Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Blade Runner Major D P Singh and the Infantry Run

Infantry Run held as part of Infantry Day Celebrations 2013
A Photo Essay....

Major D P Singh, India's first blade runner who lost a leg in the 1999 Kargil War was the star attraction in the Infantry Run conducted in Mhow on Saturday 26 October 2013. This run was part of Infantry Day celebrations conducted in Mhow by the Infantry School - the alma mater of the Indian Infantry. D P Singh participated in the 10 km run and was a figure of admiration for each one of us who was there.
A majority of people who were there would not remember who the actual winners of the 3 km and 10 km race were... But we can forgive them after all it was DP's day... I too dedicate this blog post to the indomitable spirit of the soldier in Major DP Singh...

With Army officers before the run began...

With members of the NGO Swayam Jyoti which assisted Infantry School in conducting the Infantry Run...

With Lt General Rajesh Pant, AVSM, VSM, Commandant MCTE (Military College of Telecommunication Engineering) Mhow and Senior Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals. 




Encouraging and accepting the greetings of the participants of the 3 km race....


Some of the young participants in the 3 km run.


This group of ladies was also raring to go.....


Some of the veterans who participated in the run.


The Equestrian Squadron of the NCC (National Cadet Corps), RVC (Remount and Veterinary Corps)
was also in action helping in the smooth conduct of the run.  



Loosening up after the race. Nobody expected DP to go out of the stadium and he was left alone (something very unusual for this visit of his) for quite some time. 




Above and below: With some of his innumerable admirers.....


With a young subaltern...

Major DP Singh with Lt Gen A S Nandal, UYSM, AVSM, SM, Commandant Infantry School, Mhow


Major DP Singh being felicitated by Lt Gen A S Nandal, UYSM, AVSM, SM, Commandant Infantry School Mhow


                                        
The winner of the 10 km race young Pankaj Kumar Pardesi .... Wishing him many more successes in the future...

                             
Smartly turned out soldiers of the Sikh Regiment who made sure that the event went off peacefully.
Hats off to them....


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The Infantry school, Mhow organised an Infantry Run on Saturday 26 Oct as part of the Infantry day celebrations, which falls on 27 October, and is celebrated every year to commemorate the landing of first elements of the Indian Army at Srinagar airfield on 27 October 1947  thus preventing  Kashmir from falling into Pakistani hands.

 Approximately 5000 people from all spheres of life including defence personnel, civilians and school children participated with full zeal and enthusiasm. The run was conducted in two categories of 10 Km and 3 Km. Mr Pankaj Kumar Pardeshi in age group of 18 to 35, Nb Sub Amarjeet Singh in age group 35 to 45 and Nk AN Pandey in age group 45 to 55 came first in 10 km category whereas 3 Km run was won by Kumari Seema Awase in girl child category, Master Naveen Chauhan in boys category, Capt Sadhana Singh in ladies category and Mr N Sanjeev in senior category.  

 Many senior army officers and civil dignitaries participated in the run to support the spirit of Infantry Men who always leads from the front and are always ahead in war, counter insurgency operations or humanitarian relief during natural calamities.

 Major DP Singh, the first blade runner of the country and a Kargil war veteran also participated in the Infantry run as a special invitee and was felicitated by Lt Gen AS Nandal, UYSM, AVSM, SM, Commandant Infantry School.

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