pranjal Kapil speaking about the significance of the Remembrance Day -11 November. This was followed by On 6th November, Anugyalaya Darjeeling Diocese Social Service recital of “In Flanders Field” and “We Shall Remember” by the Society (Anugyalaya DDSSS) in collaboration with Gorubathan cadets. Lecture and presentations were carried out by officers of Teacher's Forum (GTF) organised an Inter-School Sit & Draw the Army, Navy and Air Force to highlight the role and Competition and Felicitation of Retired Defence Personnel contribution of the Indian Armed Forces over the years. Maj. supported by the India Remembers project and Caritas India. Gen. H.J. Singh, SC, VSM, was the Chief Guest at the seminar. Students from seven schools participated in the drawing Display boards, prepared by the cadets, on the same theme were competition and over 24 retired defence personnel from the exhibited for participants and guest. Maharaja Ranjit Singh locality were felicitated with the artworks made by the students Armed Forces Preparatory Institute and Mai Bhago Armed along with letters of appreciation for their service to the nation. Forces Preparatory Institute aim at training selected young The three winners of the Sit & Draw Competition were, Pritika boys and girls from Punjab for permanent commission in the Pradhan, Himali Boarding School, Aniket Rai, Rosemary School, Indian Armed Forces through the National Defence Academy. and Emran Ali, Rainbow Academy.

On 16th November, Ahlcon International School organised a On 12th November, 2016, St. Stephen’s Primary School talk by Maj. Gen. Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM (Retd.). Maj. Gen. organised an Inter-school Drawing Competition and a Cultural Cardozo, who served with the Gorkha Rifles and a veteran of Programme to felicitate a local retired defence personnel. Four Indo-China War (1962) and Indo-Pak War (1965 & 1971), participants from four different local schools took part in the shared his experiences from war and peace to the students of the Drawing Competition. The winner was Tekendra Thapa a student senior classes. Mr. Ashok Pandey, the Principal of the school is of class V, St. Stephen’s Primary School. The special guest at the also the Chairman of National Progressive School’s Conference. event, a retired defence personnel, Naik Nabin Rai, was felicitated with a letter of appreciation for his service to the ! nation. St. Stephen’s Primary School is located in Lungchok in South Sikkim. It is a co-education school for boys and girls. Fr. Paul Rai is the current Principal.

3 November, 2016

Students of KV BEG, Pune, arrive at the CWGC Kirkee War Cemetery on their cycles Students of St Paul’s School, Darjeeling, presenting marigold flowers to local retired defence personnel in gratitude for their service to the nation during the Remembrance Mass. ! !

Remembrance board put up by the ‘India Remembers’ project team at the service h e l d t o o b s e r v e Remembrance Sunday at the CWGC Delhi War Cemtery.

Many came forward to share who they were remembering.

Students and staff of St. Stephen's Primary School with the Chief Guest, Naik Nabin Rai (Retd.) and guests.

How to get involved • Everyone is welcome to take part Copyright © 2016 India Remembers, All rights reserved. • Write to us at indiaremembers@usiofindia.org ! • Receive a free copy of the resource pack Our mailing address is: • Do activities to remember, honour and commemorate Indian indiaremembers@usiofindia.org [email protected] servicemen and women on the run up to 7th December- the ! proposed Remembrance Day www.indiaremembers.in • Mark the Remembrance Day on 7th December ! ! Follow us on on our social media channels: The India Remembers project team is ever ready to provide you the ! support you need in organising events and activities and answer your Facebook: http://goo.gl/cxP3nh queries. Twitter: https://twitter.com/indiaremembers Flickr: http://goo.gl/gpA6vK India Remembers is a joint project of the United Service Institution- Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research (USI-CAFHR), Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and Flags of Honour Foundation! in partnership with the Big Ideas Company (BICO)

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