VISION ARMED FORCES VAF District 3141 THE OBJECTIVE Vision Armed Forces (VAF) was the brain child of our Visionary District Governor Sunnil Mehra. A hard core Punjabi, hailing from Punjab, where almost every house has someone or other in the Armed forces and have seen every war India has fought. Love and respect for Armed Forces, came naturally and he always yearned to do something for them. He formed Armed Forces Avenue comprising of Director Armed Forces, with four Avenue chairs from the four zones supported by one co-chair and two district chairs for each Avenue chairs. The purpose: Welfare of the Armed Forces as also to ensure their due dignity, recognition and visibility among 130 crore Indians. The four Avenue chairs with his team will work with their respective zonal club Presidents and take the local schools and college students out on the streets for a March past along with the local ex-service personnel during Republic Day, Independence Day, Army day, Navy Day, Air Force Day etc, proudly donning their shining medals on their chest. Cheers of people will not only encourage and boost the morale of the Ex-Service veterans but will also give them dignity, recognition and visibility. Organize exhibitions and lectures in the schools, colleges and other youth forums in their community. Speak about Armed forces and tell stories of their sacrice, valor and winning for the country and impress upon the impressionable minds of these young hearts. They can contact the Army, Navy and Air Force Command Head Quarters to get good speakers. Veterans from the services can speak on these occasions from their own long experience of service. This will grow respect and love in the mind of these young listeners towards the Armed Forces and they will start loving them, they will start loving their uniforms and nally this will generate love towards the country. They will become good responsible future citizens of the country moti- vating them to say “Thank you sir for your services to the Nation” to all Veterans whenever and wherever they come across. Of other welfare activities, contact lonely old octogenarian ex-service personnel or widows living in Mumbai region alone, needing human care, assistance and personal care. Members from nearest club can denitely take care of them. Computer literacy training for 4000 defense personnel, their family and children through NIIT with 80% discounted rates. Sadly, Mumbai, being the 2nd largest city in India and 7th largest populous city in the world, does not have a single martyr’s memorial worth its name. Every year more than 1000 Armed Forces personnel are sacricing their lives in contingencies of services even without a direct war. VAF has taken up the project to build a world class Martyr’s memorial where public can pay their homage and respect to those brave martyrs, who has sacriced their tomorrow for our today. Thank You and JAIHIND. CDR Sushanta Jana (Project Director – Armed Forces) 15 Aug 2020 (Special Edition) Ashok Chakra: 24 Spokes -24 Dharmas -24 Hours -24 Pages Page 2 District 3141 SUNNIL MEHRA DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2020-21 DISTRICT 3141 Dear Visionaries and readers of this special edition, The Armed forces are a combination of our Army, Air force and Navy, and their prime duty is to protect us from the enemy. The gallantry and valour they show to execute their responsibilities, is what is commendable. Of course our Governments recognise them with all awards of the country, and ensure the security of their families. But what awards are enough to ll the void of the gallant jawan laying down his life or then losing his limbs in the line of service. We need to hail the valour they showed for example in the Kargil War by asking people to speak and act keeping in mind the morale of soldiers and assert that wars are fought not just on borders but on many fronts within the country too. Imagine ... the enemy lodged in the soaring mountainous heights and our armed forces ghting from down below. But it was not about victoriously conquering the heights. It was the victory of high morale and brav- ery of our armed forces in the truest sense of the term. We must remember that our conduct and remarks should boost the morale and respect of soldiers, and to do everything to further national unity. At times, without paying heed to the essence, people encourage certain things on social media that are detrimental to the country. There are times when we forward things out of sheer curiosity. Despite knowing that it is wrong, we keep doing it. These days, wars are fought not just on borders, as these same armed forces come out strongly, in case of any disaster or then calamity. We, too, should determine our roles, fully keeping in mind the soldiers ghting on the borders under the harshest of conditions. We, in the spirit of Rotary, wish to honour them with this special edition dedicated to the armed forces, and lled with all matters related to them , including a few stories on valour, and are so proud of some of them being part of the Rotary family. This is our way of thanking you for your valour and salute you!! Rtn Sunnil Mehra District Governor 2020-21 15 Aug 2020 (Special Edition) Ashok Chakra: 24 Spokes -24 Dharmas -24 Hours -24 Pages Page 3 District 3141 ASHOK CHAKRA THE ESSENCE The Ashok Chakra stands prominently in the Indian National ag. Ashoka Chakra is the depiction of the “Dharma Chakra”; a wheel represented with 24 spokes. Each spoke on the chakra symbolises 24 qualities (Dharmas) of a person like love, courage, patience, self-sacrice, truthfulness, righteousness, spiritual knowledge, and faith, among others. It also species twenty-four hours in the day, which inspires every Indian to work tirelessly for 24 hours, which is why it is also called the 'Wheel of Time' or the Wheel of Duty. Ashoka Chakra is also India's highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrice away from the battleeld Cover Concept Note: Compiled and Published by: The induction of Rafale into Indian Air Force is viewed as a pivotal turning Rtn. Vinay Khetawat point that will augment the capabilities of Indian Defence Forces. Therefore Designed by: Aishani Mehra the cover depicting the ight of the Rafale ying in the Indian skies, heralds For and on behalf of Rotary District a new era of the Indian Air Force, now being a game changer. 3141, Mumbai Therefore in the special edition of the rst ever GML taken out by our District District Governor 3141, honouring and giving a tribute to the armed forces , there was no Rtn. Sunnil Mehra better way than to depict the ight , strength and honour of the “Rafale”. For Private Circulation Only Flying free and strong in our skies, saluting our noble nation and honouring All Editorial and Advertising our army, navy, air force and coast guard personnel. material should be submitted on Speaking in the words of Rotary , due to the Vision of our leaders , which lead Email : them to enhance their airforce with the addition of the Rafale , this will soon [email protected] Open Opportunity of strengthening our Air Force . The Ashoka Chakra has 24 spokes thereferore giving emphasis to that each page has one on the spoke highlighted. 15 Aug 2020 (Special Edition) Ashok Chakra: 24 Spokes -24 Dharmas -24 Hours -24 Pages Page 4 District 3141 VINAY KHETAWAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DISTRICT PUBLICATIONS My Dear Countrymen, Never ever dreamt that team THE UNICORN GML would actually live the depths of our tag line that says; Unfold, Stories Untold.. Our endeavor to bring you news and information across Rotary now sees a new dimension. Last 15 days have been spent speaking to retired faujis of the likes of Commanders, Flight Lieutenants, Majors, Commandants, Captains, Ocers all of whom form part of team VAF (Vision Armed Forces) a new initiative of DG Sunnil. I never thought so closely would we get to look beyond frontiers. It’s all here in our Special Edition of THE UNICORN GML ‘A Tribute to the Indian Armed Forces’. The journey right from ideating to conceptualizing to compiling has been an experience par excellence. This edition will touch you with deep insights into the hitherto unknown world which we all are proud of. Heart touching stories straight from the men on the borders and what they go through to keep us safe are all there a part of this Dil Se edition. I consider myself too little to write more about the armed forces, our brethren who defend us beyond the call of duty, hence will restrict myself with a poem from the famous collection ‘Geetanjali’ by Guru Rabindranath Tagore which aptly says my heart out.. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action; Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, Let my country awake. Do stay connected with me on [email protected] as we keep Unfolding, Stories Untold.. Editor-In-Chief (District Publications) DESIGN SUPPORT CONTENT EDITOR AISHANI MEHRA RTN DILIP SHAH 15 Aug 2020 (Special Edition) Ashok Chakra: 24 Spokes -24 Dharmas -24 Hours -24 Pages Page 5 District 3141 TEAM VAF VAF Advisor Project Director IPDG Rtn Harjit Cdr.