Tambaram Air Force Station celebrated Armed Forces Veterans Day in Chennai on Saturday with Minister of State for Defence Ajay Batt as the chief guest.
“The veterans are our idols and icons. They should be served, they should be cared for. We are here because of our veterans and they have sacrificed a lot for this country,” MoS Ajay Bhatt said. “Some lost their lives but by god’s grace some are still here with us and they should be respected. The government’s decision to give them the highest respect is a great step,” MoS Ajay Bhatt added.
Hundreds of retired Indian armed forces veterans participated in the event.
The Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated on January 14 every year, as on this day, in 1953, the First Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army, Field Marshal KM Cariappa, who led Indian Forces to Victory in the 1947 war against Pakistan, formally retired from the services.
The First Armed Forces Veterans Day was observed on January 14, 2016. It was decided to commemorate this day every year by hosting events in honour of the ex-Servicemen and their families.