Army actively integrating veterans into national security framework: General Dwivedi
Jaipur (PTI): Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday said the Army was actively integrating its veterans into the country's security framework and nation-building efforts, while expanding welfare, healthcare and resettlement initiatives for ex-servicemen and their families.
Addressing an event to mark Armed Forces Veterans Day, he said ex-servicemen contributed to India's security, governance, industry and social development well beyond active service.
"Whenever the nation has called, our veterans have stood firmly with the country under all circumstances," General Dwivedi said and described it as a reflection of their "deeply ingrained sense of national duty and responsibility".
Armed Forces Veterans' Day is celebrated on January 14 every year to recognise the service rendered by the first Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal K M Cariappa, who retired on this day in 1953.
Highlighting the Army's expanding welfare ecosystem, General Dwivedi said that Project NAMAN, launched in August 2024 to provide a dedicated support system for defence pensioners and their families, has reached a major milestone.
"On the occasion of this Army Day, the 100th NAMAN centre is being inaugurated," he said, adding that the aim is to establish nearly 200 such centres by January next year, including in remote locations.
The Chief of Army Staff said the Army views its personnel, veterans and families as one large unit. "I consider the armed forces to be a strong family of nearly 1.25 crore members," he said, referring to serving soldiers, veterans and dependents.
Stressing the growing contribution of ex-servicemen in strategic planning, he said veterans were being systematically engaged through initiatives such as Shaurya Sampravah.
"Whether it is strategic brainstorming, wargaming, red-teaming or operational planning, your contributions exceeded expectations," he said, referring to veterans' involvement during Operation Sindoor.
The Army chief also highlighted resettlement and employment efforts, noting that more than 17,000 veterans were provided jobs this year alone through the Army Welfare Placement Organisation, taking the cumulative figure to over 1.5 lakh.
Calling on the veterans to remain actively engaged with society, the Army chief said, "Your experience, skill and dedication will continue to benefit the country in the years ahead."
While economic strength shapes a nation's growth, "military strength ultimately forms the foundation of its outcomes", he said.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
