Chaitali Bag
The Indian Army’s observance of Veterans’ Day across its myriad stations and establishments exemplifies a solemn yet celebratory reaffirmation of the institution’s enduring covenant with those who have worn its uniform and with the families who share its burdens. From New Delhi and Jaipur to Amritsar, Lucknow, Ranchi and Rajouri, the commemorations combined reverent remembrance with tangible welfare outreach, underscoring a dual purpose: to honour sacrifice and service, and to renew institutional commitments to the living legacy of soldiers and their kin. The ceremonies and associated welfare initiatives, particularly at Jaipur Military Station under the aegis of the South Western Command, provided a rich tableau through which the Army articulated its contemporary priorities—veteran welfare, institutional ethos, modernisation and civic engagement—while visibly acknowledging the human costs of national defence.
At Jaipur, the presence of General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, imbued the observances with symbolic and practical significance. The Army Veteran’s Day Lunch at the Polo Ground, attended by Veterans and Veer Naris, was more than an act of courtesy; it was a forum for direct engagement between the highest echelons of military leadership and those whose sacrifices and sustained service constitute the moral backbone of the force. General Dwivedi’s interactions and expressions of gratitude conveyed the institutional recognition that veteran welfare is not an episodic obligation but a continuing responsibility. By felicitating officials of the Zila Sainik Boards and releasing the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans’ magazine, Samman, the COAS reinforced the administrative and informational mechanisms that sustain veteran outreach. The public acknowledgement by Ms Sunita Dwivedi, President of the Army Women’s Welfare Association, of Veer Naris and Veer Matas further highlighted the Army’s appreciation for the families who endure loss and hardship in service of the nation.
The day’s rhetorical and ceremonial elements were bolstered by substantive commitments. In his address, General Dwivedi struck a careful balance: he paid tribute to the ultimate sacrifice of the fallen while reiterating the Army’s pledge to the welfare of Veterans and bereaved families. His remarks also situated these commitments within a forward-looking strategic context. By emphasising modernisation, technology infusion and operational readiness, he acknowledged the evolving character of warfare and the concomitant demands on personnel and institutions. Yet he insisted that such evolution must not dilute core values—honour, courage and duty—that have historically defined the Army’s identity. By calling Veterans “role models and lifelong ambassadors” of those values, the COAS not only celebrated individual careers but also invoked a civic function for Veterans: bridging the Army and the broader society, especially youth, to foster national unity, discipline, and resilience.
Complementing the ceremonial dialogue on values and welfare was the conferral of gallantry awards, unit citations and certificates of appreciation during a separate Investiture Ceremony. The presentation of ten Sena Medals (Gallantry), forty-nine COAS Unit Citations and sixty COAS Certificates of Appreciation (including specific recognition for twenty-six units for Operation Sindoor) served multiple purposes. First, it recognised acts of conspicuous bravery and exemplary operational performance, thereby reinforcing the behavioural norms the institution seeks to encourage. Second, it publicly validated the operational contributions of units and individuals across commands, creating a visible record of merit that strengthens morale and institutional cohesion. Third, by recognising veteran achievers and civilians for their contributions to the Army’s mission, the ceremonies affirmed the broader ecosystem that supports national defence—an ecosystem that includes retired personnel who continue to render distinguished service in civilian or social spheres.
The integration of welfare measures and ceremonial honours during Veterans’ Day observances speaks to an institutional ethos that is both commemorative and functional. Welfare events for Veterans, Veer Naris and their families provide immediate material and psychosocial benefits: they foster community, facilitate access to entitlements and services, and offer recognition that can mitigate feelings of marginalisation. Simultaneously, ceremonies that recognise gallantry and service have an allocative function within the Army’s internal culture: awards and citations codify standards of excellence, thereby shaping incentives and expectations for current and future generations. In sum, the day’s activities operated along complementary vectors: care for the individual and the family unit, and the cultivation of collective professional identity.
The COAS’s acknowledgment of proactive engagement with the civil administration and other stakeholders underscores another salient dimension: veteran welfare is not the province of the Army alone but an interdependent enterprise requiring collaboration across governmental and non-governmental actors. Institutions such as Zila Sainik Boards and welfare associations play an indispensable role in translating policy into practice at the local level. Their recognition in Jaipur highlights the need for administrative competence and community networks to ensure that entitlements, rehabilitation services, and memorialisation efforts reach beneficiaries effectively. Furthermore, the outreach to youth and civic communities underscores the Army’s recognition that public support and societal understanding are vital to sustaining the moral and material resources necessary for national defence.
The scheduled continuation of celebrations with the Army Day Parade and Shaurya Sandhya in Jaipur on 15 January 2026 will provide additional public platforms to demonstrate professionalism, operational preparedness and the bond between the Army and the populace. Military parades and public displays of capability and discipline play a distinct communicative role: they reassure the citizenry of the armed forces’ readiness, honour the memory of service members, and reinforce civil-military rapport. When conducted alongside veteran welfare programming, such events can deepen public appreciation of the human dimensions behind military capability.
Under the aegis of the Brahmastra Corps, Eastern Command, Cockerel Division solemnly and successfully commemorated the 10th Defence Forces Veterans Day on 14 January 2026 at Dipatoli Cantonment, Ranchi, under the theme “Forever in Service, Forever in our Hearts,” an event that underscored deep respect and gratitude towards Defence Forces veterans, Veer Naris and their families and reaffirmed the enduring bond between the serving fraternity and its veterans; honoured by Shri Sanjay Seth, Hon’ble Rajya Raksha Mantri, and graced by senior and retired military dignitaries including Lieutenant General Y S Ahlawat, AVSM, YSM, SM, GOC 17 Corps, and Major General Sajjan Singh Maan, GOC 23 Infantry Division, the observance—marking the annual Defence Forces Veterans Day that recognizes the selfless service and supreme sacrifices of India’s defence veterans—reached an important milestone in reiterating the Indian Army’s sustained commitment to the welfare, dignity and holistic well‑being of its veteran community, with participation from veterans and Veer Naris across Jharkhand; a total of 1,048 veterans, 558 dependents, 54 Veer Naris and four gallantry award winners—among them Sepoy Late John Britto Kiro, Vir Chakra; Havildar Jai Prakash Singh, Sena Medal; Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Magu Bading, Sena Medal; Junior Warrant Officer Mohammed Jawed, Shaurya Chakra; Naik Lara Oraon, Sena Medal; Sepoy Karamdeo Oraon, Shaurya Chakra; and Subedar Vikram Tete, Sena Medal—along with other distinguished veterans and dependents attended the programme which commenced at 0800 hours with registration and data recording and proceeded with a wreath‑laying ceremony in homage to the fallen, addresses by dignitaries, cultural presentations and felicitation of veterans, Veer Naris and gallantry awardees to foster pride, recognition and emotional connect; in keeping with the objective of providing comprehensive support under one roof, organisers established a medical and dental camp and dedicated grievance‑redressal mechanisms to address pensions, entitlements, documentation and veteran‑related services, enabling direct engagement among veterans, serving personnel and agency representatives for prompt resolution of longstanding concerns, while an array of beneficiary, records and facilitation stalls—including ECHS, SPARSH Customer Care, PCDA (Pensions), Aadhaar Centre, ARO Ranchi, Rajya Sainik Boards, AWES and other records agencies—alongside CSR stalls by banking, insurance, medical, automobile and FMCG organisations and job opportunity booths from government and private agencies, provided vital information on welfare schemes, employment avenues and social support mechanisms; collectively, these arrangements rendered the 10th Defence Forces Veterans Day celebration at Ranchi a solemn, meaningful and multifaceted tribute that reflected the Defence Forces’ unwavering respect for service and sacrifice and reaffirmed a sustained commitment to addressing present concerns and safeguarding the future well‑being of veterans and their families.
In evaluating the wider implications of these Veterans’ Day activities, several observations emerge. First, the Indian Army’s emphasis on veteran welfare reflects a maturation of institutional practice; contemporary armed forces must address the life-cycle needs of personnel, from recruitment through retirement and bereavement. Such an orientation is both ethical and pragmatic: prudent veteran care sustains recruitment appeal, preserves institutional knowledge, and maintains the social legitimacy of military institutions. Second, the coupling of modernisation rhetoric with a reaffirmation of core values suggests an institutional strategy that seeks technological and doctrinal adaptation without abandoning foundational norms. This balance is essential in an era where technological change can outpace cultural and organisational adjustment. Third, public recognition of veterans and of units’ operational achievements contributes to a normative ecology that valorises sacrifice while legitimating the use of force in defence of the state; careful stewardship of this ecology is necessary to prevent either uncritical glorification or the marginalisation of those who serve.
The comprehensive nature of the Jaipur observances—encompassing direct veteran engagement, administrative recognition, publication of informational resources, felicitation of family members, awards for gallantry and unit performance, and planned public spectacles—constitutes a model for how the armed forces can integrate commemoration, welfare, and public outreach. Such integration not only honours the past but also invests in the force’s resilience and the nation’s trust. In reaffirming obligations to veterans and their families, celebrating acts of courage, and signalling a commitment to modernisation anchored in enduring values, the Indian Army’s Veterans’ Day observances offered a coherent statement: that the preservation of national security is inseparable from the care of those who safeguard it.
