Russian company selling cruise missile in a shipping box

London, Apr.26 (ANI): A Russian company’s decision to market a cruise missile that can be launched from a shipping container, has led defence experts to warn of a new danger of ballistic weapons proliferation.

It is feared that the covert Club-K missile attack system could prove “game-changing” in fighting wars with small countries, which would gain a remote capacity to mount multiple missiles on boats, trucks or railways.

According to The Telegraph, Iran and Venezuela have already shown an interest in the Club-K Container Missile System.

Defence experts say the system is designed to be concealed as a standard 40 foot shipping container that cannot be identified until it is activated.

Priced at an estimated 10-million-pounds, each container is fitted with four cruise anti-ship or land attack missiles. The system represents an affordable “strategic level weapon”.

Club-K is being marketed at the Defence Services Asia exhibition in Malaysia this week.

Novator, the manufacturer, is an advanced missile specialist that would not have marketed the system without Moscow”s approval. It has released an emotive marketing film complete with dramatic background music. (ANI)

40 Indian fighter jets to be fitted with BrahMos missiles

Kuala Lumpur, Apr 22 (ANI): BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which is a joint venture of India and Russia, will be fitted on the Indian Air Force’s 40 Su-30MKIs fighter aircraft.

CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace Dr AS Pillai said: “The inclusion of BrahMos cruise missile will make the aircraft unique in firepower.”

Dr Pillai was speaking to a Russian news agency at the Defence Services Asia-2010 exhibition here.

He also added that the first trials of the air-launched version were set for 2011 and the first test-flight with the missile on-board is scheduled for 2012.

The supersonic cruise missile has a range of 290-km and flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach.

The BrahMos missile is a successful joint venture of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia.

BrahMos missiles sea and ground-launch versions have already been successfully tested and put into service by the Indian Army and Navy. (ANI)

Pak to upgrade and strengthen its naval fleet: Pak Admiral

Pakistan has adopted a comprehensive strategy to increase, upgrade and strengthen its naval fleet to face the challenges of terrorism, piracy and illegal activities at sea, country’s naval chief Admiral Noman Bashir has said.

As part of this strategy, the Pakistan Navy is acquiring news ships, increasing its sea surveillance capability, improving and upgrading its submarine operations and strengthening its coastal patrolling capability, he said.

The navy has acquired two new F-22 type frigates from China and a third vessel of the same class will be commissioned in two to three months while a fourth one is being built in collaboration with Chinese firms at the Karachi shipyard, Bashir told journalists on the sidelines of the Defence Services Asia exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Besides, used ships could be acquired with the objective of deploying them in the near future, he said.

Pakistan Navy is reinforcing its naval aviation wing by acquiring long-range maritime patrol aircraft. Two US-made aircraft had been acquired while two more will arrive later.

Their commissioning by the navy will strengthen its capability to survey large areas in its area of responsibility, Bashir said.

The navy is also pursuing a programme to upgrade and modernise its exiting submarine fleet, he said.

Pakistan is contributing significantly towards the security of the energy corridor in the Persian Gulf that is used for supplying oil from Gulf countries to Pakistan and the rest of the world, Bashir said.

The Pakistan Navy currently heads the multinational Naval Combined Task Force 150 that was established to monitor, inspect, board and stop suspect shipping in order to counter terrorism, human trafficking and smuggling of illegal drugs in the Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and North Indian Sea.

The CTF consists of ships from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Britain and the US.

Lieutenant General Bikram Singh takes over as GOC-in-C of Eastern Command

Kolkata, Apr 1(ANI): Lieutenant General Bikram Singh on Thursday assumed office of the General Officer Commanding–In-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Eastern Command in Kolkata.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Singh was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in 1972.

He is a Post Graduate from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and has done the Higher Command Course at Mhow and the US Army War College, Pennsylvania.

With over 38 years of active service, he has held a number of important command and staff appointments.

He commanded an infantry battalion in the northeast and along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was the Corps Commander of the prestigious 15 Corps in his last command tenure.

Lieutenant General Singh has also served in three United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions.

In his last UN assignment, he was the Deputy Force Commander and GOC of a multinational division in Africa, comprising officers and troops of 48 nationalities.

He has been awarded the Uttam Yudha Seva Medal (UYSM), Ati Vishisth Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his meritorious service so far.

He has also held some important staff appointments at Army Headquarters, which include, two tenures each in the Directorate General of Military Operations and the Directorate General of Perspective Planning. Before taking over as GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, he was the Director of General of Staff Duties at IHQ of Defence Ministry (Army). (ANI)

Air Marshal Raha assumes charge of Western Air Command’s Senior Air Staff Officer

New Delhi, Apr 1 (ANI): Air Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday assumed the office of the Senior Air Staff Officer at Western Air Command in New Delhi.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Air Marshal Raha was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in 1974.

Air Marshal Raha has approximately 3400 hours of flying to his credit.

A fighter combat leader and an experienced flying instructor, Air Marshal Raha is also an alumnus of the Tri-Services Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and National Defence College (NDC).

He has held various important field and staff appointments, besides serving as a Director (staff) at the Flying Instructors School (FIS), Tambaram and Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), Gwalior.

Air Marshal Raha has also functioned as an Inspector in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI), at Air Head Quarters, Military and Air Attaché in Indian Embassies in Kyiv, Ukraine and Deputy Commandant at Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

He has commanded a MiG-29 Squadron and two frontline bases in the Western Air Command and is the Commodore Commandant of 47 Squadron,a Mig- 29 Squadron known as the ‘Black Archers’.

Prior to his present appointment, Air Marshal Raha was commanding the Advance Head Quarters, Western Air Command, Chandimandir.

For his distinguished service Air Marshal Raha was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 1995 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2009. (ANI)

General VK Singh takes over as new Army chief

New Delhi, Mar 31 (ANI): General Vijay Kumar Singh on Wednesday formally took charge as the 26th chief of the 1.13 million-strong Indian Army.

General Vijay Kumar Singh, 59, will hold the post for the next two years.

An honours graduate of the US Army Infantry School at Georgia in the US, General Vijay Kumar Singh is an alumnus of the Wellington-based Defence Services Staff College, the Mhow-based Army War College and the US Army War College, Carlisle.

A third generation army officer, General Vijay Kumar Singh was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on June 14, 1970.

He had participated in the 1971 war against Pakistan and in the operations of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s.

He also commanded the Jalandhar-based 11 Corps and Ambala-based Strike Corps and was an instructor in the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) headquarters in Bhutan.

He is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal, the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal. He is also one of the honorary ADCs to the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

The General has a illustrious record in the Army for standing first in the Young Officers Course of Infantry and again being awarded the Commando Dagger for standing first in the Commando Course. (ANI)

Air Marshal Karnik to take over as Director General (Inspection and Safety)

New Delhi, Mar 31 (ANI): Air Marshal Ajay Shriniwas Karnik will on April 1 take over as Director General (Inspection and Safety) at Air Headquarters in RK Puram.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakvasla, he was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in Jun 1972.

Air Marshal Karnik has flown over 3000 hours on fighter aircraft like MiG-21 Bis and MiG-29.

A fighter combat leader and a qualified flying instructor, he is also an alumnus of Air War College, University of United States Air Force (USAF), Montgomery, USA.

Having trained in the erstwhile USSR on MiG-29, Karnik went on to command a prestigious MiG-29 Squadron. He has also commanded important operational Air Force bases in the Western Desert Sector and the Western Coastal Region of India.

Air Marshal Karnik has a vast experience in operational flying, training, Command and Staff appointments, as he has served as Head of Training Team (Air) and Senior Instructor at the premier tri-services Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, and Air Officer Commanding, Maritime Air Operations, Mumbai.

He has also served as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) Eastern Air Command (EAC), Shillong.

The President of India has awarded him Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal for his distinguished service of very high order.

Air Marshal Karnik is presently Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Western Air Command. (ANI)

General VK Singh to take over as new Army chief today

New Delhi, Mar 31 (ANI): General VK Singh will take over as the new Army Chief here today.

The 59-year-old General takes over from General Deepak Kapoor, who retires from service today.

He will be the 26th Army Chief and will stay at the helm of the 1.13 million personnel-strong Army for over two years.

An honours graduate of the US Army Infantry School at Georgia in the US, General Singh is an alumnus of the Wellington-based Defence Services Staff College, the Mhow-based Army War College and the US Army War College, Carlisle.

A third generation army officer, General Singh was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on June 14, 1970.

He had participated in the 1971 war against Pakistan and in the operations of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s.

He also commanded the Jalandhar-based 11 Corps and Ambala-based Strike Corps and was an instructor in the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) headquarters in Bhutan.

He is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal, the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal. He is also one of the honorary ADCs of the president of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. (ANI)

Air Chief Marshal PV Naik takes over as chairman COSC

New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik took over as the chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) today.

He received the baton of Chairman, COSC from outgoing Chief of Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor at a brief ceremony.

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma was also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Air Chief Marshal Naik said the Indian Armed Forces are in the process of moulding existing and emerging concepts together, to develop capabilities and solutions that will directly benefit the Armed Forces and the joint warfighter of tomorrow.

Commissioned into the IAF in June 1969 as a fighter pilot, Air Chief Marshal Naik has flown a variety of combat aircraft and is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and an alumnus of the National Defence College, Air Chief Marshal Naik is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. (ANI)

UPSC | UPSC Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Result 2009 | UPSC IFS & CDS Recruitment Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Recruitment Result 2009 | Union Public Service Commission | Union Public Service Commission Recruitment Result | Union Public Service Commission IFS & CDS Recruitment Result | www.upsc.gov.in

PSC | UPSC Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Result 2009 | UPSC IFS & CDS Recruitment Result | UPSC IFS & CDS Recruitment Result 2009 | Union Public Service Commission | Union Public Service Commission Recruitment Result | Union Public Service Commission IFS & CDS Recruitment Result | www.upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a constitutional body in India authorized to conduct examinations for appointment to the various civil services of the Union.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Has Declared Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination And Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (II) Result 2009.

For More About UPSC Exam Result Website : http://upsc.gov.in/

Direct Link To Result : http://www.upsc.gov.in/whatsnew.htm#PageTop

Air Marshal KJ Mathews appointed as new AOP of IAF

New Delhi, Sep. 1 (ANI): Air Marshal KJ Mathews on Tuesday took over as the new Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel (AOP), the Head of Human Resources of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Air Headquarters.

Commissioned in the year 1973, the Air Marshal has over 3,500 hours of flying to his credit on various aircraft that include HF-24 (Marut), Hunter, MiG-21M and MiG-29.

He was also a team member of “Thunderbolts” – IAF’s erstwhile Aerobatic Team.

His appointments include-Station Commander of an operational base during Kargil operations, Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station Adampur, Principal Director of Concept Studies, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) at Air HQ and Commandant, Air Force Academy before his current appointment.

Air Marshal Mathews is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Air War College, USA. (ANI)

Vice Admiral Nirmal Verma takes over as new Navy Chief

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): Vice Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma on Monday took over as the new Navy Chief.

Vice Admiral Verma has succeeded Admiral Sureesh Mehta who retired on Monday afternoon.

Born on November 14, 1950, Vice Admiral Verma was commissioned on July 1, 1970, into the Executive Branch of Indian Navy.

During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 39 years, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.

Vice Admiral Verma’s Sea Command includes Leander class Frigate “Udaigiri”, Guided Missile Destroyer “Ranvir” and the Aircraft Carrier “Viraat”.

Before taking over as FOC-in-C, Eastern Naval Command, he was Vice Chief of the Naval Staff at the Naval Headquarters.

Vice Admiral Verma is an alumnus of Royal Naval Staff College, UK and Naval War College, USA. He has instructional experience at National Defence College as Senior Directing Staff and at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also commanded the Naval Academy at Goa.

Vice Admiral Verma was decorated with Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) and Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM). He is one of the Honorary ADCs of the President of India. (ANI)

Rs.15,740 crore for state-run telecom firms

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The government has earmarked Rs.15,740.02 crore ($3.2 billion) for the two state-run telecom majors in the budget for 2009-10 presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in parliament Monday.
According to Mukherjee, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) will get Rs.14,015 crore as budgetary allocation, while Rs.1,725.02 crore will be provided to fund the expenses of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL).

The minister has also proposed to allocate Rs.2,820 crore to discharge the liabilities of the state-run telecom equipment manufacturer, Indian Telephone Industries Ltd (ITIL) and clean up its balance sheet.

While the telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (TRAI) received Rs.10 crore as budgetary support, the Telecom Disputes Settlement Tribunal (TDSAT) has been allocated a meagre Rs.1 crore.

The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) has been allocated Rs.2,400 crore.

USOF, being raised through a 5 percent levy imposed on telecom operators’ revenues, is utilised for supporting telecom services in rural areas.

Mukherjee has allocated Rs.26 crore for providing optical fibre cable network to defence services.

Manoj Kohli, chief executive and joint managing director of Bharti Airtel said the budget “signals significant demand stimulus emanating from its rural and infrastructure growth packages”.

“Telecom infrastructure is an engine of growth and if we are able to double the tele-density to 75 percent in the next five years, especially due to the rural development

Unified Commanders’ Conference to discuss integrated war fighting begins

New Delhi, June 25 (ANI): Defence Minister AK Antony today inaugurated the Unified Commanders’ Conference whose overall theme is ‘Victory through Jointness’.

The two-day conference will focus mainly on jointness, integration and development of integrated war fighting capability. It will also deliberate upon various issues relating to Services capabilities to meet the security challenges faced by the nation.

“The theme of the conference is victory through jointness,” said a Defence Ministry official.

During the conference, the senior commanders will discuss the key achievements and progress made by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and will also make presentations on major achievements and contemporary issues of tri-service implications.

The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, IDS Chief Air Marshal S C Mukul and heads of Andaman and Nicobar Command and Strategic Forces Command, will attend the Conference.

Chiefs of various tri-services training institutions like Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and National Defence Academy, Pune, besides senior officers from the Ministry of Defence will also attend the conference. (ANI)

C-PYTE bringing the wayward youth to the right track

Chandigarh, April 29 (ANI): C-PYTE, a centre for training and employment of Punjabi youth, is enabling various misguided youth affected by drug-addiction and alcoholism, to use their energy into useful activities in Punjab.

It’s a unique initiative, focussed at preventing the Punjabi youth from going wayward in life and encouraging them to tread the right track.
Launched in 1990, the C-PYTE scheme inspires and encourages the youth to upgrade their skills in various occupations and join the national mainstream. There are 13 C-PYTE campuses throughout Punjab at Nabha, Faridkot, Ranike and Dera Baba Nanak and some other places.

The organization is headed by a senior defence officer who helps the students acquire self-discipline, spirit of national integration and dignity of labour.

oday, there are several youngsters who are benefiting from the training being given at the Centre for Training and Employment of Punjab Youth.

The centre helps them channelise their energies in positive activities. After training, the youth can even opt for defence services or civil administration.
“This institution was created basically with following things in mind – one was to give special type of training both in the vocational field and on special field of the defense and paramilitary forces with a view to make them fit to get inducted in the defense forces. Second aim was that to create a dignity in them and also the work culture,” said Brig. (Retd.) G. J. Singh of the C-PYTE.
Every year, 7,000 to 8,000 youth get free of cost training. And, over 60 per cent of them successfully take up jobs in India and abroad.
To make the C-PYTE scheme successful, the Punjab government had approved one million dollar during the year 2008-09. And, it continues to support its innovative scheme.
The trainees, especially those belonging to rural areas, are upbeat about starting afresh and leading it in a disciplined way.
“People become addicted to drugs. But, here one gets rid of drug habits and the focus is on health. We also learn discipline,” said one of the trainees.

“People are unable to get government jobs after higher education. They can’t farm, as the land has been acquired. This government training is fruitful if you are medically and physically fit,” said another trainee.
Beside physical fitness, the curriculum also includes technical and academic studies.
The centre’s motto remains to enable the youth self-employed in sectors like farming and industries. Once they undergo a training they may not only get a good job but they become a discipline soldiers in civil. They are personal conduct; living in discipline is paramount. It creates a sense of national integration, the communal harmony because the environment here is such that everybody stays together and eats community food. The place where they sleep is same; the play fields are the same. They created such an environment where we create oneness amongst them,” said Brig. (Retd.) G.J. Singh.
At the centre, the youth even participate in social activities like organizing blood donation camps and assisting the districts administration during natural calamities.
Living in unity without any barrier of cast and religion, these youngsters are being motivated to become professional and social activists. Living in a team environment they come out of the centres as transformed individuals all set take the challenges of life head on. By Sunil Sharma (ANI)

Ex-servicemen stage protest for ‘One Rank-One Pension’

New Delhi, Apr 12 (ANI): Retired personnel of Indian defence services on Sunday staged a massive protest rally here, to express their anguish over Central Government’s delay over their long-pending demand for ‘One Rank-One Pension’.

Ex-servicemen of varying ranks also returned their medals to the government.

Their demand ‘One Rank-One Pension’ stipulates that irrespective of the date on which the soldier retires, he should get the same pension.

The former defence personnel have cited that in absence of ‘One Rank-One Pension’, anomalies in the pension of two persons of same rank arise and also there are instances of hundreds of war veterans drawing lower amount of pension as compared to personnel who retired in the recent past.

“Government should have fulfilled our demands by now, but still these are not met. After trying whatever we can, we have been forced to put forth our demand in public. We want to show our unity to the country and secondly at the end of the rally we will give advice, to vote for what particular party,” said Lieutenant General Raj Kadyan, Indian Ex- servicemen Movement (IESM) Chairman.

Capitalising on the demands voiced by the former uniformed personnel of defence forces, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come forth to support their demand and in its election manifesto. The party has promised to implement the ‘One Rank-One Pension’ for ex-servicemen.

“We have promised in our manifesto that this pension will be tax free and the money that will be collected in the bank and the interest will have no income tax on it,” said V. K. Malhotra, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

The movement has now intensified since the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission did not address the issue of ‘One Rank-One Pension’. (ANI)

BJP manifesto promises better pay, privileges for armed forces

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) Hoping to woo the armed forces, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday announced a slew of benefits for them, including exemption from income tax, in its election manifesto.

The party promised to resolve issues pertaining to the Sixth Pay Commission – armed forces personnel have said they have been shortchanged by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and have been placed lower than their colleagues in the civil services.

‘Our forces are performing a service to the nation and deserve better pay and privileges,’ said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

He said the BJP was committed to revisiting the pending issues of pay and privileges. Besides, ‘the modalities for setting up a separate pay commission for the forces will be expedited, all personnel of the army, air force and navy, as also paramilitary forces, will be exempted from paying income tax on their salaries and perquisites’.

Incentives will also be offered to state governments for ‘ensuring honourable settlement of retired personnel of the defence services’, Prasad added.

Highlighting welfare proposals for the armed forces, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani said: ‘We have thought about the welfare of the soldiers so elaborately that nobody has ever tried to even think in that direction. Principle of ‘one rank and one pension’ will be implemented.’

He said the party proposed to increase tenfold the honorariums for those given gallantry awards of ‘abysmally low’ sums from Rs.500 to Rs.3,000.

The increase will be with retrospective effect.

Underlining the need for the modernisation of the armed forces, the BJP said in its manifesto that long pending acquisitions of military hardware would be expedited in a timebound manner and budget allocations for defence forces would not be allowed to lapse.

The party also promised to toe a tough line to deal with terrorism and strengthen the internal and external security of the country and assured that ‘fear shall no longer stalk this land’.

‘We will deal with terrorists, whether inside or outside the country, stringently. A strong law like POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) will be enacted and coastal security will be strengthened. The fencing of Indo-Bangladesh border which was on the backburner will be taken up earnestly. The Chhattisgarh model of fighting Naxalism will be replicated across the country,’ said Prasad.

Lieutenant General Avinash Chander Soneja posted as DG of OL and SM

New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): Lieutenant General Avinash Chander Soneja, an alumnus of the Sainik School, Kapurthala, has been posted as Director General of Operational Logistics and Strategic Movement at Integrated HQ of Ministry of Defence (Army), New Delhi.

The General Officer had joined Sainik School, Kapurthala (Punjab), in January 1963.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, he had attended the prestigious higher command course at Indian Army’s War College, Mhow.

He holds Post Graduate degrees in MSc and M Phil (Defence Studies) and MBA (HRD). He has held numerous command and staff appointments including the General Officer Commanding, Counter Insurgency Force (Romeo) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The General Officer has been decorated with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and twice with Vishist Seva Medal for his outstanding performance.

The General Officer is married. His wife Neelam Soneja is a school teacher and the couple have two children. (ANI)

IAF gets its first ever Director General Operations

New Delhi, Mar 12 (ANI): Air Marshal DC Kumaria has taken over as the first ever Director General Operations at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) here today.

Air Marshal Kumaria was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the flying branch of Indian Air Force (IAF) on July 2, 1973.

A graduate of Defence Services Staff College, he is a Qualified Weapon Instructor (QWI) having undergone the QWI course in the United Kingdom and a Fighter Combat Leader, who also served as a Directing Staff at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).

He has held many important field and staff appointments in his service career.

He has been Assistant Advisor (Air) at Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh and has served as a Defence Attachi at Indian Embassy in Rome (Italy) with concurrent accreditation to the Iberian countries.

He was specially selected to write the Air Power Doctrine of the IAF in 1994. He has commanded a frontline Jaguar Squadron specialising in Maritime Strike Role as well as a fighter air base and has had operational experience of flying all versions of MiG-21 and Jaguar aircraft.

He has also functioned as the Principal Director of Concept Studies at Air Headquarters, as Air I at Headquarters Western Air Command and Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Space) at Air Headquarters prior to taking over as the first ever Director General Operations at Air Headquarters.

Air Marshal Kumaria was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1983 and Vishisht Seva Medal in 1996 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2007 for distinguished service of high order. (ANI)

India celebrates its 60th Republic Day with fervour

New Delhi, January 26 (ANI): Citizens across India celebrated the country’s 60th Republic Day on Monday, even as the nation’s military might was on full display at a magnificent annual parade along New Delhi’s majestic Raj Path.

The event, showcasing gallantry, tradition and the joy that every Indian citizen, was performed before President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Chief Guest and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and a host of other dignitaries from all walks of life.

With Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh recuperating at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences after undergoing a major by-pass heart surgery on Saturday, Union Defense Minister A.K. Antony was accorded the privilege of performing the customary duties on the PM’s behalf during the Republic Day ceremony.

In the morning, Antony and the three service chiefs – Admiral Sureesh Mehta, General Deepak Kapoor and Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major-of the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force respectively-laid wreaths at the ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’, the British-era World War-I memorial at India Gate, where an eternal flame burns in memory of those martyrs who laid down their lives for the glory of the nation.

Minutes before the parade began, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and chief guest Kazakhastan President Nursultan Nazarbayev were escorted up to podium by the President’s Body Guards (PBG), the oldest army unit, riding on bedecked horses.

Antony received Patil and President Nazarbayev at the saluting dais in the absence of the Prime Minister.

President Patil and guests witnessed the unfurling of the tricolour, which was followed by the national anthem-Jan Gana Mana…..—by military bands and the traditional 21-gun salute by 299 Field Regiment.

Following this, the parade began, as four Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force flew past with the national flag as well as those of the three defence services slinging below.

The first to appear in the parade were winners of the Param Vir Chakra and Ashok Chakra followed by mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry by Lieutenant Colonel Navjit Singh Sandhu.

President Patil took the salute of marching contingents during the parade.ajor General K.J.S Oberoi, General Officer Commanding of Delhi Area of the Army, led the parade.

The Army then showcased its impressive armoury before the nation, including frontline T-90S battle tanks, indigenous Brahmos missile, OSA-AK system, the most modern and versatile air defence weapon.

The parade won everyone’s applaud as the armed forces in battle regalia proudly marched before their supreme commander. A scintillating show of air power, fascinating tableaux depicting the diverse culture of India and hundreds of colourfully-dressed dancing school children were part of the parade.

Earlier, a massive ground-to-air security apparatus was put in place in the national capital to prevent any untoward terror incident.

Intelligence agencies had warned of a possible terrorist strike. Snipers of the National Security Guards (NSG) were deployed at all high-rises all along the parade route.

Maharashtra Police ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and four others killed fighting Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai were among nine security personnel who received the Ashok Chakra, the country’s highest peace-time gallantry medal.

The list of distinguished guests in VVIP gallery watching the parade included Vice President Hamid Ansari, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and members of her family, Cabinet Ministers and others. A large enthusiastic crowd lined both sides of the parade route and cheered lustily throughout the event. (ANI)