IMA holds grand golden jubilee reunion of 1970 batch
PrashantNews
A grand three-day golden jubilee reunion of the 1970 batch of the prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun culminated on Saturday with all fanfare.
The promising winter morning of 20 December 1970 saw the commissioning of 46th Regular and 30th Technical Courses pass out from IMA donning the proud stars on their young shoulders, a year before the bloody 1971 Indo-Pak War that saw the birth of a new nation – Bangaldesh.
Having been at the fore front of this war as young dynamic officers, they led their men in the 1971 battle to win laurels for the Indian Army. Twelve young officers from their course paid the supreme sacrifice in this war, while four of their mates were awarded the coveted Vir Chakra, two of them posthumously to 2nd Lt S Manjunath and 2nd Lt Kanwarjit Singh. Brig Baljit Singh Gill and Lt Col Tamal Roy, being the other two Vir Chakra awardees, joined the Reunion ceremony.
The Golden Jubilee Reunion Celebrations in December 2020 on completion of 50 years of their commissioning could not be held due to COVID 19 pandemic. However, the course was instead able to conduct the solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony in an orchestrated befitting manner at the IMA War Memorial, the National War Memorial, Delhi, and at the various Army War Memorials located at Pune, Lucknow, Bangalore and Chandigarh. The Course also published a Souvenir Magazine to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Event.
Belated though, the course veterans arriving from various corners assembled for the grand Reunion at IMA from 21 December to 23 December 2023 and renewed their inimitable camaraderie and course spirit with cheerful bonhomie. They were mostly accompanied by their gracious wives.
Lt Gen VK Mishra, PVSM, AVSM, Commandant IMA, and the staff of the IMA were graciously welcoming in hosting the event for the veterans with warm hospitality and befitting fanfare. The landmark Reunion saw boisterous intermingling of veterans and the ladies after decades of separation. In all a total of 406 from the Regular stream and 65 from the Technical stream had graduated for commissioning in the course. 129 officers (including 6 foreign officers) of the course have since passed away over the years.
During their long service, these officers have served at numerous locations all over the country and abroad, with better part of their service being spent in difficult multi-terrain field areas on the borders.
The course has produced two army commanders, Lt Gen BS Jaswal and Lt Gen Pradeep Khanna, besides ten other Lt Generals heading important directorates and institutions in the Army. Ends