I Am Bhojpuriya

Category: USI

  • WWF and USI organised a Successful Seminar on War Disabled Personnel of Indian Armed Forces – Primex News Network

    WWF and USI organised a Successful Seminar on War Disabled Personnel of Indian Armed Forces – Primex News Network

    New Delhi (India), April 20: The War Wounded Foundation, a registered charitable Non-Government Organisation (NGO), had organised a comprehensive seminar, in concert with USI of India, the oldest ‘Think Tank’ of India, at the USI Auditorium in New Delhi on 19 April 2022. The subject covered related to the challenges and concerns of War-Disabled personnel of the three services.

    A galaxy of highly experienced officers from the army dilated on various aspects of the subject, bringing out how the war-disabled personnel need to be recognised as a separate group, in the same manner as those Killed in Action (KIA), wrongly referred to as “Martyrs” for electoral purposes.  More than one Panellist emphasised the need for government agencies at both Centre and states levels to empathise with the war-disabled, give them recognition as a separate group and honour them for their sacrifices made on many battlefields.

    The aim of honouring the war disabled soldiers and giving visibility to the Foundation and its work were fully achieved. Nearly 100 war disabled personnel, some in wheel chairs and crutches had participated in the Seminar.

    The Chief Guest at the Seminar was General V P Malik, PVSM, AVSM, Former Chief of Army Staff, under whose command and directions, the Kargil War was fought and won. In his inaugural Address, he emphasised the importance of war-disabled personnel, bringing out that if the war-disabled are not assisted, helped and indeed honoured, future volunteers may think twice before opting to join the armed forces.

    During his address, Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, President War Wounded Foundation and Former Vice Chief of Army Staff, who himself is a war disabled officer of the 1965 India-Pakistan War, sporting an artificial leg for over 50 years, chaired an important session dealing with the need for the war-disabled leading an honouable life, standing on their feet and becoming financially independent. Gen Oberoi had lost his leg in the 1965 War with Pakistan, but he had soldiered on, competing with his peers and superannuated as the VCOAS of the Indian Army.

    He was not the only war-disabled officer who had competed with their peers and had held highly important appointments in the armed forces. One of the speakers, Gen Bhupesh Jain pointed out that the entire gamut of family, education, military training and service in different parts of the country, besides the self-confidence of the individual himself and the support of his colleagues comrades and units all contribute to the mental make-up of a war-disabled person.

    Maj Gen Deepak Sapra, SM, who has extensive experience of serving in many appointments in the army as well as in the corporate word  laid out a workable blue print  on the very important subject of formulating a dynamic data base of the war-disabled to formalise the need for creating a separate group, which is lacking today.

    Lt Gen Arvind Dutta, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, former Adjutant General of the Indian Army emphasised that the war-disabled must not be ignored as it will affect the intake of future soldiers, sailors and airmen adversely.  He also cogently brought out ways and means to reach out and accord recognition to all war-disabled personnel.

    All speakers were unanimous in their views in praising the War Disabled Personnel for their selfless service to the Nation and exhorted each member to continue to achieve skills to make their own dreams come true, so that they can stand on their feet. He also assured them of all help and support from the army.

    During the two breaks in the proceedings for tea and lunch, there was extensive bonding, relating of experiences and informal interaction with the war-disabled personnel about their experiences.

    A brave lady who not only had fought and won her various disabilities, Deepa Malik, belonging to a military family, could unfortunately not participate in the Seminar due to a medical emergency. Deepa, a Padam Shri recipient has brought laurels to the nation in participating and winning a large number of medals in many events in the para Olympics and other sports tournaments. A recipient of the Major Dyan Chand Khel Ratna Award of 2019, she is currently the President of the Paralympic Committee of India.

    Two war-disabled personnel, Hony Capt P Dyalan, SM and Naik Dharamvir shared their war experiences and post-disabiity challenges; Their presentations were very well received.

    Overall, the Seminar was a great success and achieved all its aims, thanks to the efforts of those who participated in the Seminar. The Seminar also marked the change of hierarchy of the War Wounded Foundation, whereby the pioneers of the Foundation handed over the reins to a younger Team, headed by Lt Gen Asit Mistry, former Commandant of the National Defence Academy.

    Details of the Foundation are available at the website of the Foundation at  warwounded.org.

    Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM

    Former President

    War Wounded Foundation

    Former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS)

  • USI and WWF jointly organise seminar on War-Disabled Personnel of the Armed Forces – Primex News Network

    USI and WWF jointly organise seminar on War-Disabled Personnel of the Armed Forces – Primex News Network

    New Delhi (India), April 19: The oldest ‘think tank’ of India – USI and the WWF, a registered charitable Non-Government Organisation (NGO), are jointly organising a Seminar relating to all war-disabled personnel of the Armed Forces Of India at the USI Auditorium, Rao Tula Ram Marg, New Delhi on 19 April 2022.

    The Chief Guest at the Seminar is General V P Malik, PVSM, AVSM, Former Chief of Army Staff, under whose command and directions, the Kargil War was fought and won.

    The Seminar would be held from 09:30 AM to 16:30 PM on 19 April 2022. The Seminar has been divided into four sessions.

    In the Inaugural Session, the Chief Guest, after inaugurating the Seminar will address the gathering and will honour to approximately one hundred war-disabled personnel of various wars and war-like operations. The Session will also witness the change in the hierarchy of the WWF, wherein the pioneers who nurtured the 20-year-old institution will step down and a new team will take over the Foundation.

    The outgoing President of the Foundation, Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, and former Vice Chief of Army Staff will hand over the Baton to Lt Gen Asit Mistry, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, and former Commandant National Defence Academy.

    The Inaugural Session will be followed by Tea Break and Interaction with War-Disabled Personnel from various parts of the country, invited for the Seminar.

    Three working sessions will follow. Session I: Challenges and Concerns of War Disabled Personnel will be chaired by Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM, who had lost his leg in the 1971 War with Pakistan.

    There are three speakers in the Panel. Brig Deepak Sinha, PARA (SF), a defence analyst is the first; Maj Gen Hardev Singh, KC, AVSM, who runs a “Not for Profit” Trust titled “Foundation Freedom” to promote Spiritual Wisdom, Health, and Guidance for the poor; and Major Navdeep Singh, an eminent author and legal luminary, who will address the audience virtually as he is unable to be physically present. Different aspects of the overall subject will be dealt with by the three speakers.

    Session II will end with a short narration by a war-disabled warrior about how he sustained his injuries and how he met the challenges thereafter.

    Session II will follow Session I. It will be chaired by Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, former Vice Chief of Army Staff and President of WWF and will deal with the subject “War Disabled Personnel Need to Live an Honourable Life, Standing on Their Feet and Being Financially Independent”. Gen Oberoi had lost his leg in the 1965 War with Pakistan, but he had soldiered on, competing with his peers and superannuated as the VCOAS of the Indian Army.

    The three speakers in this Panel are three highly experienced Army Officers. The first speaker, Maj Gen Bhupesh Jain, VSM, a PARA (SF) officer, who had lost his leg in active operations, will speak on the part played by family, units and formations and the disabled individual himself in overcoming challenges of disability. He will be followed by Maj Gen Deepak Sapra, SM, who will speak on the very important subject of formulating a dynamic data base of the war-disabled to formalise the need for creating a separate group, which is lacking today.

    The third speaker of Session II is Lt Gen Arvind Dutta, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, and former Adjutant General of the Indian Army. He will address the important subject of reaching out and according recognition to our war-disabled personnel.

    Session II would end with another narration of a war-disabled warrior about his experiences in war and post-war activities.

    After the break for a working lunch, the seminar will resume with Session III, which is being chaired by Lt Gen PC Katoch, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SC, a well-known defence analyst and prolific writer from the PARA (SF) fraternity. His Session will deal with “Policy, Options and Alternate Avenues for War Wounded Personnel to Lead a Happy, Successful and Fulfilling Life”.

    The three speakers on this Panel are two experienced army officers and a well-known lady who has brought laurels to the nation with her grit and perseverance. The first speaker of the Session is Maj Gen Ashok Kumar, SM, VSM, who is occupying the prestigious appointment of ADG Personnel Services in the Adjutant Generals Branch. He will dilate on existing policies, instructions and provisions for all war-disabled personnel.

    Gen Ashok Kumar will be followed by Captain D P Ramachandran, an armoured corps officer who is a veteran of the 1971 War with Pakistan and is a Trustee of the ‘Colours of Glory Foundation’ Chennai. He will speak about the need to have plans and schemes that will enable the corporate sector and the war-disabled to assist each other.

    The third speaker of the Session will be Dr. Deepa Malik, a renowned lady well known for her overcoming her disabilities and an example to all for her fortitude and courage, and now the President of Paralympics Committee of India. She will speak on chalking out a formalised sports policy for war-disabled personnel and preparing them to participate in para sports.

    Session III will end with a brief narration by Ms Meghna Girish, who is currently occupying the WWF Chair of Excellence at USI and is writing the first book on War Disabled- Personnel.

    Each session is designed to have a ‘question-and-answer’ session for interaction with the audience.

    There are multiple aims we want to achieve from this high-powered seminar. The foremost is to bring out the problems and challenges the war-disabled face in the public domain; the second is how best to ensure that they are not financially constrained; thirdly, encourage them to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle; and never to forget the discipline and ethos of being a soldier.

    Other aspects are whether the government and the armed forces are doing enough for them and how best can their lives be improved. One of the biggest challenges is to recognise them as a cohesive group, like those killed in Action (KIA), who are now erroneously called ‘martyrs’; the Veer Naris; or the Gallantry Award Winners. The war-disabled, which include those disabled in Warlike operations like conducting high grade operations against all categories of insurgents, need to be recognised as a separate group. They also need to be honoured.

    The War Wounded Foundation was set up in 2002 for the long-term rehabilitation and financial independence of war disabled personnel of the armed forces. There are approximately 10,000 such personnel and their financial situation needs improvement.   All war disabled personnel of the army, navy and air force are automatically members of the War Wounded Foundation; they do not have to pay any fees.

    The Foundation gives no doles or freebies but assists the war disabled in acquiring skills; becoming ‘soldier entrepreneurs’; and arranging jobs if they so desire. The Foundation has been functioning for the last 20 years but very few know about the work they are doing. It is hoped that this seminar will give visibility to the Foundation and its work.

    Details of the Foundation can be accessed at their website: warwounded.org. The focus of the Foundation was and continues to be on rural areas, as the maximum numbers of our JCO’s and Jawans come from a rural back ground.

    The last such event was held at Pune on 06 May 2017, where the Chief Guest was the then COAS, Late General Bipin Rawat, later the first CDS of India.

    Issued by: Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, President, War Wounded Foundation, Former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), New Delhi