In order to pay homage to his comrades from the 1971 Indo-Pak war, an 80-year-old retired soldier traveled 230 km on his old ‘moped’ from his hometown in Punjab to Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor. He also held a fast as a sign of respect to mourn for the lost souls.
Named Subedar Jai Singh, the ex-Army man from Mukerian belt in Hoshiarpur district, had participated in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak war and fought bravely in both of them.
Contribution In Indo-Pak War
During the 1965 war, Singh was part of an assault team and he was injured during the capture of Gitian in the Hajipir sector. Later, Subedar participated in the 1971 war at Chapriyal area of Akhnoor with the 216 Field Regiment that fought valiantly. Two officers, two junior commissioned officers (JCOs), and 64 other ranks of the regiment, including the CO, Lt Col M L Sethi, had made the supreme sacrifice during the operation.
Moreover, he wasn’t the first to join the Army from his family. His father happened to be a veteran of World War 1.
Homage
Marking the occasion of ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’, Singh traveled 230 km from his residence to the gun area of the 1971 war and the 216 Field Regiment memorial at Pahariwala on his old ‘moped’ all by himself.
#SwarnimVijayVarsh
— PRO Defence Jammu (@prodefencejammu) December 7, 2021
80 yr old #WarVeteran travelled 230kms by road to the battleground of #BattleOfChhamb & observed fast to pay homage to bravehearts of #1971IndoPakWar. #Akhnoor #Rakhmuthi#Pahariwala@SpokespersonMoD@PIBSrinagar @diprjk @adgpi @NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/8Qa03DGHAb
The veteran remembered his CO, OC, and fallen brothers from the war with pride and tears in his eyes informed the Army PRO.
His sense of patriotism and esprit-de-corps acted as a motivation for all the attendees of the wreath-laying ceremony, they added.