New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the Armed Forces on the 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day (January 14) during a rally in Dehradun. In his speech at the event, he said that the Bravehearts of the country have shown "indomitable courage and valour" to "protect the unity, integrity & sovereignty of the country." He stated that his head bows with reverence when he is among the Armed Forces. As quoted by ANI, he said, "When I reach among the bravehearts of the country like you, my head bows with reverence. Visuals of your bravery & sacrifice keep flashing in front of my eyes. You have protected the borders of our country & maintained its unity & integrity."


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Speaking on how the country looks after the welfare of the Army Veterans, he said, "There's a dedicated dept in Ministry of Defence for welfare of veterans. You're assets of our nation. Pension, medical & other facilities that the country gives you are small ways of showing respect to you. Several steps taken by govt for welfare of veterans."



 


To pay homage to the supreme sacrifice and dedicated service of our Armed Forces, a Shaurya Sthal developed by Uttarakhand War Memorial Trust was dedicated to the Armed Forces on Veterans' Day. During the event, veterans will be felicitated with medals, souvenirs, and recognition certificates.


Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs -- Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar -- laid wreaths at the National War Memorial on the occasion of Armed Forces Veterans Day.


The first Armed Forces Veterans Day was celebrated on January 14, 2016, and it was decided to commemorate this day every year by hosting events in honour of the ex-servicemen and their families.