What lures Generals to Panchkula?:

Panchkula: 'City of Generals'
PANCHKULA: Panchkula, the satellite town of Chandigarh, seems to be fast becoming the " City of Generals" as one more war veteran has made it his post-retirement home. Army commander of Western Command Lt Gen S R Ghosh, who hung up his uniform, has decided to settle down in Panchkula, which is already home to hundreds of Army officers including Gen V K Singh, who also retired recently, and former army chief V P Malik.
Lt Gen Ghosh said he loved the area during his stint as Army commander and decided to settle here because of the atmosphere and way of life the city offers for the defence personnel. Another reason for settling down here, he added, was that his wife, a retired bureaucrat, was born and brought up here. Ghosh, nevertheless, maintained that the city lacks maintenance and that considering the number of senior officers settling here, local bodies should focus on its proper upkeep.
Panchkula already has hundreds of officers and war veterans, who remained commanders of various vital formations of Army during conventional as well as non-conventional wars, settled here. Among them are former Army chief Gen (retd) Malik, former Army vice-chief Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, former commanders -- Lt Gen H S Panag, Lt Gen P S Hoon, Lt Gen Deepinder Singh, LT Gen T K Sapru, Lt Gen G S Sihota, Lt Gen R S Dayal (died recently), Lt Gen Daljit Singh and Lt Gen Surinder Singh among others.
Sector 12, 12-A, 6, 20 and MDC have a high concentration of top Army officers. In fact, Panchkula has become a station of choice post-retirement not only for those from the region but also those belonging to other parts of the country.
According to senior Army officers, the city is one of the best urban planned cities of the country, has spacious roads, large lung spaces and planned markets. Besides, it is strategically located -- within an earshot of Shimla to the north and New Delhi to the south. With Chandimandir Cantonment in the vicinity, officers' link to service life and a large community of retired and serving officers make it particularly attractive.
Panchkula: 'City of Generals' gets 2 more after 'farewell to arms' by Ajay Sura, TNN Jun 1, 2012, 05.01AM IST

Club for Jawans: Bridging gap between Officers and Men

Club for Jawans: Army's attempt to abolish the relics of British Raj
Ajay Sura, TNN | Sep 3, 2012, 01.45PM IST
CHANDIGARH: In a serious attempt to do away with much of its colonial trappings in the 1.5 million strong 'hierarchy conscious' Indian army, the western command has opened a recreational club for the junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and Jawans-a facility, which was confined to the officers' class till date.
The state of art institute opened last week by chief of army staff, General Bikram Singh, is the first of its kind in the country in terms of standards, where Junior Commissioned officers/other ranks and their families would avail the facilities under one roof such as restaurant, gymnasium, library, cyber cafe conference hall and indoor games.
Development is seen as an attempt to bridge the gap between the officers and others ranks at a time when Army's colonial-era institutions are generating a crisis within its ranks. Earlier in the first week of May this year, the Army had announced that it was considering doing away with the colonial-era practice of sahayak or batmen, where soldiers are assigned to serve as valets.
Importantly, navy and air force had already such facilities for its JCOs/ORs rank but hierarchy-conscious army had not taken any initiative in this concerned and was yet to waken up from the 'colonial way' where white officers were being separated from the local soldier.
The newly opened recreational club at Chandimandir cantonment for soldiers has been named as 'Jadunath Sainik Institute'. Naik Jadunath of army fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, where Pak irregular had attacked Indian territories in Jammu & Kashmir. He died in the battle and was later awarded with country's highest gallantry award--- the Param Vir Chakra (PVC). Sources confirmed TOI that army is going to set up more such institutes across the country for its lower rung troops.
Till date, most of the cantonment and cities have institutes/clubs meant for officers only, where officers and their families are members for recreational activities.
Terming the development as 'winds of change' in the army, the defence fraternity is of the view that rule and regulations should change as per change of social and economical changes in the society.
Major General K S Bajwa, an officer of first batch of IMA, commissioned just before the India attained independence, said, "Today's jawan is well educated, more inspirational, having better expectation of life and the move would give them a sense of belongingness".
While terming the move as farsighted with large implications on troops, Gen Bajwa said that it would help in curbing the incidents that has occurred recently creating conflicts within ranks.
Club for Jawans: Army's attempt to abolish the relics of British Raj

Newsletter from Veekay

Dear Friends,
Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. My newsletter click here.
Vinay and Kumud Singh

Extracts from Veekay Newsletter 2010
The year is coming to an end and it is time for the annual ritual of connecting with friends, acquaintances, comrades and colleagues. I do not recall the last time I sent a New Year's card or a hand written letter. Ever since we started using e-mail, letters have become passé. Until a few years ago, very few people had a computer and one had to write a letter. The advent of mobile telephony has put paid to the art of letter writing altogether. What a pity. I have begun to relish the advantages of being a senior citizen. One can buy rail tickets at a 30% discount. (Women get 50%, but Kumud is still to qualify. Even when she does, I think she would rather pay the full fare than be classified as a senior citizen!). Youngsters, especially girls, sometimes offer you a seat in the Metro. Shopkeepers, parking attendants and handymen address you as uncle, though hardly anyone calls Kumud an auntie, and woe betide anybody who dares...

There is little change in our routine. I go to the gym in the DSOI, which is a stone’s throw from my house, at 0645, returning at 0745 or so. Kumud goes at 0830 and returns only when the gym closes at 1000. By this time I have gone through my newspapers, had my bath and my breakfast and am ready to leave for Signals Enclave, where the Corps History Cell is located. On the days I have a hearing in Tis Hazari or the High Court, I have to give the gym amiss. The Ansal Plaza is next door and Kumud does not miss a movie. She is usually accompanied by my daughter in law or one of her gym buddies. They go for the morning show, when the children are at school and the tickets are cheaper. Twice a week, I too get a chance to go to the mall – it has a Reliance Fresh outlet and buying vegetables is one of the chores entrusted to me.