NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JULY 29
The ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashaal’, the eternal flame lit at the National War Memorial to celebrate the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ commemorating 50 years India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, was received with fervour at Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) Chennai on Thursday (July 29, 2021).
Golden Jubilee of 1971 War Victory was celebrated at Officers Training Academy (OTA) Chennai today. Wreaths were laid by Brig TM Sridharan, VSM (Retd) 1971 War Veteran, Lt Gen MK Das, SM**, VSM, Commandant, OTA and others at the War Memorial in a solemn ceremony. @pibchennai pic.twitter.com/BSp5xL1DMk
— Defence PRO Chennai (@Def_PRO_Chennai) July 29, 2021
The flame was received at the Tank Gate of OTA with military ceremony and transported in a traditional horse-driven buggy to the Temple of Remembrance, the War Memorial of OTA Alumni who have given supreme sacrifice in service of the Nation.
After placing the victory flame in the sanctum sanctorum, a solemn ceremony was conducted wherein wreaths were laid by Brig TM Sridharan, VSM (Retd), a 1971 war veteran, an OTA alumnus, and Raghu Rai Hastir on behalf of Officer Cadets undergoing training at OTA Chennai, and finally by Lt Gen MK Das, SM, VSM, Commandant , OTA.
The flame was then carried by officer cadets around the Academy, to be finally brought to the famous Pratap Pipping Lawns wherein all Officers, Cadets and Civil Defence Staff of OTA were waiting to pay obeisance to the flame.
The presence of the Swarnim Vijay Mashaal, and everything that it symbolises, filled one-and-all with a sense of duty, honour, courage and selfless sacrifice in the service of the Nation, a release from Defence PRO said.